I was in a tight spot, had to replace the pins in my padlock cylinder, didn't have a follower small enough to use. To my rescue AAA size battery, no space to spare, but a job well done!
I've used pen and marker caps in the past when caught without a follower. Have also used a Maglite solitaire type keychain light when dropping and reloading master pins in low light conditions.
A colleague of mine once swore by using those cheapie led lightstick things they give away at concerts/sporting events. Reckoned it was a great lighted follower.
Have used a rolled up business card, and one time a flat piece of brass, filed down to fit in the cylinder. (That one was a bit tricky, but it worked).
Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
DangerDane wrote:What exactly is the follower used for?
it is used to push out the plug of a lock during maintenance or rekeying/repinning, but saves the hassle of all the springs and pins in the bible from flying out of the bible.
The battery is a great idea. I used a piece of plastic from a 2L CocaCola bottle. Cut a rectangular piece, roll it smaller than the diameter of the plug. Pinch together to make a skinny cylinder. Slowly push plug out and insert plastic. As soon as it is in ease up your hold, and let it expand to fit. Make it longer than plug so you can tape it together and there you have it.
Knowing about the battery would have saved me a lot of time!
I was having trouble finding something for the Master cores, and had not read this thread. I found the Pilot G2 top was just right. Bonus, it clips on the the side of the shell.
dontlook wrote:I was having trouble finding something for the Master cores, and had not read this thread. I found the Pilot G2 top was just right. Bonus, it clips on the the side of the shell.
For those who may not know, the Pilot G2 is a pen.
Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
Someone mentioned a lighted follower. I have made a few. But what I like best is the ones I have made from clear acrylic. All you need is a light source behind what you are repinning. It shines thru the clear follower and illuminates the inside so you can see the pin chambers. I use one that is grooved on each end. Can push the follower thru the cylinder so you can repin from both sides. You don't have to reach from the front to load chamber 6. Do it from the back. Do 4, 5, 6 from the back. Then push the follower thru and do 3, 2 ,1 from the front. I was going to make several hundred of them for sale. Can't get material that tolerances on the diameter suits me. Some are oversize. But the ones I have that are sized right, work great.
I got several magnets, 1/4" thick, 1/2" dia that I can use like a standard follower...but I can also slip them one at a time into the odd profile cylinder I see now and then to extract the cores from either end.
