Lockwood cylinder

[Mr. Peabody]

Hi there,

Have had my new pickset for a couple of weeks now and have managed to pick about 8 or 9 different locks through raking and SPP. However some locks just don't seem to be wanting to play along. It leaves me wondering if I really don't know what I'm doing or what am I doing wrong with the locks I can't pick.

One that is giving me grief at the moment looks exactly like this:



It is a lockwood cylinder, doesn't seem to have any spool pins - but i'm unsure about other security pins. The springs are very heavy and some pins when pushed up with no tension feel like there is a little resistance or feels a little sticky. It seems to be a new lock cylinder - though it was given to me by a locksmith. Anyway I seem to get all the pins set except the second last one which remains springy. When I release tension I hear all the pins return to their position...

I just wonder if there is any secret to these lockwood cylinders... I'm feeling frustrated because it should be relatively simple once you know how pin tumblers work shouldn't it?
I think i have picked 60% of the locks I have tried...

Anyway any help with this lock or what I could be doing wrong would be great. My only guess is I am oversetting some pins.

[Solomon]

Lockwoods don't contain any security pins whatsoever. The pins are all stainless steel though, and the tolerances are very unforgiving. They're tough little locks to crack, from what I'm told there is very little feedback from them. Just keep at it and pay very close attension to what you're doing... make sure to maintain extremely light tension aswell.

Hope this helps! Keep us updated.

[ElAbogado]

Lockwoods don't contain any security pins whatsoever. The pins are all stainless steel though, and the tolerances are very unforgiving. They're tough little locks to crack, from what I'm told there is very little feedback from them. Just keep at it and pay very close attension to what you're doing... make sure to maintain extremely light tension aswell.

Hope this helps! Keep us updated.

I was reading a website from Australia last night and it appears that Lockwoods are very big down under. Don't see many here in California, but I'd love to see one with stainless steel pins.

El Abogado

[Mr. Peabody]

Yes lockwood is a very popular brand of locks here in Australia. Would be happy to send you a lockwood cylinder sometime

[lock2006]

This cylinder lock look like the kwikset cylinder
try differents position of tension wrench
and medium to light tension wrench
also have you try raking this cylinder
maybe this helps.

[Mr. Peabody]

This cylinder lock look like the kwikset cylinder
try differents position of tension wrench
and medium to light tension wrench
also have you try raking this cylinder
maybe this helps.

Have tried such things already as I feel that is a pretty standard approach to picking a lock but thanks for your help Will keep working on different tensions and will nut it out eventually

Thanks for all your comments so far

[aussielocky]

The pins are not stainless steel. They are nickel-silver.

A new & clean lock should pose no great problems, there is certainly no specific trick to picking them.

[rx6006]

Are there any major differences between Australian locks and their American counterparts? From the photo, the keyways look a bit roomier than the typical European locks I've seen.

[Mr. Peabody]

The pins are not stainless steel. They are nickel-silver.

A new & clean lock should pose no great problems, there is certainly no specific trick to picking them.

More practise is in order i guess

[Solomon]

This cylinder lock look like the kwikset cylinder
try differents position of tension wrench
and medium to light tension wrench
also have you try raking this cylinder
maybe this helps.

"Looks like" doesn't mean anything when it comes to locks. All rim cylinders look the same, if not very similar - same with any kind of cylinder, or padlock for that matter... doesn't mean they have the same internals or quality of construction. Lockwoods have very tight tolerances in comparison to a kwikset, so if you treat one like a kwikset you're not gonna open it without a lot of luck on your side. They have paracentric keyways aswell, not that it makes a huge difference, but for new guys it does.

Good advice about tension though, experimenting with different positions is a great thing to do, certain positions can make a monumental difference when it comes to the feedback you get... and for a lockwood, absolute minimal tension is required. A little too much and you'll be oversetting pins all over the place, unless you're very careful with your pick.

[Mr. Peabody]

They have paracentric keyways aswell, not that it makes a huge difference, but for new guys it does.

This lockwood has a C4 keyway.

[Solomon]

Well, that makes your job a bit easier then!

Keep at it, use some trial and error to find the best way to tension that sucker and keep everything as light as can be. You'll have it open soon enough, just gotta find that knack. Every lock has its own personality, once you figure it out you'll be flying.

[globallockytoo]

I suggest, if you are having difficulty picking it, that maybe the combination of the cylinder is using significant MACS differences.

It is often significantly harder to pick a cylinder that might have a 2 pin next to a 9 pin, for example.

You might be better off using lighter tension and a hook pick.

[GutterClown]

Have you got the keys? I've found the factory lockwood 201 cylinders to have some really nice codes, so you might have struck a harder one.

There's no real secret to these, they're the benchmark most for australian locksmithing courses.

[Mr. Peabody]

I suggest, if you are having difficulty picking it, that maybe the combination of the cylinder is using significant MACS differences.

It is often significantly harder to pick a cylinder that might have a 2 pin next to a 9 pin, for example.

You might be better off using lighter tension and a hook pick.

I've been using mostly short look with light tension (I feel like i have tried every tension possible between not even touching the tensioner - full hard tension) have also been trying with the half diamond and the M rake ...

Have you got the keys? I've found the factory lockwood 201 cylinders to have some really nice codes, so you might have struck a harder one.

There's no real secret to these, they're the benchmark most for australian locksmithing courses.

Didn't get the key with this one.. got it from a locksmiths unwanted pile.

Anyway obviously I am not as skilled as I wish to be yet and I will just keep trying all different combinations until eventually it opens lol. At least now i have a lock which is giving me a little bit of hassle.

thanks for all the feedback and feel free to keep offering your own two cents its great.