What did you pick today?

[Silverado]

From what I've seen they're mostly spools. I feel like this one has a T Pin or something though, because it doesn't make sense that they should alternate in resetting one another with just spools.

[manueltrabajo]

Yesterday I picked a Schlage deadbolt with 4 spool pins. It was my first experience with spool pins (to my knowledge) and it was quite a thrill!

[Eazy123]

From what I've seen they're mostly spools. I feel like this one has a T Pin or something though, because it doesn't make sense that they should alternate in resetting one another with just spools.

Bosnianbill has a good video about beating this lock - supposedly they're full of mushroom pins.

Yesterday I picked a Schlage deadbolt with 4 spool pins. It was my first experience with spool pins (to my knowledge) and it was quite a thrill!

That's quite a good feeling - I remember when I picked my first American 5200, and after I took it apart I was shocked at how many security pins I had made my way past!

[Jacob Morgan]

Got a double sided disc lock so I could try out some tools. This was the first time I ever tried to open a double sided lock. First up was a new set of double sided picks (the sort that come four or five to a set)--no luck, the key way was was too small to get any of them in (maybe they are for Chicago double sided locks?). Next up was a ball pick that I had gotten years ago--still no luck, it was too big to go in. So then it was off to a wave rake, a wave rack that opens disc tumblers fast. Several minutes later and nothing. Turns out that the raking one side set the discs on that side while it un-set the discs that had been set on the other side. So, finally went to a lifter to pick one disc at a time on one side then the other, and it opened in less time that it took to type this sentence.

Had a handful of tools I wanted to use and the only thing that worked was my 20 year-old Majestic lifter. That should teach me something.

[Robotnik]

Believe CompX bought out Fort Lock a while back, and CompX also owns Chicago, so you're basically dealing with the same manufacturer . Nice work, those can be deceptively difficult to pick.

If you're interested in exploring double sided wafer tumbler locks, the American H10 and similar can be very fun.

[Jacob Morgan]

Thanks for the lead on the H10, that just went on my next-to-buy list.

[Eazy123]

Acquired a Schlage deadbolt last week and took a break from trying to refurbish another lock to pick this one.

[Eazy123]

Also got a 6 pin Medeco mortise off eBay that I have pinned one chamber at a time to get the feel for Medeco pins and turning them. I can do one pin with no issues. Will move on to two tomorrow. Not really an accomplishment but it's a start.

[Eazy123]

Medeco mortise with 2 pins (one with a mushroom) picked consistently. Tomorrow I'll try three. Also took the entire thing apart, anti-drill moons and all. Darn near lost a sidebar spring, they're so tiny.

[Eazy123]

Medeco mortise with 3 pins (2 mushrooms) picked consistently. Moving to 4.

[ltdbjd]

Those springs can be a pain because of their size.

It's a good idea to work on a pinning mat if possible. I've been stuck without one if I'm pinning at a lock instead of in the shop. I'll typically use a piece of paper with the edges rolled up and the flat part scalloped (folded back and forth to make grooves) if I don't have a mat so it doesn't roll off the table. All my floors are concrete, but even with that it can be impossible to find if it hits the floor and rolls.

I'll use the same paper when I disassemble one if I don't have a pinning tray so I don't get all the pins and master wafers mixed up. I just lay one pin stack in each groove of the paper.

[Eazy123]

Yeah I use a pinning mat. But when you have springs like the sidebar ones, they're there and then they're suddenly gone. Even on a black mat they can be difficult to find. I never saw such tiny springs before!

[Silverado]

I've been stuck without one if I'm pinning at a lock instead of in the shop. I'll typically use a piece of paper with the edges rolled up and the flat part scalloped (folded back and forth to make grooves) if I don't have a mat so it doesn't roll off the table.

I took some corrugated cardboard and stripped one side off so all I had left was the corrugated piece and one flat side. I cut them to fit in the bottom and lid of an Altoids tin then superglued them in. It works well as a makeshift pinning mat, and if you use the inside of the tin you can put your pins and springs in and stuff with paper towel or something so you can close it and keep your pins in place on the go.

[Silverado]

One of the three American mortise cylinders I picked up. Yale keyway!
Tricky and fun lock.

[Eazy123]

Not exactly sure how I'm supposed to get the plug out, though. My best guess is to pry out the ring surrounding the plug in the back - the ring and plug both turn as one.

EDIT: Unless that's not a ring at all and it's a multi-shearline? I picked it again and notice there seem to be two sleeves?