Trouble with Schlage

[thekeymaker]

on the kwikset titan kwikset began making them when they first came out. if your going to rekey the lock your going to need a change key or pick the lock to your left. as for the schlage the tolerance is supposedly to be tighter plus one maybe be putting to much tension on the lock. ease up on the tension and pick one pin at a time.

[kepiblanc]

I went out tonight and bought a Schlage "Light Duty" deadbolt lockset. It has a five pin cylinder, and the cost was about twenty-five dollars. After removing the retainer ring, I pulled the lock cylinder out from its mounting and began picking it with my Southord tools. Even though I could feel the spool pins binding a bit, I was still able to pick this lock in less than five minutes.

[kepiblanc]

I just took this picture tonight of one of the Schlage deadbolt locksets that I like to hone my picking skills on. The model number is BR260, its cylinder has five pins, and the keyway is of the "C" classification by Schlage.

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m277 ... h=imgAnch3

[LockNewbie21]

Picking shlages is best done with the tension wrench i n the top ont he plug, Not really for room, although i helps. You have a better feel.

I'd say to get thebest feel shave down your SO hook.

[kepiblanc]

Picking shlages is best done with the tension wrench i n the top ont he plug, Not really for room, although i helps. You have a better feel.

I'd say to get thebest feel shave down your SO hook.

LockNewbie21,

The Schlage shown in my Photobucket album is one that I had no problem repeatedly picking with my various tension wrenches placed in the conventional position - at the bottom of the plug, not the top.

I tried to pick this lock with the method you described, but found it to be rather awkward for myself.

As for shaving down SO hooks, would you care to elaborate on this? What does the "SO" refer to anyway?

[p1ckf1sh]

As for shaving down SO hooks, would you care to elaborate on this? What does the "SO" refer to anyway?

It is Southord I think...

[LockNewbie21]

It means your going to hack some junk off the tang, then refinish for better working in the lock. You will probobly need a deeper hook for a high low.

Tensioning the top of the plug is wierd at first, but stops plugs from jamming and i don't have to worry about warding.

[Bud Wiser]

I can pick my schlage, but still not constantly like my other locks. I tried the method locknewbie21 suggests with various tension wrenches and unless I'm missing some thing here, fail to see how putting the tension wrench on top helps as it seems to jam the first pin. I don't doubt it can be done this way, I'm just not sure what I may be doing wrong.

I've been using a smaller diameter tension wrench by Peterson, not the flat five, but one of the Three Serrated Tension Tools, the middle one pictured here, http://www.peterson-international.com/tensiontools.htm

This tension tool is pretty rigid and fits in the bottom perfectly allowing the greatest amount of room for the picks of all the tension tools I have. Being rigid it also helps feeling the pins better too. I'm not suggesting any one run off and buy this set just for the schlage, but this tension set is my favorite for most locks. And I'm confident in better hands would result in even greater success then I'm seeing!

Even though I use a rigid tension tool, I use very light tension on the schlage, and using a rigid tension tool helps me feel the pins better. Despite finding the best combination for me, I am still not opeing the schlage any where near the consistency I would like to see.

[Schuyler]

I tried the method locknewbie21 suggests with various tension wrenches and unless I'm missing some thing here, fail to see how putting the tension wrench on top helps as it seems to jam the first pin. I don't doubt it can be done this way, I'm just not sure what I may be doing wrong.

I've picked the way locknewbie21 mentions. It's not preferred for me, as I still find it relatively awkward, but it's been a great help on certain locks. To avoid the front pin binding to the wrench? I just back the wrench off a tiny tiny bit when I insert it. I've sent a lot of wrenches flying across the room trying to keep tension in such a tiny spot, but the more I've done it, the more I've gotten used to it.

Again, it's still not my preferred way of tensioning, but I've found myself getting better at it.[/u]

[Bud Wiser]

I tried the method locknewbie21 suggests with various tension wrenches and unless I'm missing some thing here, fail to see how putting the tension wrench on top helps as it seems to jam the first pin. I don't doubt it can be done this way, I'm just not sure what I may be doing wrong.

I've picked the way locknewbie21 mentions. It's not preferred for me, as I still find it relatively awkward, but it's been a great help on certain locks. To avoid the front pin binding to the wrench? I just back the wrench off a tiny tiny bit when I insert it. I've sent a lot of wrenches flying across the room trying to keep tension in such a tiny spot, but the more I've done it, the more I've gotten used to it.

Again, it's still not my preferred way of tensioning, but I've found myself getting better at it.[/u]

Yup, thats exactly what happens to me! My tensions go air born after pulling them back a hair to avoid the first pin. It is very awkward, and I'm sure can be done with practice. I'm just glad that's not the only way to open this lock

[LockNewbie21]

The Best way is get thick steal.. stuff that will fill the entire gap. i would have to measure.. unless somebody has a micrometer handy.

