Side Bar Wafer Locks

[Shrub]

Thats right Vec.

[fixer]

To clarify, fix, I assume that the wafer still functions ordinarily (blocking the rotation unless it's elevated to the correct height) in addition to activating the sidebar?

Yes, you are correct. The primary locking mechanism of the pins/wafers has to be at the shear line in order for the plug to turn.

As digitalblue said, any more information would be too specific for this general forum, but I hope the information given gives people the general theory of operation.

[TOWCH]

The GM door lock I picked up didn't use a shear line, only a sidebar.

[GateTwelve]

All the sidebar wafer locks I've seen utilize only sidebars, as well. How can you have both when you only have one wafer, and not a stack? It is either going to sit on the shear line, or engage the sidebar, correct?

[Agent-X]

This should give you a generic idea if you're studying the foley-belsaw program. It's somewhat better detailed..

Just to help this page out: Bi-lock, Sidebar, Sidebar lock, sidebar wafer lock.

[GateTwelve]

Thanks for the diagram of the primus, Agent-X, but I don't think that's the type of lock in question. The primus utilizes a pin stack the same way a normal pin tumbler would, but has side-bit milling to enage the other five pins controlling the sidebar. The sidebar wafer locks that are being discussed use wafers which have grooves cut in them which meet up with a sidebar, allowing it to be retracted into the plug.

Sorry for the reference to "secrets of lockpicking". It was the only picture readily available of a sidebar wafer lock that I had off the top of my head - albeit a very basic one. http://www.fortliberty.org/locks/secrets-of-lock-picking.shtml

Now, by looking at that, the wafers do not act like a standard wafer lock, nor like a pin-tumbler (using a pin stack and sheer line). The only locking mechanism I can tell from the picture, or think of by experience is the sidebar. And even if the wafers did function like normal (needing to be retracted into the plug) that would only be an incidental security measure, as the sidebar would keep them in place - inside the plug.

Not to mention it would also be very bad for security if they did funtion like normal. You could just pick them like a standard wafer lock on a filing cabinet, and thus the sidebar would be engaged, again incidentally.

[Parabellum]

What is the reason that virtually all high-quality locks that use sidebars have this part actuated by the rotating plug and not the spring as in the GM lock?

[tjohn]

13 years. Is that a record?

[Squelchtone]

13 years. Is that a record?

I told him to Search, so he searched =) I think if the question adds to the conversation, it's ok to ask in an old thread. If it was just a "cool lock bro" reply or a question to a particular OP who is no longer here, then that would be some serious necromancing.

Squelchtone

[peterwn]

What is the reason that virtually all high-quality locks that use sidebars have this part actuated by the rotating plug and not the spring as in the GM lock?

Probably just design choice. There are pro's and con's with both arrangements. The GM arrangement would better resist a brute force attempt to turn the plug since AFAIK a die-cast shell is used. A V shaped sidebar edge engaging a V shape slot can be designed to resist a brute force attack where the shell is made of brass or other stronger metal than die-cast zinc alloy. There would be more wear and tear with the GM arrangement since theforce to disengage the sidebar is transmitted via the key bitting and the sidebar slots on the wafers. Compare with the alternative where the sidebar is disengaged by the springs before the key is removed.