Corbin - The Impossible European Profile Cylinder To Pick?

[Tozzy]

(Hope I've not posted this in the wrong section)

Hi everyone,

There is a cylinder in my growing collection of locks that I just cannot pick. I'm glad this isn't the 1st ever lock I'd decided to pick because I would have said to myself: "There is no way I can ever do this!". I have been wondering if it's me that is doing it wrong, but I can't honestly say I am doing it wrong because today, I picked 3 cylinders (both sides too) in under 20 mins so I think I might have the technique . The Corbin cylinder is just unpickable.

Are there some locks that just cannot be picked even by a professional locksmith or is every lock possible to manipulate?

How I go about picking this lock:

Usually I start off with the snake rake (diamond rake?) by heading for the back pin. It's hard to say for certain if I've set it because it is the pin that has to be pushed down as far as possible according to the key, but I can usually hear a clicking sound when I release the torque to start over so I presume I've set it. After a bit of prodding and raking, I'm left with 2 pins (the 1st and 3rd) which will not set no matter what. So, I start over.

This time, I set the 1st pin to begin with, but I'm not sure if it is set or just jammed because when I push it all the way down, it just stays there. Then as soon as I go for the back pins, the 1st pin springs back into position again!

I have looked on the botton of the lock to inspect the driver pin holes and I'm pretty certain this lock is not possible to pick because the driver pins look as though they are in a straight line. I have heard that if this is the case, then picking a lock like this is not possible.

What do you reckon? Should I try oiling the lock? Keep trying (I've already tried about 40 times with no luck) or come back to it in a couple of months? I have actually bought a set of 8 cylinders so should keep me busy over Christmas .

Any advice/ help is very much appreciated. I just don't know what else to do.

P.S. Yep, I have tried picking the lock turning the torque in both directions .

[UWSDWF]

read around the site.... you have technique but now you have to learn about security pins....

ALL MECHANICAL LOCKS CAN BE PICKED

[CVScam]

I don't think you have found an unpickable Corbin. I would bet money you have some spool/mushroom pins in your lock.

[Tozzy]

now you have to learn about security pins....

That's the key . Thanks very much for that. After I learn about this, hopefully I will be able to pick this really frustrating cylinder.

Cheers .

[dosman]

I've been making short work of spool pins for a while and I still can't get either of my Corbin locks yet. I'm just starting to be able to get a couple of the pins set but there seems to be very little feedback.

[Bump]

I've had Corbins with as many as 3 security bottom pins and a Legge with 2 top and 3 bottom mushroom pins. I must admit that professionally I use the Wendt which busts them open in just a few minutes.

They are not impossible......just difficult.

[Tozzy]

I don't think you have found an unpickable Corbin. I would bet money you have some spool/mushroom pins in your lock.

Yea, I think so too. I have actually seen the terms, 'mushroom pins' around here on this forum, but didn't think to read into it. However, I must learn about these security features in order to pick this lock.

The problem is even if I read and understand it, I might still not be able to do it. I guess it's one of those things that is going to take some practice and even more patience. I am printing out the MIT lock picking guide that came with my picks so I can refer to it as I'm picking corbin.

I've been making short work of spool pins for a while and I still can't get either of my Corbin locks yet. I'm just starting to be able to get a couple of the pins set but there seems to be very little feedback.

Sorry to hear . I'm sure you'll (and I) will beat this lock soon though.

I must admit that professionally I use the Wendt which busts them open in just a few minutes.

What is a wendt? Or is that cheating?

I've had Corbins with as many as 3 security bottom pins

How come they don't make the locks with 5 security pins? Why only just 3?

Thanks for replies.

[UWSDWF]

wendt is refering to a pick gun and its easier to get a false set with some security pins then all security pins

[Shrub]

Click my www button and print that out instead of the mit guide,

[Tozzy]

Thanks Shrub, well I've already printed the MIT guide so I'll print the rest of the guides on that page you sent the link to. Every little helps .

Just to update those that may be interested, I had another go (must be the 40th-50th try or something now) at picking corbin. Seems I probably was turning the wrong way because I got different results when turning clockwise.

All the other pin and tumblers I've picked have turned clockwise but most ofthe time, corbin's pins were unresponsive and would not set so I got more response when turning the plug anticlockwise. Seems the front pin kept on becoming jammed though. Turned the plug upside down and the key pin would not fall indicating it was jammed. Then I tried to push the 2nd pin and that would not budge because the plug was jammed. Anyway, from now on I'm turning clockwise (the correct direction anyway). So I did this today and got 4 pins set (or jammed? ), but 1 pin would not set at all even after raking and releasing torque.

Hmm, a very bloody hard lock indeed. I wish someone could pick it for me .

Anyway, just thought I'd update you on that.

[jiggler]

When I first started picking I got an Iseo 5 pin euro with no key. I could rake it open by hand after trying for a long time but then I tried to pick the pins and got nowhere fast really. I could only get one pin to set. I raked it open again and found 4 spool drives in there!! Glad I didn't spend too long trying.

Tozzy, Do the excercises in digital blue's guide. Take all the pins out of the lock and just put one security pin in and mess with it getting it to set. Then add more pins and work up.

I've found it best to use a little more torque and get the security pins set early if possible, if the lock will allow it. Then leave a standard pin stack till last and when you set that the lock should open. That's what works for me but you'l find your own way to deal with them.

[zeke79]

Does this look like the keyway you are working with?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/ ... corbin.jpg

[jiggler]

I've a half Corbin cylinder which looks similar but the keyway is paracentric on the one I have. It's a tough little beasty.

[zeke79]

That is not the best sketch. The corbin I have in euro style has a bit more paracentric keyway. The top leg is angled at a bit more degrees and the bottom of the keyway is a bit more restrictive too. That was just representative of the keyway I have. The lock I have is pretty easy to pick if you are used to picking security pins.

[jiggler]

Yep, the way you describe it could be the one I have as well. Looking at it closer it's not paracentric but very close to it. When you look at the keyway from the front it's deceiving but it's clearer looking from above or below the keyway.

It's quite restrictive and I need to use a slightly longer hook to set the shallow-cut pins properly.

My Mum's got a Corbon Euro cylinder on her fron door and the key has a code on it. It looks like it's done by hand...

JMHC001
221

I wondered if it had come from a master-keyed system?

I just tried her key in my Corbin cylinder and it doesn't fit, though they do look very similar. I don't have a key for mine. I have a few like this and I intend to impression keys for them at some point.

Sorry to hijak your thread Tozzy but I think you got the info you needed above. Good luck with it mate