Picking the Yale padlock.

[atikin]

My friend gave to me a small Yale padlock without a key. I searched for the lock like that on the Yale site and found only this. I have a lock like that but without a flat corners of the lock body. I'll try to make a key for it, but it'll be later.
Now I'm trying to pick it. And there are some problems. When you pick it and the cylinder starts to move it sticks in the 6-10 degree position without opening the padlock. If I jiggle a wrench "forward-back" it can help and the lock would open. But not every time it helps. Usually the cylinder just sticks like that and you can move it only back.
May be there are some traps? Or the lock's broken? What can you say?

[maintenanceguy]

I suspect spool pins. These are special top pins that look sort of like spools of sewing thread with a narrow middle and wider top and bottom. When the rest of the pins are picked and one of these is raised, the narrow middle lets the plug rotate a few degrees but it then binds the plug and can't be raised or lowered without letting the plug rotate back toward the locked position.

Lots of discussions on spool pins here as they are the most common way that lock makers use to make locks resistant to picking.

[atikin]

Thank's for info! I thought, that I'll never have a padlock with security pins. I'm lucky!

[atikin]

Is there some info on picking a security pins?

[SsBloodY]

Well the trick of picking security pins is doing the picking with less tension. You must really apply very low tension. Well you must pick to the false set and then release slightly the tension and pick the spool pin very gently.

And I found this one. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=43207&hilit=security+pins

[atikin]

False set is when the cylinder turns for some degrees, but the lock's steel locked? But how to find what pin is a spool pin?

[SsBloodY]

Yes that is false set because you get the spool pin that position:

http://learnlockpicking.com/cylinder_spool.jpg

As you see the cylinder turns but lock wont open and you cant pick it no more because of the spool pin. When you fell that sense the cylinder turns and the spool pin blocks it just release a bit the tension(but always apply tension) so it will go back and just pick it again by applying minimal tension very slowly and gently try to push it up.

http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm26 ... imatio.flv

[atikin]

But how to identify what pin is a security pin?

[SsBloodY]

Well I haven't pick much locks with security pins so I can't describe the feeling good. But when you have picked all the pins the cylinder has turned some degrees but its not opening. Then when you find the binding pin and with normal tension you cant pick it release little tension and try to pick like in the clip I shown you. Well I am not specialist in security pins but I try to help if I am wrong please correct me so I don't fool the guy.

[Squelchtone]

But how to identify what pin is a security pin?

when the lock is turned just a little and you think that you are stuck on 1 or 2 security pins, insert your hook pick into the lock and push up on each key pin one by one. The one that will absolutely not move at all up or down is the one with the stuck security pin above it. If you only identify 1 pin that is doing this, then keep your hook pick under it, while slowly letting the tension back to zero, but not so much that the other pins drop back down and click. I find it works well to wobble your tension wrench low-medium-low-medium pressure when you are doing this procedure. At the same time make sure you are also pressing up on that stuck pin so that at the right moment it pushes the stuck security pin out of the plug and the lock should open. You may also find it works well to not just keep the hook pick on the stuck pin all the time, rub the pin back and fourth with the hook pick while you are turning the tension wrench back slowly and also wobbling the tension wrench.

Good luck and let us know if this system worked for you to open that lock.,

Squelchtone

[prag]

Not sure what particular lock this is in the Yale range, the link does not open, but the Yales we get here is not that much better than the Chinese pad locks. I find that by varying the tension while picking works for me. Or if in a hurry I just use pick gun. Works every time.

Really good tips squelchtone

[Trip Doctor]

If you push up a falsely set spool pin, you should feel it spin the plug back a little (you would feel it via your tension wrench). Keep in mind that when you set the spool, the other set pins might come down and you might have to set those after again.

[atikin]

But how to variate tension? If I picked with a big tention and then did a smaller tention the cylinder don't move back, it stays in the big tention position. How to move it back?

[5thcorps]

Also keep in mind that when you release tension while holding the binding spool the other set pins will not only drop but if you try to immediatley set the false set spool you may not be able to as it may not have been the first binding pin. So it can be difficult and tedious working with spool pins but that in the end is the real fun of lock picking, over coming the adversaties of the hobby

[New-York-Locksmith]

"5thcorps" it really works - thanks