Five pin combination guide

[pinsetter]

That is what came to my mind as well. But I think there is something wrong with the reason you are giving... the way I understand the binding defect (and keep in mind I am relatively new) it can only exist in relation of two holes. I mean, you could have the holes in the shell in a wave pattern or whatever other random layout and imagining that the holes in the plug are perfectly matched you would not get a binding defect, but simultanous binding of all pins. The reason for the binding defect (as I understand it) is the (mis-)ALIGNMENT of the plug and shell holes in relation to each other, not the placement (straight line etc.). Please let me know if I am wrong here.

Well, I've always been under the assumption that the plug and cylinder are drilled together, at the same time, so the holes will be drilled in relation to each other in both pieces. I believe the defect is just in the alignment of the holes in relation to a centerline. Maybe someone in the know of the actual manufacturing process can explain. IF the holes are drilled in both parts simultaneously, then I'll have to stick to the theory I wrote earlier. Not that EVERY lock will bind in exact reverse order, as I'm sure that would not be the case for various other reasons.

In all honesty though, I've never paid that much attention to it. I grab a lock, give it a quick feel, pick the sticky ones in whatever order they feel sticky, and never really take note of the order I achieved opening with. That means that if I change the direction I'm torquing the plug I just start the feeling process again and start picking the sticky pins. If you think too much you muck up your mind and end up struggling.

[CVScam]

Lucky for me one the first locks I ever practiced on had a 54321 on CW and it was 12345 CCW. The bad part was I expected every lock to be like that. I have noticed on a lot of locks that you can bind a different pin order by using a tension wrench at the top.

[Wrenchman]

One wonders if there's any possibility of a "pin tumbler autodialer" that ran through every conceivable combination for a given spacing and depth set (they'd be stored, just like in a computer key machine), applying a little tension every time and stopping when the plug turned.

When I was a little bit younger, I heard that the locksmiths had a machine to "decode" the lock, and I thought that was fantastic, it turns out that it was a pick gun, hmm, anyway we are in 2006, I bet someone is working on it already, an electric device, with an electronic key, one for each keyway, and a handheld, yes that would be many keys but it has to be perfect, but you would only need the keys they use in your area, and not the ones the use in, say, China or Vietnam.
The key would have pin pushers, not the pushers you know from downtown, some sensitive ones who could feel the binding pins, the key being abel to give torque lift pins release torque try another pincombination, at a very high rate, after you could make a new key from the information given to the "palm" ofcause!

I know there is a manual one, I have seen a video around here, I think it was from Germany, so there should be enough space!

[ablazia]

Does this formula change when there are spools involved? Master keyed pins? Since master keying ups your odds of finding a sheer line, does that lower or raise the various combinations?

Also - as for drilling - the oval shape of a drilled hole is a function of the sharpness of the drill bit. I don't know for sure how they drill these, but, I am guessing they don't use 5 through 7 drill bits all at once and, even if they do that, the bits will dull at different rates depending on the impurities in the metal being drilled. As long as the hole is being drilled, they won't change the bits if they don't have to. Another factor has to do with the center punch or pit formed in casting the plug (just in case they don't center punch the plug for the drill bits). If those are off just a little from each other, that would make a difference in how egg-shaped the holes become, combined with the sharpness of the bit and the attention of the machinist as to how often the bits are changed (administrations will give them trouble if they change them too often - that costs the company time and money). If they do center punch before drilling, centeredness of the punch to the center line will make a difference as well.

Sorry, guess my labor background is showing...

[boroboy41]

Spools and master keying have no effect on the combinations.

There are 120 ways the pins could bind but only 1 way they do bind.

[ImprezaRSX]

So here goes, why don't lock manufacturers just drill the plug and shell holes at the same time, i.e. with the plug inserted into the shell and locked in place. I think the drilling imperfections could actually be lowered by that. Is it too expensive to join plug and shell that early in the production process?

Lock manufacturers are making locks for security. Not ease of picking. These defects don't affect key operation, they just make it harder for us. So the process works great for them! Slight pin misalignment = Better security.

[Blink]

12345 12354 12435 12453 12534 12543
13245 13254 13425 13452 13524 13542
14235 14253 14325 14352 14523 14532
15234 15243 15324 15342 15423 15432

21345 21354 21435 21453 21534 21543
23145 23154 23415 23451 23514 23541
24135 24153 24315 24351 24513 24531
25134 25143 25314 25341 25413 25431

31245 31254 31425 31452 31524 31542
32145 32154 32415 32451 32514 32541
34125 34152 34215 34251 34512 34521
35124 35142 35214 35241 35412 35421

41235 41253 41325 41352 41523 41532
42135 42153 42315 42351 42513 42531
43125 43152 43215 43251 43512 43521
45123 45132 45213 45231 45312 45321

51234 51243 51324 51342 51423 51432
52134 52143 52314 52341 52413 52431
53124 53142 53214 53241 53412 52421
54123 54132 54213 54231 54312 54321

53421 This is the way my Medeco Biaxial binds =).