Paracentric Keyway?

[Rich0775]

Hey guys,

How do you pick a paracentric keyway? I have a Best Padlock with an Arrow interchangeable core so I can't pick it because there are 2 shear lines and also because I can't get a pick in there. Anyway, looking at the keyway it's hard for me to imagine how you can pick ANY paracentric keyway so, how is it possible?

My guess is that you need picks with some "give" in them that are still solid but bend and flex a bit?

-Richard

[MiPo]

Would be nice if you could post a picture of the keyway. Anyway, look here: https://youtu.be/vTc1srjQUVw "LockPickingLawyer" has a great video about this topic. You basically have two choices: If you can then use the holes in the warding (not necessarily needs to be a thin pick) or use a very thin pick (there are these great picks from sparrows with ~0.38mm).

Hey guys,

How do you pick a paracentric keyway? I have a Best Padlock with an Arrow interchangeable core so I can't pick it because there are 2 shear lines and also because I can't get a pick in there. Anyway, looking at the keyway it's hard for me to imagine how you can pick ANY paracentric keyway so, how is it possible?

My guess is that you need picks with some "give" in them that are still solid but bend and flex a bit?

-Richard

[billdeserthills]

I like to use top of keyway (TOK) tension and then slip my pick gun under the pins and give it a clicky.
At least that's how I have always picked these-type locks in the past.

Actually I was at two of the local mini-storage locations today and I picked three disk-type padlocks, so the
management could steal the contents, of course I mean auction those contents to the highest bidder. Two
of those padlocks had paracentric keyways and they were very small as well, but I was able to pick them all,
including one that had been cut almost in half by the storage crew, but still refused to open until I picked it, so it can be done

[Silverado]

I've been having the same struggle with some European locks I got on trade from ratlock. I had never played with Euro locks until I received these, and I once believed that Yale keyways were "quite paracentric" but I know now that I was wrong.

I've gotten some movement on the pins by putting a half diamond euro pick in the keyway at about a 40 degree angle, matching the angle of the keyway, and pretty much using the pick as a flag to try and lift the pins. Have to be dead on the pin and not twist too much. It's the best way I've found to get at the pins, but still hasn't gotten the lock open for me.

[billdeserthills]

I've been having the same struggle with some European locks I got on trade from ratlock. I had never played with Euro locks until I received these, and I once believed that Yale keyways were "quite paracentric" but I know now that I was wrong.

I've gotten some movement on the pins by putting a half diamond euro pick in the keyway at about a 40 degree angle, matching the angle of the keyway, and pretty much using the pick as a flag to try and lift the pins. Have to be dead on the pin and not twist too much. It's the best way I've found to get at the pins, but still hasn't gotten the lock open for me.

If you think that's bad, I didn't even know
that Arrow made a paracentric IC core keyway--I must be behind the times

[Rich0775]

Here are some pics for you guys. Hopefully everything shows up clear enough to see.

[billdeserthills]

Great close-up of the keyway, maybe you need a few mini-picks Rytan makes some in stainless steel,
or I just turn my pick gun a little bit sideways and let er' rip

[blue60]

I use a offset diamond pick for tight key ways like that

[MiPo]

Pretty evil keyway. What just came into my mind is using a dimple flag. Has anyone tried that on a keyway like that?

[Rich0775]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I remember hearing that you can't SPP a core like this because it has 2 shear lines and chances are that if you're SPPing then at least one pin is going to set in the wrong shear line?

[GWiens2001]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I remember hearing that you can't SPP a core like this because it has 2 shear lines and chances are that if you're SPPing then at least one pin is going to set in the wrong shear line?

It most certainly can be done. But it is difficult.

Gordon

[ratlock]

Hey Silverado. Most of the keyways this side of the pond are paracentric, but dont let the keyway put you off.

This picture shows a Zone, with security pins, which an average picker should get into in sub 5 mins depending on experiance.

The winkhaus, in the picture has a similar keyway, which can have you hitting your head against a brick wall. Due to security pins, top and bottom, (the bottom ones in this Particular lock, have 4 key pins that look like torpedoes) tight tolerances, and tough key bitting.

You get used to picking tough keyways. The other factors are another matter.

[jeffmoss26]

NICE - that is one of the Flexcore restricted keyways

[Silverado]

Hey Silverado. Most of the keyways this side of the pond are paracentric, but dont let the keyway put you off.

I'm still not giving up! I've had to take a break though due to some other projects I've been working on. I'll have a few days this week with a little free time and I plan on getting back into the European locks.

[Rich0775]

Pretty sure I'm gonna send this one to Bosnianbill and see what he can do with it. I'd like to see it picked on video.

Also, I don't have the tools or the funds to buy the tools required to pick this lock. I'm a college student and a lot of my $$ goes towards that and I have almost no wiggle room to buy a pick set (although, if possible I do want to buy the Sparrows Tuxedo, possibly for my bday coming up in a few weeks). So, I figure I'll send it to somebody who can pick it and hopefully get it on video.

Cheers guys!