Hardened steel pins

[Devhen98]

I’m wondering if anyone has ever seen a place to buy hardened steel pins for use in standard schlage locks and what not? All I can find are spools and the such. If I can’t find any I’m thinking i might see if I can’t find some round stock steel and hardening it my self I wouldn’t mind trying making some hardened spools and what not as well.

[billdeserthills]

You won't find hardened steel tumblers. Pins in pin tumbler locks are generally brass or nickel silver

[Squelchtone]

Why not upgrade the lock to a Medeco which is made out of much better metals than a Schlage? The steel pins are only going to slow down a sheer line drilling attack, which I don't think it common to begin with. I guess it would be a fun project if you already work with metal and have a lathe to make your own pins.

Are you just a hobbyist, or someone beefing up their home or work security due to something that has happened already where someone broke in?

Thanks,
Squelchtone

[billdeserthills]

Actually there is a very good reason why pin tumblers are usually brass or nickel silver,
the keys are also brass or nickel silver and both are supposed to wear most evenly using
similar materials is the reason I was told

[RedE]

Assa makes stainless steel top pins for their locks, and they're of the same diameter that most pin and tumbler locks use. These pins are available in several lengths and are all spooled.

Now you may get a little extra pick resistance with these spooled configurations, but much like Squelchtone said, you're really just going to thwart drilling out the shearline by using these pins.

[Safecrackin Sammy]

As Bill has said the hardened pins arent made since it would be unequal metal hardness between the key/pin and would accelerate wear.

Medeco is the way to go as Squelchtone has suggested but they are more expensive. Depends on how good of a lock/insurance policy you want. (I have em)

Sounds like you have the machining capabilities so if you want to do it, I would suggest this....

Make the hardened steel pins, but add them to the cylinder plug and housing in newly drilled holes as fixed anti drill rods. It will slow somebody down trying to drill the cylinder but not prevent it.

Take a look at an exploded view of a Medeco cylinder and you should see them. The housing on most cylinders uses a hardened half moon but you should be able to replicate it with some long anti drill rods.
The cylinder plug normally has them on each side of the key way.

[Keyring]

both are supposed to wear most evenly using
similar materials

I have heard this before but it doesn't make sense. Wearing evenly doesn't mean that the lock continues to open. If a pin wears it has to be pushed up further. If the key wears it does not push up so far. So the two effects do not cancel out.

[Raymond]

From information regarding old style prison locks that are welded onto the doors or frames, it has always been the practice to put the hardest material inside the lock. The result is that the keys can wear and be replaced much more often than the lock needs to be taken apart.

On the old Folger Mogul cylinders it was common to put a 5/32" ball bearing in the plug hole and then cut a length of 5/32 brass rod. The excess rod was then filed down to the shear line. Those hardened bearings would last a lot of use cycles.

Medeco ARX pins are hard bottom and top pins.

Assa top pins are hard but the bottom pins are nickel-silver. The finger pins for both Schlage Primus and Assa are hard.

On rare occasions I have made bottom pins from #31 high speed steel drill bits. Break them to somewhat longer than needed and grind them down to the required length. Using progressively finer abrasive material you can bring them to a very smooth polish that takes a long time to wear out the key.

[billdeserthills]

both are supposed to wear most evenly using
similar materials

I have heard this before but it doesn't make sense. Wearing evenly doesn't mean that the lock continues to open. If a pin wears it has to be pushed up further. If the key wears it does not push up so far. So the two effects do not cancel out.

What happens is the cylinder wears on either sides of the pins. Brass & nickel silver are considered self-lubricating metals
that is they will not gall when rubbed together, unlike stainless steel and other metals