Information about locks themselves. Questions, tips and lock diagram information should be posted here.
by unjust » 20 Aug 2008 9:36
so i close on the house today, and head over to pull locks (i noticed that one had been drilled, and had never been re-secured, but that'll be fixed in a few hours) and for lack of time to find anything interesting, i opted for a few schalge and schlage/dexter deadbolt cores.
(schlage double core for the front door with it's big glass window, and dexter single sided for the 2 back doors, with less punchable windows.)
i got pins and a few extra keys cut for the most entertaining code i could find in those locks, so they'll all be keyed alike, but they have the "high security" "bullet shaped" pins, which means the key pin has a tapered end.... how original.
anyway, can anyone recommend a source for spool, mushroom, serrated or any other flavour of pins that i could swap out a few on? i've got a few serrated and spool from some americans, but are those the same pin diameter?
the other option was to get a smartkey for the same price, but from the sounds of things here, and harassing some folks about it it seemed like their durability may still be in question. the things also weighed half the same package from schalge, which didn't instill faith in it's construction out of metal for more widgets in the same sided package.
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unjust
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by keysman » 20 Aug 2008 10:41
unjust wrote: i got pins and a few extra keys cut for the most entertaining code i could find in those locks, so they'll all be keyed alike, but they have the "high security" "bullet shaped" pins, which means the key pin has a tapered end.... how original.
anyway, can anyone recommend a source for spool, mushroom, serrated or any other flavour of pins that i could swap out a few on? i've got a few serrated and spool from some americans, but are those the same pin diameter?
No .. American Padlock pins are a smaller diameter than Schlage.
You might try your local locksmith for some security pins.. Bottom serrated pins are also available for those locks.
Everyone who eats potatoes eventually dies. Therefore potatoes are poisonous.
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by Eyes_Only » 20 Aug 2008 10:45
Try this kit, http://www.lockpicks.com/highsecuritypinkit.aspx
Not exactly the same as the OEM drivrers from a Schlage but it still works the same. I have one of these and I'm glad I got it.
If a lock is a puzzle, then its key is the complete picture
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by freakparade3 » 20 Aug 2008 10:47
www.clksupplies.com you can order them in packets of 100 instead of buying an entire pin kit.
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by unjust » 20 Aug 2008 11:23
excellent. thanks much... it looks like clk only has spool though, not the mixture?
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by freakparade3 » 20 Aug 2008 12:56
unjust wrote:excellent. thanks much... it looks like clk only has spool though, not the mixture?
Only spools yes.
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by straightpick » 20 Aug 2008 20:26
The locks are not the factory pinning, as Schlage does not use security pins in their locks. You also have to be careful as to the length of the driver pins (top pins) that you use in relation to the bottom pins. Schlage has 3 different length driver pins. If you use one too long, you will collapse the spring in the upper chamber. Also, don't use security pins in all the upper chambers. It is best to use a maximum of three and they should be used on the deeper cuts only.
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by freakparade3 » 20 Aug 2008 22:58
straightpick wrote:The locks are not the factory pinning, as Schlage does not use security pins in their locks.
I have found the Schlage locks I buy from a locksmith supply that are commercial grade do not have any spool pins. The ones bought from a hardware store have 3, right off the shelf.
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by ToolyMcgee » 21 Aug 2008 5:08
I get spools from Menard's when I need just a few. Tell them you need to suppliment the repinning set you bought, want to stop your house from being a bump key target, whatever... if they try to sell you on bringing the lock in to be re-pinned then you are DIY pro confident. As ignorant as it may seem, some workers are still very tenantive to sell random persons lock parts for fear of potential future litigation.
Work the charm and they'll look up the individual prices for you. I get mine for 10, 15, cents a piece when the lockie is at the counter. Really a quarter per driver is worth the convenience. I have even heard of individuals who get them at a sweetheart discount, but I recommend documented monetary exchange EVERY TIME you leave a store with any items you didn't carry in with you.
Contrary to popular belief, I have bought comercial knobs with 5 mushroom drivers. It isn't unheard of for Schlage to come outfitted with extra pick resistant security features, but don't count on it.
-Mcgee
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by Eyes_Only » 21 Aug 2008 10:49
I think I see the same thing as well. When I go out on a lockout call for commercial jobs it doesn't feel like the locks have security pins in them at all. But residential deffinately has them.
If a lock is a puzzle, then its key is the complete picture
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by Urbex » 21 Aug 2008 18:08
I have yet to run into a Schlage with security pins from the factory.
LAB has a nice little security pin kit, serrated and spools.
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by straightpick » 21 Aug 2008 19:53
The Schlage residential lock cylinders now produced have undergone considerable changes (read-found a way to make them crappier). The upper pins are "T" shaped, they are turned down about two-thirds of their length to the inner diameter of the springs, which fit over the smaller diameter. They give the feeling of security pins due to another change - the spring retaining cap "floats", it is not staked down. When rekeying these, I have found the retainers half way off most of the time. If you use a good hook pick, you can push the pin stack up and pop the retainer off. They are really a terrible "improvement". It's a shame that Schlage decided to join the other companies in the "race to the bottom" in trying to make what was a decent product as cheaply as possible.
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by Urbex » 21 Aug 2008 21:30
I think those are the new "F" series top pins.
My boss bought a few as replacements, they were the cheapest looking things I've seen. Even the material it was comprised of was garbage, some sort of cast metal. I liked the fact that I didn't need to use much effort to pin them, but with that comes consequences.
Don't get me wrong, they aren't THAT bad. I need to check up on them every now and then to make sure the retainer didn't shoot off, you know you waited too long when you hear a little rattling sound turning the knob.
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by ToolyMcgee » 22 Aug 2008 3:41
straightpick wrote:The Schlage residential lock cylinders now produced have undergone considerable changes (read-found a way to make them crappier). The upper pins are "T" shaped, they are turned down about two-thirds of their length to the inner diameter of the springs, which fit over the smaller diameter. They give the feeling of security pins due to another change - the spring retaining cap "floats", it is not staked down. When rekeying these, I have found the retainers half way off most of the time. If you use a good hook pick, you can push the pin stack up and pop the retainer off. They are really a terrible "improvement". It's a shame that Schlage decided to join the other companies in the "race to the bottom" in trying to make what was a decent product as cheaply as possible.
I love these little locks. So delicate to manipulate without failure. I carried mine in my pick case for weeks playing around with it. The extra features make it more difficult to pick, but less resisitant to force. I think the idea was to improve bumpkey resistance, which it does perfectly.
I am not trying to gain entry nor do I wish to destroy any lock to bypass it's function. My praise of this lock is for the hobbiest. If you havn't met a "floating" bible plate Schlage knob lock then you are missing out on some good picking. Extra feather light tension.
-T'Mcgee
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