7 and 8 pin tubular picks

[josephhkim]

Whats the difference between the 7 and 8 pin? Which is more common and the better buy? (they are quite expensive.) Thanks.

[Sabin37]

7 pin tubulars are more commmon and correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the 8-pin pick can be converted into a seven-pin. And if you can change it into a seven-pin pick, is the change reversable?

[Kaellman]

As far as im concerned, i think you can. Or is it the 7-pin that can be converted into a 8-pin pick?

[hzatorsk]

There are generally 'four' types of tubular locks you'll run into: 7 pin, 8 pin, 7 pin offset left & 7 pin offset right.

(There are also all kinds of goofy little tubulars on computer cases and such... but this is about the normal ACE locks.)

Traditionally, the seven pin pick opens the normal seven pin lock while the eight pin pick opens the 7OL, 7OR and 8 pin varieties.

The issue is the spacing and the alignment of the pins relative to the index of the lock.

The 7OL and 7OR have the same spacing as the 8 pin (the pins are in the same phyical locations) and look like an 8 pin lock except they are missing one pin just left or right of the index. So they are treated as an eight pin lock.

If they sell a set of 7 pin and 8 pin picks... you'll find the normal 7 pin MUCH more frequently. ...and you'll want both picks for when you run into the other locks.

If they sell an adjustable pick that can open both 7 and 8 pin locks... that is all you need.

These days... also look for picks with individual adjustable tensions for each pick finger as newer locks are now playing games by varying spring tensions making the older style picks almost worthless.

Also... search here for tubular locks and picks... there has already been A LOT of discussion on this in the past with many people making brand recommendations.

hz

[raimundo]

there are also the oversize diameter, the undersize, and a couple of diameters smaller than the 137S. The oversize diameter is the oldest varient, and not very common, been around for decades, the 137s came in mostly in the 80's, and the smaller diameters are usually on bicycle locks, you will also find varients without the center core notch pickup, (these push on the pins to turn the core.

[josephhkim]

So is the 7 pin more popluar? Is the southord 7 pin tubular pick good? Finally, is there a pick that can do both 7 and 8?

[raimundo]

7 pin centered is far the more common, you will be seeing them around for a long time, but probably not many new ones, since the bic trick was publicized. These have been opened with bic pens, and rolled up cardboard, but I have not heard of the ACE II being opened easily by anything. Lets get a who has opened the ACE II thread started, I have one that I tried to impression and quit when I cut my finger, a few years ago, but its still around. ACE II is a seven pin common diameter lock with a mix of hard stainless springs, and soft copper springs under the pins. I havent tried it but probably a bic pen would work. When will bic start putting the notch pickup on their pens? Will I have to take a hot wire and try to make a notch pickup? Actually, the bic trick worked for me about 90 seconds after I first started to try it, but failed the next 3 or 4 times and I haven't been back to it since, Most report a faster opening than 90 seconds,
Another note, having hand filed ace keys with a flat file, copying depths from the pick, I have noted that something in the usual ace lock seems to have a nice tolerance for inaccuracies, perhaps the shear is open or there are bevels on the pin channels. ok, gotta go now.

[tri-city]

i was on google the other day and i came across a new pick by HPC if i can remember correctly it was a 9, 10, and 11 pin tubular pick. it was a german site, and it said that it used new technoledgy in the pin fellers. was about to order it then i saw the price, it was over 1700 euros thats about £1250. HPC have it on there site but i can't remember the product code, sorry. bot you can type in 10 pin tubilar on google and go to page 3 or 4.

[tri-city]

iv'e just found the model no. it's the hpc tlp-ul and it's eur 1738.00
and it's mega high security. it is supposed to pick 11 pin with-in pin locks that according to some people are supposed to be unpickable. " IF ONLY "

[josephhkim]

Wow! Whys it so expensive? 11 pins!

[vector40]

Paying a ton for a tubular lock with a lot of pins seems stupid... just the fact that every one of the pins is easily accessible seems like it makes the concept inherently less secure than an equivalent pin tumbler. The only reason they were ever considered particularly high security seems to be a sort of security-by-obscurity "nobody quite knows how to deal with them so they're not messed with" situation.

[Peaky]

Yes the 7 pin centred spigot type is the most common,
Yes the South Ord picks are good,
The 8 pin SO pick can be modified so it will work on 7 and 8 pin locks (search for the thread on how to modify it)

Oh and as a quick note i have still yet to make the bic trick work!!

[josephhkim]

Thanks peaky for the info. About the bic pen, the pen doesn't even fit my tubular lock on my bicycle lock. (kyrptonite) Am i using the wrong type of bic pen?

[Peaky]

One of my problems, i found the lid fits better on some pens and other pens fit better if you cut them in half but as for the specific pen type i dont know, you can also roll a piece of cardboard around the pen and use that instead but to be honest i have a modified 8 pin pick so after a few gos at the pen method without any joy i gave up. There are loads of vids around though so you should be able to get a better idea from them.

[raimundo]

I have never seen an eleven or twelve pin tubular lock, but "steve arnolds gun room" google that, has had the pick for them for twenty years. look on the second page of lockpicks, at the most expensive pick, $1500 or $2500 or some such. In the past, a paper mail enquiry about these would produce a reply that is very revealing on the many types of tubular locks.