by ltdbjd » 28 Dec 2016 12:53
Cheating is a good way ... using a removal key which depresses the wafer.
Provided it's the kind that uses a wafer to hold the plug in (like a lot of Hon's) you have to ID the last wafer (typically the 5th or 6th depending on the number of wafers. In my experience, you have to depress it further than you would a standard locking wafer so it will clear the lip in the back of the plug.
Sometimes using a larger half diamond pick works because you can depress all the wafers, but the diamond depresses it further than the rest so it's a bit easier. It's been a while since I've done commercial work, but I believe some of them depress opposite of the locking wafers. Some other members may have to chime in on this point.
I'm a gadget guy, so I'll usually use my Dino 3 in 1 scope so I can both see the last wafer, and press it down with the depressor. Otherwise I'll use an ophthalmoscope to look in the lock and use a pick to depress it.
Free tip: These tools aren't really practical when you first start out because of the cost, and the money is better spent elsewhere, but they are helpful. After you're established, and provided you like toys and gadgets, you can look into them. They are especially useful when you can't pick an easy lock, and something just doesn't feel right. The bonehead owners say they haven't messed with it, but you can look inside and see the rubber tip of from a bobby pin where they tried the TV version of lockpicking. It's happened to me several times. And it's always because I didn't run an upside down pick through the lock first to confirm all the pins/wafers work properly first. P.S I always charged those people more for lying to me and wasting my time. They are also invaluable when it comes to cutting keys by "reading" the wafers in autos and other wafer locks.
