Well, usually these cheap cylinders are made in China. I have seen that kind of plug on a chinese lock too.
I noticed the driver pins are spool shaped, which can either be a deformation (I've seen it happen in very cheap pins) or, most likely, cast spools, usually found on chinese locks too.
Nice going on that lock none the less. I have found the really cheap ones to actually be very difficult sometimes!
Go ahead, keep plugging away, picking on me! You will end up on bypass or with rigor mortise. - GWiens2001
Are you talking about the Germanese (German + Chinese) locks?
They cracked up when they saw those cast spools in there!
@Squelch: I trust this doesn't qualify as advanced information. If it does, please remove the YT link and accept my appologies. But on a first look, it looks more like comedy than an actual method of entry!
Go ahead, keep plugging away, picking on me! You will end up on bypass or with rigor mortise. - GWiens2001
That was a great video! I didn't think there was any German affiliation but otherwise my guess was spot on. Thanks Filipe, that was funny. Actually tougher than I thought it would be...
If you look at the picture closely you can actually see the manufacturing errors in the pin chambers. Scary that a hardware store actually promotes this lock as a security product.
If you do not manipulate the lock, then the lock will manipulate you
fgarci03 wrote:I noticed the driver pins are spool shaped, which can either be a deformation (I've seen it happen in very cheap pins) or, most likely, cast spools, usually found on chinese locks too.
I don't think those are intended to be spool pins, if you look closely both key and driver pins have the same exact deformation (They are exactly the same thing). I thought it was some sort of manufacturing mistake/deformation.
fgarci03 wrote:Are you talking about the Germanese (German + Chinese) locks?
That was hilarious. I was expecting it to be crappy, but not THAT much.
mechanical_nightmare wrote:Scary that a hardware store actually promotes this lock as a security product.
It wasn't promoted as security anything, it was in a big bucket with a sign that had "Pin tumbler cylinders" written on it. But yeah, the fact that there are people who put this in their front door makes you think.
Not a terrible amount, but this newbie's lock collection has grown massively in the last day or two...
I've picked the master 140 in the lower left, and the cylinder the second from the lower right.
Top row: Master no 5, Master no 1, Master no 3, Master no 500, Master no 7, Fortress (aka Master) no 1803 Bottom row: Master no 140, Master no 140, Brinks 181-40501-4, a defiant knob cylinder I "gently" removed with tin snips, and a clear practice lock from ITS Tactical.
I had the longer shackle 140 and the defiant lock before, the rest are acquisitions from the past day or two. Now, to figure out how to pick these things
Yes! I was having a hell of a time with my southord clear practice lock. Pins 4 and 5 just refused to set, no matter how hard I cranked down on the tension bar, they just dropped back down. In a last ditch effort, I switch to tensioning counter-clockwise and...success! Pin 1 showed the same issues that 4 and 5 did when tensioning CW, but by setting 2-5 first, I could lift pin 1 up until it cleared the shear line and let the cylinder rotate.
This would be the 4th lock I've ever successfully picked, though I have picked a couple of the locks that I have a number of times. I'm noticing that sometimes, if I'm not careful, I overset some of the earlier pins just by inserting the pick, and I sometimes can't feel the pins setting. I'm hoping the clear lock will help with this, as I can see where I'm screwing up. I'd also like to figure out how to get this c-clip off the back of the lock without destroying it, and figure out where to get a good, cheap selection of pins to rekey it. eBay has some cheap rekey sets, but they are all standard pins. I still don't know where I can find some inexpensive security pins, without spending a crapload of money on something like the LAB rekey sets.
Anyway, I'm excited, even if this is only a 5 pin lock with no security pins. My first CCW pick, and another new lock defeated.
Since I had burned through the lock available at my local big box store.. I found a locksmith in town that deals in High Security locks (Abus, Medeco,etc.. ) and paid them a visit .. I told them I was into lockpicking as a hobby and I was looking for something slightly more difficult than what I could pick up at Home Depot or Wal-Mart..
After a few probing questions about my picking style.. what types of picks I used ..etc.. He sold me a Abus 28/70 Diskus lock .. He also explained that they don't pick/bump them because it takes to long .. They just drill them .. Which he explained had to be done correctly or you will damage the cam and will not be able to open it..
Well with my trusty Med Hook and a tension I set after this allusive lock .. On my first session, with tools that are a little too big for the key way it, and a couple resets ....took me about 30 mins to get it open ..
Plus side .. I get to make some new tools.. and I have a descent look to hone my security pin talents on ..
P.S. - I love this lock, it is my first semi-high security lock .. I will lock and unlock it several times .. I love the weight and the solid sound it make when actuated.. I would say that makes me a freak but I am sure there are some other people here who feel the same way about a lock they own .. At least I hope so ..
When I finally leave this world.. Will someone please tell my wife what I have REALLY spent on locks ...
Abus EC75 30MM dimple. Tiny lock but it was a bit of a challenge given the size of the keyway and the warding. The Souber and Southord dimple picks were too big so I had to modify a Peterson DCAP diamond to fit.
Oh boy I can now pick mushrroms pins reliably. I have owned a abus 55/50 for a while now but could not pick it reliably. Did some reaidng up and watched some videos on mushroom pins and now I can single pin pick it!
Nice work on your first dimple lock! Still remember my first one, received from Femurat along with a custom dimple pick he made. It is surprisingly different than a normal pin tumbler.
Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
