Bilock Cylinder

[lockr]

Hi folks,
I was recently in Australia and purchased a Bilock NG padlock for my collection. I've been struggling with trying to get the cylinder disassembled for weeks now without any success. I've scoured the net for info, but I can't find any information specific to this cylinder. I was hoping perhaps someone has encountered these and can point me in the right direction.

Here's some photos which will hopefully help shed some light on the situation.







It seems that the plug is held in place by the cam/driver, which I can't figure out how to remove. I've tried virtually everything I can think of; there's no c-clip and apart from a small hole - which appears to align with one of the sidebars - i don't see any obvious mechanism holding the cylinder together.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[femurat]

Iirc there are locking balls preventing it to came apart. Look on lockwiki for more info.

Good luck

[lockr]

Thanks for the suggestion. The lockwiki pages (both the FG and NG) were one of the first places I tried looking but there isn't any info there that I can see that explains how to disassemble this particular cylinder. I re-examined the cylinder closely and I don't see any evidence of locking balls or any exposed clips holding the cylinder together. I'm wondering if perhaps a special tool is required to allow the cylinder to be disassembled.

[GWiens2001]

Not a Bilock expert, but I am pretty sure femurat is correct, with the locking balls between the plug and shell. Don't you need a special key or cut to pull the plug (QC)? You will have to research it for yourself if femurat or I am correct, as pretty sure it would apply as advanced forum material.

[lockr]

Not a Bilock expert, but I am pretty sure femurat is correct, with the locking balls between the plug and shell. Don't you need a special key or cut to pull the plug (QC)?

Just to clarify, it's definitely not a QC. I purchased the lock new and selected the non-QC version. In retrospect, maybe I should have - it would definitely have made my life easier! =)

[lockr]

The posts by femurat and GWiens2001 got me wondering, what if it IS a QC core? Well, it turns out it is. After taking the plunge and modding one of my keys into a control key I was able to remove the core. So i'm pretty relieved and happy that I can now finally play with the innards of this cool lock; but i'm a but disappointed that the locksmith wasn't completely honest with me. Regardless, I owe a huge amount of thanks to you guys for pointing me in the right direction!

[Squelchtone]

Well done lockr.

I wonder if you have had a chance to see this very good article written by our very own datagram and Jon King http://lockpickingforensics.com/articles/bilock.pdf

Page 12 should be of interest to you.

Thanks for sharing your lock experience,
Squelchtone

[lockr]

Page 12 should be of interest to you.

Indeed I have, it was in fact shortly after I read that exact article that I decided to try creating a control key out of one of my spares. I have to tip my hat to datagram and Jon King for writing that piece as it was very well written and complete.

[GWiens2001]

That was the article I had read that had me, not an expert on Bilock, gave me enough background to answer the question. Just was not sure if I could post that. Decided I'd rather err on the side of caution.

[globallockytoo]

It's hard to tell in the pics, but you said it was NG. NG includes the trigger, but yours doesnt appear to show the trigger in the key. It is probably FG.

[datagram]

Here's some things that might help you, As Global said, it looks like you have a FG. The lack of a moving element in the key is how you can tell.

I assume the key actually works to rotate the plug?

If it is NOT a QC, you should be able to just push the plug out, without needing a key. The pin chamber area of the KIK is just there so that the cylinder fits the KIK form factor; there's nothing in it.

If there is no cam, it might be a QC...could also be the normal style without a c-clip installed. The cam style looks more like a QC than not, but it is hard to tell from the photos.

Of course, if it is a QC you can modify a user key into a control key like in the paper. One way you can find out is to insert the working key, turn to the place where you would want to remove it with a control key, and PULL. Don't break the key, but do so enough to force the ball bearings to try to retract. If there are present you can identify some small marks on the key where the ball bearing were binding against the key. Remember that both sides of the key need to have the dimples. You can also use the markings to determine if you need to continue filing material away; it will stop making marks once the ball bearings can retract enough.

Keep in mind that proper positioning of the control key is important, and it does take a small bit of jiggling and pulling to get the core out with a control key.

Hope this helped,
datagram

[datagram]

And after writing that I actually read the thread and see you already got it open. Good work : )

datagram

[lockr]

Hi datagram,

First and foremost, thanks for writing that paper. It's an awesome piece of work, and it answered a lot of my questions in regards to the inner workings of the Bilock before I was able to disassemble mine. And as I previously mentioned, if it weren't for that paper and specifically the chapter on the QC cores and modding the user keys into a control key, I wouldn't have figured it out. My primary interest in locks revolves around disassebling and reassembling them to understand their inner workings - which I have done with every lock I own from Schlage to Mul-T-Lock to Abloy - and from the day I first saw a Bilock on my hotel room door I was intrigued. So as you can well imagine, it's detailed and informative papers like this one that I enjoy reading like none other.

Here's some things that might help you, As Global said, it looks like you have a FG. The lack of a moving element in the key is how you can tell.

This is the puzzling part. I'm not sure if this is because the cylinder is a QC or not, but it seems that this is a "new FG" version. In your paper you explain the differences between FG and NG, and in every way this lock seems to be a NG but with the moving element and the NG cylinder components left out. Specifically, the cylinder has the new NG tapered warding, and you can see where the slider and sidebar locking pin go, but those components are not installed. The key doesn't have the moving element installed or the hole cut for it so it's definitely FG.

Of course, if it is a QC you can modify a user key into a control key like in the paper. One way you can find out is to insert the working key, turn to the place where you would want to remove it with a control key, and PULL. Don't break the key, but do so enough to force the ball bearings to try to retract. If there are present you can identify some small marks on the key where the ball bearing were binding against the key. Remember that both sides of the key need to have the dimples. You can also use the markings to determine if you need to continue filing material away; it will stop making marks once the ball bearings can retract enough.

Keep in mind that proper positioning of the control key is important, and it does take a small bit of jiggling and pulling to get the core out with a control key.

Using the pictures in the article I took an educated guess as to where the cuts needed to go. In retrospect I probably removed a bit more material than I needed to but I was pretty stoked when I was able to remove the cylinder first try.

Here's some updated pics which show the control key and core. You can see that the cylinder is NG with the NG components left out.

[lunchb0x]

The lock you have does look like it has the spot for the trigger pin to go but it has been left out, not uncommon. The profile insert though is not the correct one for the trigger pin.

[datagram]

Like lunchbox said, newer FG models will use the same plug as NG to save money on manufacturing. They just sub-assemble a NG plug; the key confirms it is supposed to be a FG. I mention this in the paper because older style keys (blocky triangular key bow) are compatible with the rounded NG style plug.

dg