one driver pin is a grey metal instead of shiny brass?

[The Lock Artist]

Hello everyone. I have just finished picking a brinks deadbolt lock that I bought at the hardware store today. I noticed the pins reacting a little funny, the plug had exaggerated rotation and false sets, the telltale sign of spool pins. I took the lock apart to check and sure enough, there were two spool pins in place of the 2nd and 4th drivers. I noticed something strange about another driver pin though. The top pin that is in the stack closest to the front of the lock is a dull grey color instead of the shiny brass color of the rest of the pins. I didn't really notice it behaving differently, but I can't figure out why this pin would be a different color. I will try to upload a picture later, but was curious if anyone has seen this before and what purpose, if any, there would be in having one pin made of a different metal?

[silvfox1200]

That is most likely an anti drill pin. Makes it harder to drill. Quite a few locks have this feature.

[The Lock Artist]

Ahh, thank you. It makes sense that it would be the first pin that is drill resistant, though I have never heard of a single pin being different before. I suppose that I have never noticed this before because while I pick locks daily, I dont often take them apart.

[1mrchristopher]

If I remember correctly, an anti-drill pin is one of the listed features on some Brinks deadbolts, I know that the one I had for a while included one. It too had the spool pins, although they were so very slightly spooled that they offered little challenge.

[The Lock Artist]

Yes, my brinks locks too are barely spooled, just enough to realize something was going on in there, but not really a hindrance to picking.

[Divinorum]

While we are speaking about anti drill pins.....does anyone know if/where you can buy these pins in bulk so you can add them into already pinned locks?

[1mrchristopher]

Divinorum, I haven't seen them for sale anywhere, and I'm not sure I'd spend money on them if I did. A strong drill motor and a sharp high quality bit will drill through that steel pin almost as fast as brass. I personally feel that they are a sales gimmick.

[Divinorum]

As always, I appreciate the insight 1mrchristopher

[1mrchristopher]

Oh geez, I'm just one guy, and wet behind the ears at that, I don't know if I'd go around calling my opinions 'insights.'

[smokingman]

Did anyone check to see if these steel pins are magnetic?
Steel top and bottom pins if paired together , and magnetic can prevent bumping as well as drilling.
If you loaded both and magnetized them you could add
some security when repinning.