by Slick Pick » 30 Jan 2009 21:42
Beginners guide to understanding pin states.
This guide is for non security type pins only.
What do I mean by “pin states� Simply put it’s the condition or states of being the pins in the plug are in. How important is this to lock picking? I believe the understandings of these states are the key to successful lock picking. As far as I know, and please correct me if I’m wrong, there are four states the pins can be in. Also please correct any misinformation and excuse my non technical language:
1.The first is what I would call a normal or natural state. The pins are just sitting in the plug like they normally do. In other words untouched by key or pick.
2.The second is what I would call an under set state. That’s when the driver pin, or upper pin, is being lifted up but has not yet crossed the shear line. So what are the driver pins? The driver pins are the upper pins in the plug that extend past the shear line. Each pin sits in its own chamber. There’s a spring on top of each driver pin that pushes down or “drives†down force on the key pin, or bottom pin. What is the shear line? The shear line is the line between the shell hole and the plug. This is where the driver and key pins divide so the plug can turn. This happens when the bottom of all driver pins and the top of all key pins reach the shear line. What are the key pins? The key pins, or bottom pins, are the pins you see when you look into the keyway. These pins, which vary in length, rest on the notches in the key and are raised up when the key is inserted.
3.The third is what I would call an over set state. That means you have taken the whole pin stack of both driver and key pins and pushed the key pin past the shear line. In other words you have pushed the pin stack higher then the key normally would. Lift gently! Remember your lifting small pins not telephone poles!
4.The forth is what I would call the set state. This is where you want to be! That’s when the division of the driver and key pins are exactly at the shear line. Remember these are two separate pins and your goal is to get the very small gap between these two pins to the shear line so you are able to divide the pins. The plug can then turn as if the key was being inserted.
So what does all this mean? In reality it means the more pins you have the more work it will take to set the pins. Remember with single pin picking you have to get each separate pin one by one to the set state. That’s why it’s better to start off with a simple lock containing no security pins or remove pins and start out with one pin in the lock and add more as your skill increases. A great thread on this site’ to see how many pins are in a master lock; is in the lock section under Master Locks how many pins any security pins. The author is Shrub. Thanks Shrub, great job by the way.
I know illustrations would have been nice, but this site has everything you’ll need to get started. There are two books I would like to recommend if I may†The visual guide to lock picking†and “The complete book of locks and locksmithingâ€. I hope this has shed some light on the states of pins and the wonderful art of lock picking.
