First lock, odd pin

[metalking00]

Hi all, Im new here and have already learned a lot from this forum.

I picked my first lock yesterday, it was an American red face combination lock (I picked the keyway on the back...small little guy with 4 pins). It took me a few minutes to do it the first time, then after that I could do it in about 45 seconds. After I picked it, I took it apart to do Digital Blues exercise, and I found that one of the pins had small, shallow rings around it. What confused me a little about it is that it was one of the pins the pick touches, so those rings wouldn't really do anything anyway, since you'd have to set too far down to even have them reach the sheer line. Can anyone tell some information me about this pin?

thanks,
Chris

[ericm115]

Sure, well you hit the nail on the head... you would have to overset the pin to feel the little notches catch the shearline on the bottom pin. It's sort of like a "last resort" type thing to thwart picking from what I understand.
Once you set it, if you aren't sure you've felt the sheerline and you keep pressing the pin up, the bottom pin will catch again... then you will think, "Ah! Now I've hit the shearline... the click before must have been a serration on an upper pin" or something similar.

It's just to confuse pickers. Congratulations on your picking, that sounds really great. Did you rake it or single pin pick (SPP) it?

[metalking00]

I single picked it with a pick I made from a hacksaw blade, quite a nice one if you ask me . I figured I'd learn more if I single picked it. It helped me visualize the workings of the lock more.

I just put all 4 pins back in (in different order), and found that I can pick it in about 15 seconds. Im pleased with myself. I cant wait for my set of picks to arrive! Sometime today maybe...

[Schuyler]

Got a picture of your pick?

[ericm115]

Congratulations!

Well, welcome to LP101.

[metalking00]

Got a picture of your pick?

well, I dont have a camera of any kind, but I guess I can scan it