what are security pins?

[MacÔda]

while reading the forums i've heard a lot of people talk about "security pins" and i have no idea what those are. this is probably a stupid question but i gotta find out somehow

[Mad Mick]

Security pins are designed to make picking more difficult. There are three common types of security pins (in no particular order):
1. Spool pins - shaped like a cotton reel, or a one-piece dumbell.
2. Mushroom pins - shaped like, er, a mushroom, more like a .177 or .22 lead pellet though.
3. Serrated pins - shaped sort of like a piston (multiple grooves at one end)

The idea is that as the plug is turned whilst picking, the reduced diameter in the security pin 'catches' between the plug and the housing, causing the pin to 'false-set'. Further picking a false-set pin can cause some of the correctly-set pins to be reset, sometimes resulting in starting from scratch again. Correctly identifying the security pins, and the order in which they should be picked in respect to the normal pins, is a method which comes with practice...and lots of it. A false-set pin will invariably turn the plug in the opposite direction to which torque is applied, more evident on spools & mushrooms, but probably minimally on serrated pins.

Have a search on the site, using the keywords describing security pins. There will be plenty of results to more accurately describe what is posted here, but this is the gist of it.

HTH.

[digital_blue]

I'm glad you asked this question, 'cause it gives me the perfect opportunity to hijack a thread with a question of my own... and it's still on topic.

In reading my LSS, Marc Tobias talks about security pins and mentions the three above as well as "conical pins". Now, I get the idea, but I've never seen nor heard of a conical pin outside of his book, so can anyone fill me in on where you might find these and if they are currently being employed?

(BTW, I don't feel too bad hijacking this thread cause Mick's answer was excellent and complete, so it would have likely died away anyway. )

db

[vector40]

Marc Tobias was reading your LSS? Did he forget something?

[tskaze]

hmm i too have a question: yale locks are said to have a security pin. which type do they have.

[WhiteHat]

db - when the search function returns to normal - search on Bump pins - I suspect that they are what mr tobias was talking about - romstar wrote a post - search on "don't laugh" with author romstar or something similar to that. the pins are designed to cause the plug to bump and unset all the other pins.

also, just plain conical pins would mean that you'd have to "pick" the pins more than once to get them up past the sheerline - possiby applying more force than is normal to cause the drivers to bind against the sheerline even though they havn't actually gone completely above the line yet..... does this make sense?

[digital_blue]

Yes, I think it does make sense. In fact, the reason I asked was because the more I pondered on the idea of a conical driver pin, the more I like the idea. It would seem to me that this would be quite effective, but yet I've never seen them employed. I will have a search when that funtion is restored. Thanks WH.

db

[Mad Mick]

Since were talking about conical pins, would they be of a single taper with the fat end towards the plug, or multiple tapers like a Christmas tree. I think the latter would be harder to pick. Assuming the pin could be held in a chuck (pretty difficult IMO), a serrated pin could be made into a Christmas tree conical pin. Where's raimundo?