Help with brinks Laminated steel bodied padlock

[UrbanNinja1991]

Hey everyone, I found a Brinks Laminated laying in the dirt today with no key... So i picked it up, at first it looked like a cheap lock... the word brinks was faded... so I tried picking it, I felt like I was getting somewhere cuz the tension wrench turned like 25% on my first rake, but then after playing with it for about 5 minutes I thought "hmmm I smell security pins"

anyways I found that it was a brinks then looked it up, it says it has spool pins (http://www.lockpeople.com/brinks/item.asp?target=7) so here is my thing

On the way home from school I decided to try again, I raked it a couple times then went threw to look for some that were set... after like 15 seconds it opened... now I can't get it again... Anyone got any tips for beating Brinks Security pins?

Thanks,
UrbanNinja

Ya I know the picture is enormous and crappy quality... cell phone pic

[ToolyMcgee]

Spool pins. 4 of them. Light tension, hook pick, work past the counter rotation of the false set spool pins.

[5thcorps]

You obviously are getting some false sets. Try isolating any pins that are giving you false sets (plug turns back when lifting them). Also try starting towards the back then working your way forward

[UrbanNinja1991]

thanks guys, so it raking not a good idea on this lock? atleast not alot of it?

[5thcorps]

Raking is ok to get into a lock. But to develop your skill SPP is always the way to go. A lot of folks will rake a couple times to set the first few pins then SPP the remaining pins. Anyone can learn to rake a lot of different locks but a real master can manipulate locks with a fine touch and precise movements.

[UrbanNinja1991]

Thanks 5th, I've gotten it open twice by raking it a few times then finding the false sets and SPPing them... but I still just feel like it was luck, I think this lock is out of my leauge

[tballard]

The Brinks security pins are (in my opinion) a lot of fun to pick. The trick is to just keep probing for pins which can be moved up to the next point. I usually start in the back of the lock, and move forward, lifting each pin a tiny bit. On the first pass or three, some set, some don't, but you almost never get the big rotation of the plug indicating you've hit the indent on the spools until you do this a few times.

After you get that first big rotation, you're in business. What I like to do is catch the backside of each pin with the tip of a short hook or gem pick and tug ever so slightly. On the pins which are properly set, the pin will feel extremely solid. On the pins which are not set, there will be some give. Each of the pins which gives needs to be lifted some more. You'll feel (and usually even be able to see) the wrench twist backwards as lift, and then there will be a catch when the lip of the spool is reached. You have to push a bit harder that you are probably expecting to get past this lip, and when you do it will "crunch" rather dramatically into place.

Once you set one like this, you need to go back to the back of the lock and work forwards again. It's not unusual to have a previously set pin (usually the non-security ones) drop. Additionally, I often find that spools I have set are still false set after the initial "crunch" and need to be lifted once again.

The biggest hurdles picking these is being patient enough to get to the first big rotation, and not over-setting the pins. Over-setting (lifting too far) means you have to drop all the pins and start again. This is why you lift each pin in very small increments. It's pretty rare for me to over-set these days, and you will develop a good feel for "that pin is waaaay too far up to be set properly" over time.

Good luck!

[UrbanNinja1991]

Spool pins. 4 of them. Light tension, hook pick, work past the counter rotation of the false set spool pins.

So are there just 4 spools, or are there 4 spools and some non security pins?

[UrbanNinja1991]

Thanks T
I'll try that

[ToolyMcgee]

So are there just 4 spools, or are there 4 spools and some non security pins?

Most companies use at least 1 standard driver, but it isn't necessary. 4 pinstacks, 4 spools.

[tballard]

So are there just 4 spools, or are there 4 spools and some non security pins?

Most companies use at least 1 standard driver, but it isn't necessary. 4 pinstacks, 4 spools.

Too expand on Tooly's post, the first pin usually (but not always) is standard btw.

[UrbanNinja1991]

So are there just 4 spools, or are there 4 spools and some non security pins?

Most companies use at least 1 standard driver, but it isn't necessary. 4 pinstacks, 4 spools.

Too expand on Tooly's post, the first pin usually (but not always) is standard btw.

Thanks, thats what it feels like as far as the first pin being standard

[ToolyMcgee]

Thanks tballard. I was in a rush when I posted. I like the paragraph you wrote:

After you get that first big rotation, you're in business. What I like to do is catch the backside of each pin with the tip of a short hook or gem pick and tug ever so slightly. On the pins which are properly set, the pin will feel extremely solid. On the pins which are not set, there will be some give. Each of the pins which gives needs to be lifted some more. You'll feel (and usually even be able to see) the wrench twist backwards as lift, and then there will be a catch when the lip of the spool is reached. You have to push a bit harder that you are probably expecting to get past this lip, and when you do it will "crunch" rather dramatically into place

I had always called it hook scrubbing, or pin checking, but reading your post I see now it is most obviously fishing. Spool fishing?

I checked all my brinks locks, each one has nothing but spools. 60mm laminated, 50mm shrouded, and a few little brass numbers too. Usually I refrain from "guessing" at security pins in locks, but the way Brinks' spools pick, there is simply no doubt. Consider the depth of the first key cut. If it is deep enough the narrow part of the spool wouldn't bind at the shearline, and the pin wouldn't give a false set. It would pick as a standard pin does, and quickly fall into place. Or you have a lock that rolled off the line with a standard driver. Have fun practicing.

-Tooly