Ha i locked my picks in my boss's work van so i have to get them later.


On another note i can't keep my hands stady, i am trying to quit smoking. So i will at my work bench every shot i get, becuase i don;'t want time to smoke.

Kids! Pick Locks.. never smoke, don't be a fool like me, well i was i am quiting!

There you have it guys.. first freaking good thing i said.. well concidering i jsut got back to work today from my injury.

Good luck guys

[Bud Wiser]

The Best way is get thick steal.. stuff that will fill the entire gap. i would have to measure.. unless somebody has a micrometer handy.

Ha i locked my picks in my boss's work van so i have to get them later.


On another note i can't keep my hands stady, i am trying to quit smoking. So i will at my work bench every shot i get, becuase i don;'t want time to smoke.

Kids! Pick Locks.. never smoke, don't be a fool like me, well i was i am quiting!

There you have it guys.. first freaking good thing i said.. well concidering i jsut got back to work today from my injury.

Good luck guys

What kind of work do you do? I quit smoking years ago! I find the best way to get rid of a nasty addicting habbit is to replace it with another less nasty addicting habbit. Now I just smoke cigars

[LockNewbie21]

Construction, but more of specialized contracting. We do the Fancy shaped decks, and all the cutesy little doors. But ofcourse the crap work as well.

Sucks i guess, becuase i toar some muscle in my right sholder, and i was actually going to say screw it, i need to get paid and pay bills... but they said surgery with a 4-5 month recovery time if i messed it up more.. so i sat at home for 3 weeks.. i went nuts, as much as I hate work, if i don;t wake up at 5:30 and and work.. i feel tired all day and screw up my sleeping pattern.


But hopefully asap i ge tmy apprenticship so incase i get hurt i will have be able to cut keys or do lock outs as an alternative.


But you can't beat the money in trade jobs

[Bud Wiser]

Construction, but more of specialized contracting. We do the Fancy shaped decks, and all the cutesy little doors. But ofcourse the crap work as well.

Sucks i guess, becuase i toar some muscle in my right sholder, and i was actually going to say screw it, i need to get paid and pay bills... but they said surgery with a 4-5 month recovery time if i messed it up more.. so i sat at home for 3 weeks.. i went nuts, as much as I hate work, if i don;t wake up at 5:30 and and work.. i feel tired all day and screw up my sleeping pattern.


But hopefully asap i ge tmy apprenticship so incase i get hurt i will have be able to cut keys or do lock outs as an alternative.


But you can't beat the money in trade jobs

Well at least u get a tan out of the deal, but what do u do during the winter?

Any way back to that schlage. What makes it so hard, or in my case inconistant. Is there a spool? Security pins? What? I can pick my R70 and mini R70 every time in minutes and some times under 30 seconds! The thing that was sort of hard getting use to with the R70 was the incredible amount of tension required, but once that was over comed it was easy!

The schlage really p-sses me off! It *feels* so easy! It lets me pick it once in awhile, but I fail a lot more times then I succeed, and when I do get it, I have no idea how I did it

Aside from your tension on top tip, what else can u say about the schlage that makes it so troublesome for many newbies?

thx

[LockNewbie21]

Well i pick with all my own homemades. I hate comercial picks, i am finicky one who the tang has to e shaped, so really as far as picks.. your on your own inless you make my picks, my hook i use to pick it is litterly 5 times thinner than a SO hook.

I really found your going to need to make your own or fashion picks to more desirable shapes to pick lcosk everytime. Shlages quicks sets brinks, masters they rarely takeme more than 4 mins. tops and 2-3 tries.

I'm not bragging thats just in general. Most of my success as ray willt ell you is fshioning tools to your style, An the thinner you can ge tyour pick whilst keepign its structural integrity the better. Thats why you will see my hooks with what looks like waves.

When really theres the fulcrum point, and each dip and hump in it is used to control leverage.

I Don't have a real way of measureing it as of yet, but i can make a good guestimate of amount of leverage needed based on lock.. or quality and form it up.


Zeke has a brilliant picking styl which is where i finnally got to opening locks consistantly.

Whatch his videos, you will see him slinding his pick, he targets each binding pin, and lifts. His medeco picking is absolutly brilliant, he will use the hook to locate and feel for angle's.

Thats who i thank you for my style. And really once oyu get the hang of it picking locks is easy.. ofcourse it does depend on lock. But also doing this involes agood cordination of lifting pins bassed on tension.




Hope i helped, i can show you a pick my my hook i designed for the competion if you interested.