Help me out on those incredibly THIN keyholes

[Fallacy911]

So I'm still mastering wafer tumblers and pin tumblers and I'm working on just a standard schlage 5 pin tumbler.

The keyhole, however, is brutally obstructed by the grooves fit for the key and I'm sure many of you guys have come across these of course, but my commercial pick set (southord) is so hard to reach in there.

I can come at it at an angle but it feels so much harder to lift each pin accurately and the whole process is skewed.

I haven't been able to pick it.

Does anybody have tips or techniques when the grooves really obstruct the pathway. I changed the location of the tension wrench but to no avail. It's quite hard, for now.

Thanks

[Chrispy]

Are they slimline SouthOrds?

[Fallacy911]

No, I'm looking into some slimlines right now, I never realized they made different styles. However, in my effort to not waste money, what is good material to grind that won't become unbearably fragile when making slimline equivalent picks. I have made picks ouit of hacksaw and jigsaw blades. I know of street cleaner bristles and windshield wiper blades.

In the meantime, should I not waste my time in trying to pick it without slimmer picks?

Maybe I will grind the ones I have a tiny bit.

If you know the size difference from regular -> slimline share it, I'm going to google it now anywho.

Thanks

[zeke79]

You can pick the schlage sc1 keyway with the standard southord picks. You will as you have found have to insert the pick at an angle however. Slimlines picks will help, but it is not a must unless you are dealing with a lock that is pinned at or outside MACs.

[Chucklz]

The slimline picks are less "wide" byt are the same thickness as regular SO picks. Possibly because they are my new babies, the Peterson slim picks are really wonderful, and actually thin not just narrow. The Peterson half diamond is in generally much nicer than most SO picks, at lest in my opinion. The slim one is just sweet.

[Fallacy911]

Yes with the lock I am attempting it is possible to reach the pins at an angle, however they are much harder to feel because I am so much more concentrated on keeping the pick from hitting a side wall in the lock.

Chucklez, "wide" and "thick" I perceive to be the same thing. I think you were searching for the word but couldn't find it. Are the slimlines shorter horizontally or vertically?

Any tips for picking these locks at an angle, I'll try and lube this one up see if I can get a better feel.

[Chucklz]

To disambiguate width and thickness... My SO pick handles have a width of more than 1 cm, while they have a thickness of less than 2mm.

[Chrispy]

Disambiguate verb.

- To establish a single grammatical or semantic interpretation for.
- To remove doubtfulness or uncertainty as regards to interpretation.

[SFGOON]

The technical term you're looking for is "paracentric keyway." Do a search on that and you'll get some excellent advice on how to alter your tools to deal with these buggers.

[sublime progie]

I just pick it with the groove. I dont even try to go into the tiny straight spot at the top. just sit in that slanted groove and pick away. i think i had more trouble with the spools than the keyway. You will get use to it eventually.

[wsbpress]

I agree with supblime progie, just tilt your pick CW a little bit and pick that way. I even like to let the pick contact the pins and the side of the cylinder wall at the same time. Another thing that has worked well for me on the SC1 keyway is to place your tension wrench at the top of the keyway. I use one of the Lab turning tools with the double bend so that the handle is vertical when placed in the top of the keyway.

[Wade]

same here, I use standard southord picks and have a harder time setting pins than getting in the keyway
just stick the pick in at a slant then straighten up when you get to the top part of the keyway

still havent picked it, the spools are killing me! I cant get any pins to set

[sublime progie]

Another thing that has worked well for me on the SC1 keyway is to place your tension wrench at the top of the keyway

I also use the tension wrench at the top ot the key way. i think that is pretty much the way with shlages as it gives the most room.

[Ben WV]

If it's your first set of picks, you may be a little reluctant to do it, but those fullsize southord picks usually need some modification to work well on tighter keyways. The first thing I would do is grind down the prong on your tension wrench so that it can sit flush against the face of the plug, fully inserted. It doesn't help if the right angle is sitting half an inch off the face of the lock.

You also might have problems with overlifting on a tight keyway because your pick is in contact with the lock on so many sides that it's harder to tell when you're disturbing pins. The tapered shank on the southord picks is really fat near the handle. You might benefit from grinding away some material there. And if your hook is too high, you can take it down... or if it's too low, you can take one of those really high hooks from your set and grind it down to one step higher than your standard lifter. Just smooth the roughed edges with a kinife sharpening stone afterwards.

And bang off those chunky handles while you're at it.

[treboR]

I have made picks ouit of hacksaw and jigsaw blades. I know of street cleaner bristles and windshield wiper blades.

I have made some effective slimlines using windshield wiper blades.
Although I just use a standard southord small half diamond for schlage.