Can't Get It!!!

by **Bahrg** » 25 Jun 2006 0:09

jb68 wrote:i've found the bottom more comfortable but gets in the way of the pick, where as at the top it's more of a struggle to stop it catching the front pin.

I prefer the top of the keyway myself, to avoid catching the front pin I have made my wrenches out of wiper blade insert and the part that goes into the lock is very short. It is short enough that it would be hard to even catch the front pin without using it at an angle. As for sanding the edges ... on my wrenches I did this at first but then found because they are so short they would slip out alot. I made them a little rougher with straight edges and now they work perfectly for me.

Hope this makes sense.

by **jb68** » 25 Jun 2006 5:01

makes perfect sense to me, i feel a trip to the car breakers coming on. do you think that the allen keys that i've made my wreches out of are too ridgid. i've looked at the pictures around the site of what alot of you guys use and was wondering if mabe that's part of my problem, not enough feed back through the wrench.

by **p1ckf1sh** » 25 Jun 2006 5:30

jb68 wrote:makes perfect sense to me, i feel a trip to the car breakers coming on. do you think that the allen keys that i've made my wreches out of are too ridgid. i've looked at the pictures around the site of what alot of you guys use and was wondering if mabe that's part of my problem, not enough feed back through the wrench.

I think a ground down allen wrench is still heavier than a piece of wiper insert. With the added weight, you have to automatically use more tension to get the wrench binding to the plug in order to not let it fall out. This might be the cause, because that way you are automatically forced to use too much tension.

Kinda like driving a stick-shift- if you have to drive in a pedetrian speed you should be in the first gear. If in the 2nd you will have a hard time keeping the low speed, no matter how careful your foot is on the throttle.

That's what I think at least

by **Kaotik** » 25 Jun 2006 13:41

Again, It would be important that if and after you make your own torque wrench that you lightly sand down (not grind) all the edges with fine sand paper...remember you are inserting a high grade of sleel in a brass lock.

The chances are increased that with rough sharp edges you can scrape the brass and leave shavings in the lock (not good) which can hinder the picking and damage the lock in the process.

I to use a Allen Wrench occasionally that is shaped to fit, it works fine for me, just test fit it each time you take more metal off and not to much at one time, this will increase the chances of proper fit.

Just an thought! :wink:

by **jb68** » 25 Jun 2006 17:14

Hmmm well thank to illusions guide i re pinned the cylinder and following DB's guide i picked the first pin. got the feel for that, moved onto 2nd pin and evetualy got that although i do keep having the trouble DB, describes in that i have to keep going back to the first pin to just push it up a bit more. But with a smile on me face i felt like i was getting somewhere at last.

3rd pin in and all turned to s**t.
I just cant get it, tried going back to 2 pins again and eventualy got that again, but that's it. The problem is that once i put the 2nd and 3rd pin in i loose the feel of the binding pin. I also strugle to determine the position of the 3rd pin. I know this is all down to practice but just thought i'd keep you up to date with how im gettin' on seeing as you'd taken the time & trouble to pass on your help and advice. I'll keep practicing, in the mean time anyone needs any 2 pin cylinders opened.... I'm your man :lol:

by **jb68** » 25 Jun 2006 17:21

Btw I made a much better wrench, cut from a piece of stainless steel tile edge trim, filed it smoothed it and now can put it at the top of the key way. feels much more comfortable and doesn't foul on any thing.

by **Bahrg** » 28 Jun 2006 0:50

Kaotik wrote:Again, It would be important that if and after you make your own torque wrench that you lightly sand down (not grind) all the edges with fine sand paper...remember you are inserting a high grade of sleel in a brass lock.

The chances are increased that with rough sharp edges you can scrape the brass and leave shavings in the lock (not good) which can hinder the picking and damage the lock in the process.

Yeah I have to agree with this. Altho I had to roughen up the surfaces after making them all nice and shiny they still dont have super sharp edges.

by **Temple** » 28 Jun 2006 8:41

Well for my own little input on this, I have a couple of wrenches made from allen wrenches. I made them and used them a few times with goos results. I got bored one day and started polishing them, not to a mirror finish but still highly polished, and I can tell a diffrance.

I think in my oppinion it is what you are comfortable with and what works for you.

by **Shrub** » 28 Jun 2006 10:58

You used to be able to get wrenches that had teeth in them so they gripped hard in the keyway, then worry about the marks afterwards lol

by **ablazia** » 28 Jun 2006 13:02

With the 3rd pin... perchance the binding order changes when the 3rd pin has been put back in and you are trying to pick it in the same order as when there were 2 pins in it. Feel for the one that binds MOST, pick that pin, then go to the next pin that binds most. I don't know if that will help you but it helped me to learn how to feel what is actually happening inside the lock rather than memorizing a pattern of picking a particular lock. For this same reason, repinning the lock in a way that the key won't work on it has helped me too - that way I have to feel the pins themselves rather than memorize the order that works for a given lock.

by **jb68** » 28 Jun 2006 15:37

well I finally got the third pin this evening. came straight in from work, made two new picks and then had another go.
Now 1 of the new ones is a snake rake (think that's right) and that was the little darling that did it.
Ok so I know it's raking but i have to admit I was loosing the will to live and getting the third pin had given me kick I needed to go back and try to pick the pins individualy.
So I'm gonna reset that cylinder to 2 pins again and I've got another 2 that im gona take the spools out of and make up 1 cylinder to 4 pins.

Thanks again everyone who has taken time and trouble to offer advice, it's much appreciated. I'll let you know when I'm upto or betond 4 pins.

by **jb68** » 12 Jul 2006 19:04

taken me some time but finally got the fourth pin today

did it twice and now cant get it again. not sure if i've dammaged the cylinder
as i'm strugling to get the pins to bind

by **Shrub** » 12 Jul 2006 20:40

I wouldnt have thought so but try the key in it, if it works ok with no stiffness or grittyness then your ok,

by **jb68** » 12 Jul 2006 20:48

ok ta, dont understand why i can now get 1st one to bind while the others are just springing. gonna try taking the 4th pin back out and see what happens.

by **jb68** » 27 Aug 2006 16:52

Just over two months later and I finaly got all five pins up.
Ok I'm still on the yale cylinder and I repinned it with out any security pins.
(I have to admit that I actualy haven't been constantly trying, I copped the hump with it and it wasn't until yesterday that picked up my locks and picks again and had another go)
So I s'pose I just keep at this one for now, until I'm picking it quicker, but then what, do I stick the security pins back in on their own to get the feel of them?
Thing is when I try picking one of the other cylinders that still has the spools in it I am still strugling
BTW I only achieved it by raking and then picking with the hook.

Can't Get It!!!

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