Schlage Locks 101

by **Bud Wiser** » 23 Jul 2006 19:59

I should mention I had the keys for their house and they asked me to let there dogs out. In fact I installed all their locks before I started picking! I help them out around the house a lot. The next thing I'm going to do for them is replace the cheap locks I installed! Despite once being a security consultant which required a FBI background check on me, I wasn't worried too much at the time installing cheap locks because A. they didn't have much money to spend, and B. they have 2 German Shepard dogs. Unfortunatley they are all bark! In reality they are such wussies! They bark until the door is open then they act like little kitties

by **sturmgrenadier** » 24 Jul 2006 0:57

Raimundo,
Are you a locksmith and do you have a store in the twin cities area?

by **sturmgrenadier** » 24 Jul 2006 1:08

Bud Wiser,
When you said in an earlier post that 'sometimes I get all of the pins up and nothing happens' and 'sometimes I get all of the pins up except for the middle ones', do you mean that you are able to actually feel when the individual driver pins have crossed the shear line? In that case, I didn't quite follow the first statement, because if all of the driver pins are set, wouldn't the cylinder rotate? Sorry for misunderstanding/ not understanding. In any case, you're still way ahead of me because the only time that I know that I've set a driver pin (all of them) is when the cylinder finally rotates open! Happy picking! And thanks for making the point about the differences in picking between handheld and stationary/secured locks. I have a small vise that can hold cylinders, but I find it much more tiring to squat, kneel, contort my wrists for extended periods while futiely picking away for hours. Hopefully , if and when I build up some proficency at picking hand-held, I can move to picking stationary locks.

by **Bud Wiser** » 24 Jul 2006 1:21

I admit here and now, the schlage has me baffled! I swear I can feel all five pins are up yet nothing happens. I'm assuming they really must not be all the way up, only anwser right? One of those pins may still not be set even though it feels all the way for me. This is my biggest problem and why I still feel like I'm playing in the dark! Yet other times it opens half hazardly when I know one or more of the middle pins are not set. I just keep trying and it turns! I'm guessing the key to my problem is the middle pins and my inabilty to really tell if they are fully set all the way. When they feel they are up all the way, one must not really be fully set. Now when I get to that point and nothing happens I quickly start over again. I wish there was a good tutorial just for schlage.

by **sturmgrenadier** » 26 Jul 2006 21:05

Hey folks,
I'm just wondering how some of you other newbs are faring? Budwiser, that Schlage still causing you grief? I was getting nowhere with my SChlages too so I decided to try out some Master Lock No.1's. I gather from what you and others have said here on Lp101 that these are reall consdiered baby locks as far as difficulty goes. The good news for me is that I have been having some lasting success with opening them over the past few days. Don't get me wrong: I still don't really understand why they open on me, and I suspect that unless I learn to interpret data through feeling that I won't progress much further. Nevertheless, it has been a welcome change from always failing. To paraphrase what DB told me when I related my modest sucess with these padlocks, 'take a victory for what it is and enjoy it'

A tidbit you all might find amusing: So after being 'all pumped up' by my Master Lock picking quasi-prowess, I decided to dig through some of the other locks that I bought as a lot. I found a pair of these ABUS 42/70 locks and started playing around with them and made zero progress. I couldn't find any posts about this model by using the search engine. Since their German made, I posted on the "European forum" for help and info. Raimundo and another chap from England informed me that this padlock has spool and security pins. I was floored (I guess I was naive for thinking that padlocks were generally simple in construction and didn't have security pins) and now knew why I couldn't open this padlock. I know that even some of you 'newbs' like LockNewbie21 have already worked on security pins, but I'm nowhere near ready to take them on. These padlocks went back in the box for now. Happy picking!

by **Bud Wiser** » 26 Jul 2006 22:37

I gotta get me some more locks! I don't have any masters yet, but had easy picking with kwikset, Guard, ilco, and first watch. Now if you want to talk baby locks, all you have to do is blow in the First Watch and it opens

