Tubular lock(picks)

[Trip Doctor]

Arighty, so, first off, sorry for posting another question with the same ol' subject name, but after mad searching (and reading), I still did not find enough details to answer my question.

How exactly do those tubular lock picks/impressioning tubular locks works? Are the driver pins in the tubular locks the same size/length? If they are not, I can't imagine how this would work.

Sorry for posting another noob question, and although I seemed to get how this works at first, the details somehow got me confused.

Thanks all.

[freakparade3]

Here ya go

viewtopic.php?t=349

[Trip Doctor]

I actually read over that, and that didn't exactly answer my question. It tells me how to do it.. but not how it works. Will the video answer that ?
It's just that if the driver pins are different (and so are the key pins), I dont see how this technique would work.

[Eyes_Only]

It helps if you understand how the impressioning technique works on regular cylinder locks. Same concept in how a tubular pick works. Take a look here, viewtopic.php?t=1396 . I know it kind of goes off course from you original question but I recommend reading up on it first.

[freakparade3]

Mabye this one will help you more? I'm no expert on tubular locks and I don't yet have a tubular pick. I'm just finding what I think may help you. viewtopic.php?t=11134

[Tempature]

i made a tubular lock video, but i dont think im allowed to post youtube links in here.

[Shrub]

I get your problem, its not the pick you dont understand but the lock itself i think,

Yes a tubular lock has the same arrangement as a cylinder lock in that the key pins are differant lengths and the top pins will normally be all simular to each other,

The pins are all the same level in a lock at rest because the springs are pushing them up to the lip on the casement, if you look in a pin tumbler lock you will see all those pins are also the same height

The tubular pick simply pushes each pin in individually to the shear line,

Useing them as an impressioning tool simply means that constant movement wiggles the pins via the springs pushing them to move the feeler picks of the tool,
You can alter the tension of the tool so that the pins need to move more or less to move the feeler picks,

Get the tension right and the tols work very well,

I hope this helps you solve your thoughts,

[mh]

Using a tubular pick as an impressioning tool indeed only works that easily, if the springs are all the same and one set of pins, too.
That way, the pin stacks which need to go out most, push the tool's feelers in most, thus impressioning the key.

If the spring/pin-lengths combinations were more balanced, that method wouldn't work as easily.

Cheers,
mh

[Shrub]

Yes i should have said that,

Mh is quite right in tat if the lock has differant spring weights then the picks dont impression the lock very well if at all and that is when you move to useing it as a single pin picking tool,

This is because you can only set the tool up to tension all the feelers at the same time so feeler 1 maybe the right tension to move with the pin but feeler 2 may need more or less tension as the spring is harder or softer in that pin stack,

I think the main issue here was that the op didnt understand how the tubular locks work but until he comes back and adds to the thread we wont know for sure,

[Trip Doctor]

Oh weird, don't know what happened, I posted a reply after your first comment Schrub, but I guess it didn't make it.

That answered the question guys, thanks.

I was just looking at this picture in wikipedia and I guess it mislead me into thinking the driver pins are of different lengths.

Wikipedia picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Tubular_locked.png


Would it not be reasonable for these lock manufacturers to just make one driver pin in each lock different to prevent this sort of impressioning? Seems something fairly simple to do to prevent unauthorized entry.

[Eyes_Only]

Well the Ace II uses variable spring tension under it's pin stacks that throw off the standard SO type tubular picks so Ace did make a upgrade on it.

[Trip Doctor]

Yea I read about that. Just think that having a different sized driver pin seems easier to do, but, potato potato.... Hmm, doesn't really work when typing.

[hesevil]

Yea I read about that. Just think that having a different sized driver pin seems easier to do, but, potato potato.... Hmm, doesn't really work when typing.

You could pull a 'Dan Quail' with potato potatoe