ridinplugspinnaz wrote:WOT wrote:Like this:
The rod is the shank from a 1/16" drill bit. Cut it with a Dremel, then round off the end to minimize damage to the bottom pin.
Bottom pins will be damaged, so they SHOULD be replaced, but you don't have to.
Springs and caps MUST be replaced.
Putting it back together without a capping block? Forget it.
So I guess it's safe to say that the spring will never come out of the lock quite like it went in, eh? That's unfortunate. What do lockies do with the springs and caps, recycle them or something? Seems like a waste of materials for those institutional guys who probably go through hundreds a year.
Not really. In trade, even pins are dumped. It maybe different in China, Thailand, etc where labor is substantially cheaper. The cost of labor to sort out pins exceed the value of pins.
A bag of 100 springs is around 3 grams. So, each spring weighs about 30mg, or you get about 1,000 springs per ounce or 16,000 springs per pound. Copper prices are down to about $1.50/lbs and scrap copper/phosphorous bronze(which the springs are made of) will be worth LESS than this. If they're already recycling miscuts, shavings, cyinders, etc they might get recycled... but its inconsequential.