I just scored a few good locks from ebay, see my www for pics. Abloy Classic factory double cutaway (rare), American Model 748 Shrouded-Shackle, and a russian door lock. I know I'll never get the Abloy picked, but couldn't let a factory cutaway slip by me. Wonder how many here were bidding on it too? I also got another Abloy door lock which I bid a penny on and WON! I'm gonna try to put that on one of our doors. I'm gonna have to stay away from ebay for awhile and try garage sales. I hate getting in to intense bidding wars because I hate to loose.

As for my blasted schlage. I can pick it. But not consistently. I fail a lot more then I succeed. The only positive about it is when I do pick it I do it in 3-5 minutes. Unfortunately when I fail, I fail miserably!

I want to do DB's exercise on another schalge! I've read that the schlage is perfect for noob's to practice on because it is decent quality, but not too hard. If I can master the schlage, that is pick it consistently, even in 5-10, I'd stand a chance moving up to tougher locks. The easy locks are just moral boosters

BTW does any one know where Titans rank among these locks, Easy Pickings, Schlage level, or moderately difficult? The reason I ask is that's whats on our front door! Not feeling very secure any more

by **sturmgrenadier** » 26 Jul 2006 22:55

I never before thought of Ebay as a source for locks. I don't know why it never occurred to me; heck, you can buy almost anything there (like the stupid commercial says). Bud Wiser, I can relate to your problem with spending too much on Ebay. When I first started buying regularly several months ago, it was a real struggle for me to control myself, especially when bidding on coins. I just hated the thought of not winning a particular coin and it led me to making reckless overbids (and to just plain buy too much stuff). I struggled with gambling (have to stay away from it completely now) for a few years and I am sometimes still awed by the power of emotion to override reason. Ebaying is another case in point of this. For this reason, I too am trying to stay away from bidding/buying in general on Ebay. I just can't afford it,especially since I am currently 'between opportunities'. But man, it's hard to wean myself off of the exciting feeling of winning something and regularly getting that package in the mail. And it's not like I'm akid; I'm thrity-two for crying out loud. I'll stick with auctions, garage sales and the like if I ever need more locks and supplies.

by **LockNewbie21** » 29 Jul 2006 11:43

I'll post of a hook i made for shlage, i jsut got back and am checking my email. Let me unpack and i will post a pic

by **Deathadder** » 29 Jul 2006 12:40

i seem to be having trouble with a schlage i found, it says "primus" on it and i
CANT get it open!!!!! i have no idea what im doing wrong, the pins are all sticky and its hard to get my hook in there at all, any tips?

by **zeke79** » 29 Jul 2006 12:51

hahahahahaha :lol:

..............

by **undeadspacehippie** » 29 Jul 2006 13:10

zeke79 wrote:hahahahahaha ..............

are you laughing at the Primus guy?? - thats nice.

jk.

- Primus are hard locks Deathadder - at least from what I have read, I am not sure if they are considered closed forum stuff (advanced forums material).

Good luck with that lock... I have one, not even attempted it yet, but I have made the torsion bar for the side pins though.

by **LockNewbie21** » 29 Jul 2006 15:33

Dude you crack me up, seriously, but yea its a hard lock.. and nope no tips here, there in this magical thread stowed away for many ages..

See now you made zeke piss his pants... not good

Andy

by **Deathadder** » 29 Jul 2006 22:04

=( i think i might have to put that one away for a while :oops:

by **LockNewbie21** » 30 Jul 2006 0:36

Did mean to be rude buddy, but to be honest they are very difficult, but possible keep practicing and anything is possible.

Best of lock to you adder, keep us posted on progess, if you post a picture with a key, some like shrub or zeke would gladly help you.. i wont.. only because i pick locks as good as i type.

Shrub will vouge on the writing ability statement

Schlage Locks 101

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