Security pin picking - skills and technique (help)

[cyclops1101]

Great, informative article on pin tumblers, Thanks.
Regarding the picking of the mushroom/spools first technique. How is this possible? I thought the picking order is set and cannot be changed due to the defects in construction of the lock. I dont understand!?

[ldnlksmth]

Give up on the tri-circle for now. Get the technique down with a standard cylinder first. Once you've mastered that, go back to the tri-circle. If you can find one, buy a lock with some security pins in them, take those out and work them in after you've learned the technique. that is the most imporatant part, getting the mechanics settled first.

[raimundo]

Picking order is something that gets a lot of discussion from nubes, I don't think its a big deal, picking order is not set, it can change, if a grain of sand or a scratch from the tip of a sharp tool can change the effective diameter of a pin as can scratches in the pin drillings put there by sharp hook picks. pins are riding in holes that are drilled, the drill bits that make them are true, and the collets they are set in are also precision placed, but the shaft of the bit can and will whip a bit in the drilling, especially if some of the parts of the operation are secured just out of register, which will happen when drill chip or other obstruction is in the jaws of the holders. so a pin hole may be oval not round, a pin itself is also possibly not round, in a thread from today, someone breaks down several american lock co type knockoffs, in one there are three spool pins, you can see the spool pins looking very shiny, where the spool cuts are, but all the rest of the pins have a dull look with surface blemishes that indicat that they were made from rod stock, rolled hot and not exactly round. these pins probably have high and low points all around them and if they are not slightly oval to begin with, would change picking characteristics with every rotation in the pin column.

[mercurial]

Ive tried reverse picking, raking, individual lifting, pulling faces and then giving up and picking a standard lock .
Im unsure as to how to proceed with this tri-circle and/or other security locks (Will try sidebars if and when security pins become no probs, i hope!)
I am really tempted to buy a repinnable practise lock(can anybody help me find a euro cylinder that does not need cutting etc?) but I dont really understand how this will give me the skill and technique to overcome these darn pins.
Can anyone offer me some more help??
e.g practical experience etc

As far as a practice lock is concerned, I am not familiar with exactly what lock cylinders are available in the UK, but I would assume that you can get a cylinder that is a lot simpler to repin than a Euro cylinder.

I am sure UK members will be able to give you a more specific answer, but I believe manufacturers such as Yale, ERA and Zone will make cylinders that you can rekey simply - as described in detail elsewhere on the forum - using just a simple plug follower and tweesers. There should be no need to procure/improvise a Euro jig, or cutting a Euro cylinder in half to have a repinnable practice lock.

As far as understanding how these repinning exercises will help you overcome security pins, follow the same concept of digital_blue's pyramid learning method.

Assuming you are already familiar with single-pin picking a standard cylinder without security pins, start with one security pin, and one normal pin in the lock.

Learn to feel how security pins feel and react whilst picking. Learn to recognise a false set, then learn to locate and set the security pin(s) causing the false set. Again, follow d_b's exercise, adding more pins to the lock, and progressively more security pins. Practice, practice and practice, and you will be able to recognise and overcome them.

Spool, mushroom and serrated pins are different, if you search you can find pictures of them, and should be able to see why they will feel and react differently. There are also other more exotic security pins, such as a serrated spool.

Hope this helps, I am sure you will master security pins with some methodical practice.

...Mark

[freakparade3]

A bought a Brinks double cylinder deadbolt series 2018, for $13.00. Each cylinder has 2 spool pins and can be repinned however you want. I think it's a perfect lock to practice on because you can eventually get 4 security pins in one lock.