Can I assemble a training lock of this nightmare?

[marman]

Hello. My first real post here, please be kind.
Firstly: I'm a total newbie on lockpicking. I've got some DIY skills on other areas, and I'd really like to extend my know-how, but the innards of a lock has until recently been a complete mystery to me. After spending a lot of time reading through this site and the Internet in general, I feel I've got a basic understanding of how locks work and the principle in picking them, and I just couldn't resist it anymore. Got myself a nice new set of Southord picks, brought the vice down from the garage, and set to work on a few padlocks. Of course with very little luck. So it's probably a good idea to do as recommended, and start easy on a one-pin training lock, and then add one pin at a time.

Off to the cheapstore, bought the cheapest no-name - non insurance approved cylinder I could find, the kind that my wife would give me crap for if she saw the package and if I was to put it in our front door. It has the "Trioving" oval shape that literally all door locks in Norway use, but cost less than a fifth of what a real Trioving does.
7 pins, ominously shiny, and that key pattern is intimidating. But that doesn't matter as I only need a couple of pins. From reading tutorials I've got the impression that most non-high security locks usually has only a few anti-pick pins among mostly regular drivers.



Time to gut it.



Oh my... Just a single non-sneaky driver pin, no 7 (could it really be that it is without tension, or did the spring get away without me noticing it?) I know that spools isn't what guys like me should start with. No clue what those pirate-telescope things are even called. The loose pin of a different metal in tray 4 came from the hole above hole 3 and 4 in the plug, but I've no idea what it is for.

So.. Is it possible to put these pieces together in such a fashion that it makes a reasonable training lock? Could I use the key pins upside down as drivers, or would that drive me mad in some way? Or am I just completely out of my league here, get something else to practice on, and put this thing in my front door and sleep well at nights?
Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Stein

[billdeserthills]

Just put it back together with as many pins as You can pick and begin training.
If 2 pins is the extant of your ability, just put 2 pins in there.

[cheerIO]

Man, that is definitely a sweet lock.

And, as you have said, not for beginners. I think a spring may have gotten away from you. There should be one in that last stack. I have a magnetic broom by my desk so I can find springs that escape into the carpet.

If that is the only lock you have, your idea of using key pins upside down sounds like a pretty good one. Just pin it up with one pin to begin with. Then progressively add more. When you run out of other key pins, throw a spool in there to make it harder then one of those telescope ones. If you keep track of which lengths are in which position you will always be able to use the key to disassemble if you get too ambitious.

With 7 pin stacks, you should have enough pins to keep you busy for a while pinning progressively.

[Squelchtone]

Welcome to the forum!

I sure wish the cheap no name locks in the USA were that good! It looks like an ASSA 700 clone, not an easy lock to pick especially with the sneaky pins and any counter milling.

Nice photos, thanks for sharing!
Squelchtone

[Pintickler]

Yeah, thank you for sharing that, man. it looks like it would be quite tough to pick. I wonder how susceptible it would be to being bumped open. I agree with Squelchtone that the lock doesn't look cheap. I'd love to show you some cheap locks. Do you know where the lock was made ? Most of the cheap locks ( and everything else ) here in America come from China. Any chance of getting a straight on view of that lock so we can have a look at the keyway ?

[marman]

Thanks for the replies!

It is the only lock I have / could find in stores that is easily "guttable".
I'm glad you like it, at the same time... not that glad Using the keypins upside down as drivers will get me up to 4 normal stacks. Gonna work on it for a while, but I fear there is really too much subtle nastyness in it for me.
Yeah, the spring was there all along.. shameful displaying my ineptness like that.. it was just stuck in the bottom of the hole.

Doesn't say anything about where it was made on the package. No manufacturing stamps on the lock itself. Kinda suspiscious how little information there is on the package, makes me wonder if it was really made by a quality manufacturer with surplus machining capacity. Cost about $20. Here's a picture of the keyway. The visible pin is #2, I've taken out #1.

[marman]

Magnified close-up of a few pins. Gotta agree, this doesn't look like cheap china cuts.

[Pintickler]

Thank you again for the pictures. That keyway looks tricky too. If you learn to pick that thing, with all those security pins in it, you have every right to be proud of yourself.

[UnlockingBoredom]

Dang! I would love a lock like that!!! sure wish I could find something like that around here...

[GWiens2001]

Have a Bitlema lock (Scandinavian store chain) that is exactly like that, including the ASSA-style double spools pins. It is a fun pick, but not as evil as a genuine ASSA with similar pins.

Gordon

[marman]

That is very perceptive of you Gordon! It is bought at Biltema, that's what passes as a cheapstore around here. A Swedish company, like ASSA - who knows, maybe they're made on the same factory.
@UnlockingBoredom: I'll give it to you when my frustration level peaks - if you send me something less challenging in return

[nickmannnxx]

Second on wishing cheap locks around here looked like that. The cheap ones around my area are Brinks, and they are a joke.

Anyone know, the two offset holes are for anti drill pins? Or are those whats known as trap pins?

[UnlockingBoredom]

That is very perceptive of you Gordon! It is bought at Biltema, that's what passes as a cheapstore around here. A Swedish company, like ASSA - who knows, maybe they're made on the same factory.
@UnlockingBoredom: I'll give it to you when my frustration level peaks - if you send me something less challenging in return

I would love to trade something for that lock... I am working on an American lock (removable core) with Serrated key pins and serrated driver pins and Serrated Spool driver pins. I just added a 6th pin to it to make it hard to pick.

I could even send 6 regular driver pins so you could start with those and work up to the serrated and spool pins.... Here's hoping that you get tired of that lock...


UnlockingBoredom

[stainless steel]

Have a Bitlema lock (Scandinavian store chain) that is exactly like that, including the ASSA-style double spools pins. It is a fun pick, but not as evil as a genuine ASSA with similar pins.

Gordon

biltema have stores in norway probobly same lock

[marman]

I would love to trade something for that lock... I am working on an American lock (removable core) with Serrated key pins and serrated driver pins and Serrated Spool driver pins. I just added a 6th pin to it to make it hard to pick.

I could even send 6 regular driver pins so you could start with those and work up to the serrated and spool pins.... Here's hoping that you get tired of that lock...


UnlockingBoredom

Sure, with regular pins that sounds like a good deal for me. Like I said, I want something easy to practice on and this lock of mine isn't quite that. Found this video of bosnianbill picking the very same lock, it took him 90 minutes to get it open...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k3Eg4Hr_Ls
At least I got the rear clasp off quicker than him!
I'll send you a pm when I'm done messing around with it

Biltema is a large store chain with shops in most scandinavian cities, the "IKEA" of hardware. They sell pirated car parts (which used to be of dubious quality), tools, plumbing & electrical stuff, nuts & bolts, etc.