Single Pin Picking

[timal]

Why is it recommended to start at the back of the lock to SPP ?
Does it matter ?

[Olson Burry]

I think the theory here is that most people will be using a hook pick to spp. The shape of the hook makes it easier to start at the back and move towards you with tension rather than the other way around, especially in tight keyways.

Of course the first pin to set wont always be the last one so this process will need to be repeated in order to ascertain the binding order.

With top-tension it is much easier to gather enough room to manipulate a hook in both directions.

Ive been using a half-diamond to SPP most locks as this can quite easily be pushed both ways without getting hung up although it isn't quite as accurate especially with extreme high to low bittings. I'm trying to get better with the hook and do use a falle curved one for very small padlocks to great effect.

Hope that helps.

[cheesehead]

i think its really just preference. I typically work front to back looking for binding pins, but that's just me. every lock is different, sometimes back to front is the best way to go.

[timal]

Thanks guys !

[datagram]

The recommendation is due to the idea that wear on a lock will occur front to back, so the back pin will see the least amount of action during normal key use. When this happens, the front pins will lose their tolerances much faster than the back pins.

That's the idea anyways; as always your mileage may vary.

dg

[JK_the_CJer]

The recommendation is due to the idea that wear on a lock will occur front to back, so the back pin will see the least amount of action during normal key use. When this happens, the front pins will lose their tolerances much faster than the back pins.

That's the idea anyways; as always your mileage may vary.

dg

I think datagram has it right. Also it may have something to do with the way the plug twists off-axis when tension is applied from the front. Whatever the case, tons of cylinders do seem to have a back-to-front binding order.

[sipple]

i dont think it matters too much, it really depends on the lock

[Satan130]

directlly from one of the links in the new user faq

For some time there have been many questions on what order to pick the pins in a pin tumbler lock so I'd like to take a bit of time to explain the theory of common practices and the success/failure of each.

The optimum situation for any lock picking enthusiast is to be able to attune their sense of touch so that by inserting their tension wrench and pick into the lock, and lifting each pin in turn while applying ever-so-slight tension, they'll be able to tell the order in which the pins need to be picked.

After you've had a basic understand of the tolerances that allow a lock cylinder to be picked, you will understand the concept of mis-alighned holes along the axis of the cylinder. The question may come up, "Why with worn locks does the most common order tend to be from the back of the cylinder to the front?"

This is the answer to your question.

Each time a key is inserted into a particular lock (whether by the correct key or not) The pins are each raised a certain number of times. Thus, a 5 pin lock, operated by the correct key, will have the 1st pin in the lock moved 5 times, the 2nd 4 times, the third three times, the 2nd twice and the last pin only once.

ONLY the last pin in the lock will be lifted to the correct height each time the key is used. ALL of the other pins will be incorrectly lifted at least once.

That said, you can easily imagine what the wear pattern on a lock is going to be like. The front of the lock will take much more use and abuse than does the rear of the lock.

Many of you will by now realized why picking from rear to front can become a common method, but I'll explain just for those who do not quite fully grasp it yet.

As each pin is lifted (again because of mechanical tolerance) it shifts and binds slightly in the pin chamber, causing damage to both the pin and surrounding chamber. Over time, this wear increases to the point where the pin chamber is no longer round (it never was perfectly concentric before of course) but can become obvious to the eye that it is oval or misshapen..

Thus, the wear on the rearmost pin chamber may be almost neglible while the front has become damaged to the point where it can become problematic.

This widening of the hole also affects it's relationship with the shell chamber above the plug, allowing the cylinder to actually be turned slightly, yet still allow the top pin to easily retreat into its chamber.

In effect then, the rearmost pin may have to be perfectly lined up with it's topmost chamber, while at the front the plug can actually have heavy tension applied to it and yet still allow the pin to be raised to the proper shearline..

This means that two similarily pinned locks can have greatly different levels of difficulty (everything else being equal) depending soley on the amount of wear evident in the lock.

and because credit needs to be given where credit is due: this blerb is by Varjeal

[timal]

directlly from one of the links in the new user faq

For some time there have been many questions on what order to pick the pins in a pin tumbler lock so I'd like to take a bit of time to explain the theory of common practices and the success/failure of each.

The optimum situation for any lock picking enthusiast is to be able to attune their sense of touch so that by inserting their tension wrench and pick into the lock, and lifting each pin in turn while applying ever-so-slight tension, they'll be able to tell the order in which the pins need to be picked.

After you've had a basic understand of the tolerances that allow a lock cylinder to be picked, you will understand the concept of mis-alighned holes along the axis of the cylinder. The question may come up, "Why with worn locks does the most common order tend to be from the back of the cylinder to the front?"

This is the answer to your question.

Each time a key is inserted into a particular lock (whether by the correct key or not) The pins are each raised a certain number of times. Thus, a 5 pin lock, operated by the correct key, will have the 1st pin in the lock moved 5 times, the 2nd 4 times, the third three times, the 2nd twice and the last pin only once.

ONLY the last pin in the lock will be lifted to the correct height each time the key is used. ALL of the other pins will be incorrectly lifted at least once.

That said, you can easily imagine what the wear pattern on a lock is going to be like. The front of the lock will take much more use and abuse than does the rear of the lock.

Many of you will by now realized why picking from rear to front can become a common method, but I'll explain just for those who do not quite fully grasp it yet.

As each pin is lifted (again because of mechanical tolerance) it shifts and binds slightly in the pin chamber, causing damage to both the pin and surrounding chamber. Over time, this wear increases to the point where the pin chamber is no longer round (it never was perfectly concentric before of course) but can become obvious to the eye that it is oval or misshapen..

Thus, the wear on the rearmost pin chamber may be almost neglible while the front has become damaged to the point where it can become problematic.

This widening of the hole also affects it's relationship with the shell chamber above the plug, allowing the cylinder to actually be turned slightly, yet still allow the top pin to easily retreat into its chamber.

In effect then, the rearmost pin may have to be perfectly lined up with it's topmost chamber, while at the front the plug can actually have heavy tension applied to it and yet still allow the pin to be raised to the proper shearline..

This means that two similarily pinned locks can have greatly different levels of difficulty (everything else being equal) depending soley on the amount of wear evident in the lock.

and because credit needs to be given where credit is due: this blerb is by Varjeal

Thank you that was really helpful !

[lupstarr]

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