How to Breakdown My Primus?

[Exodus5000]

I've had a primus for a while now, and I've been wanting to learn to pick it for even longer. Unfortunately I've been unable to break down my Primus.

I've removed the cam on the back of the Primus deadbolt and attempted to shim it, but I just can't seem to shim all the pins - and even if I did, I'd still have to deal with the finger pins.

I noticed that there is a metal bit above the springs, but I've been unable to remove it, even with a hammer and screw driver, it's wedged on there pretty good.

I don't have the key to this lock. Any suggestions guys?

[Eyes_Only]

I assume you don't have a working key for it? Even if you did manage to shim the top pin stacks, yeah you are right, the sidebar will give you problems. The only way I can figure out how to take one apart without a key would be to pick it. I just bought a Primus off of ebay a couple weeks ago and this thing has much higher tolerances than an ASSA lock. I won't be able to get this one open for a while.

[2octops]

There should be no reason you can not shim the pin stacks. Nothing special there.

Once that is done, the sidebar is not an issue for disassembly. There is a groove in the shell that the sidebar sits in and it goes from the front to the back.

Once you shim the top pins, just slide the plug straight out (don't try to turn it). When you get it about 1/8" start putting pressure on the sidebar and hold you finger under the bottom of the plug or the sidebar and finger pins will just fall out due to gravity and spring pressure.

[Eyes_Only]

Ohhhh.....I didn't even think of that.

[quickpicks]

If you turn it.... yeah no more working primus. Everything jammed up on me the first time I took one apart and I used a key so be careful.

[raimundo]

when dissasembling an unfamiliar lock, you may want to mark the parts for orientation with something like a sanfords sharpie marker. one mark that touches the part coming out and the place it comes from will help if the parts can be reversed but should not be. like a medeco side bar, only one side is intented to be 'up' it should not be reversed.

[Exodus5000]

Ahh marvelous. Thank you guys. While trying to shim my primus before I was only getting about 4 pins shimmed, and the last two were just NOT cooperating. I'll give it another go later tonight.

Thanks again!

[Eyes_Only]

Medeco yeah, their sidebar can't be flipped over but with a Primus I think it is ok to do that. I took apart and flipped the sidebar on my Primus and There wasn't any problems with it's operation when assembled back together.

[Gordon Airporte]

Once you shim the top pins, just slide the plug straight out (don't try to turn it). When you get it about 1/8" start putting pressure on the sidebar and hold you finger under the bottom of the plug or the sidebar and finger pins will just fall out due to gravity and spring pressure.

I'd just like to reiterate how careful you need to be with the spring loaded finger pins here. If the sidebar isn't actually properly retracted the pins are more likely to slip and shoot out even if you're clamping down on the bar. Also keep an eye on the tiny, tiny sidebar springs.
It's just that these parts aren't easy to replace.

[Eyes_Only]

For the small sidebar springs on my Medeco I just glued it down into the little recession in the bar for the spring. I took a tiny dab of gorilla glue on the very tip of a toothpick and smeared the bottom of the hole for the springs. Then I put the springs back in and reassembled the lock. No more loosing precious springs. I think you can do a similar thing with a Primus but you would have to add a bit of glue onto the lock and not on the sidebar itself.

[Exodus5000]

I just remembered the reason this primus may be so difficult to shim! It's been master keyed, no wonder it doesn't seem to want to work. Time to see if I can find a working shearline.

[2octops]

If it's masterkeyed, then theoretically it should be easier to shim because of multiple shear lines in each chamber

Here's a shim trick. Get your shim in as far as you easily can. Hold the cylinder so that the shim is curved upward and hold the cylinder facing down with the shim pointing up. Shoot a little oil (WD40, Triflo, ect) onto the curved part of the shim and let it chase the shim down into the cylinder for a minute. This helps get the slick stuff down deep where you want it.

[Eyes_Only]

Do you know if there are security pins in the lock? If there are it could making shimming a nightmare.

[raimundo]

if you are shimming with spool pins, use a key blank and lower the pins slowly down the front slope, this way should hit the shear line before it tangles in the spools. actually this is the standard way, I just haven't read whatever sticky on shimming is posted here, In fact I haven' read many of the stickies, I guess I should, eh?

[Eyes_Only]

Wouldn't trying to acquire a Schlage Primus key blank be a rather futile endeavor?