11/26/12
Lock Picking 101
Part Two
Why Some Locks are Unpickable
There are
however some factors that have the potential for making a lock unpickable. One
of these factors would be the existence of a side bar device. This device
prohibits the cylinder plug from turning until all the pins are aligned.
Sidebars are commonly found in Medeco, ASSA, Primus and other High-Security
lock cylinders. These locks are commonly considered “unpickable” by
conventional means.
Another factor
is keyway milling, if the keyway is of a complex design it often makes it
difficult to freely move the picks up and down in the plug making it difficult
if not impossible to pick the lock. Also the cut difference in the key could
make the lock unpickable. If there is an extreme variation between two of the
cuts on the key, a very deep cut next to a very shallow cut, it can be very
difficult to pick both chambers without loosing the shearline in one or both
chambers.
Specially
designed top pins or pick-resistant pins are another factor that can make a
lock unpickable. These pins have been specially shaped to catch on the
shearline when you apply rotational tension. There are several shapes that are
used, but each pin design accomplishes the same result.
The Goal of Picking
Obviously in
broad terms the goal of picking a lock is to open it. To be more specific the
goal of picking is to lift the pins to same height the key would, there by
aligning all the pins along the shearline allowing the cylinder to turn.
The first
thing I like to do and I think most locksmith do in lockout situations is to
lubricate the cylinder with a spray type lubricant. This will free the pins and
clean the keyway. The better the lock operates the easier it will pick,
remember you cannot pick a non-functioning lock. You should test the pin stacks
and make sure they all move up and down. You also need to know how many sets of
pins are in the lock so you know how many pin stacks you have to pick; most
locks have five or six chambers.
To test the
pin stacks; insert a pick upside down into the lock and push it to the back of
the cylinder until the tip stops at the back of the plug. Lift the pins as high
as possible and quickly draw the pick out. All the pins should drop freely. To
count the chambers re-insert the pick upside down into the keyway of the
cylinder lift the pins as high as possible and listen as you draw the pick out
slowly. Allow the pins to drop one at a time. Count each pin stack as they
drop.
Now that you
have determined that the lock is functional and how many chambers must be
picked you can begin to manipulate the pins in order to align all the pins
along the shearline allowing the cylinder to turn freely.
(Continued in Part
Two)