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Loss of spring tension on key pin?

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kanped

Newbie

Posts: 5

Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:15 pm

Location: UK

Post Fri Sep 25, 2015 8:58 am

Loss of spring tension on key pin?

Hey; I know I've been quiet but I'm still working on that damn Yale door lock. I've noticed that when I pick some of the pins, pin 1 (closest to keyway) sometimes completely loses all spring tension from the keypin; you can just bounce it around and it seems like gravity is the only force acting on it. Now, the keyway (for me at least) is very narrow and akward to work with as is; I need to turn the pick round a bend to get any access at all and I'm finding it very difficult to hit one pin without hitting others, so it's totally possible that I'm overpicking something. The bidding doesn't help with this, either; pin 1 is by far the longest keypin and definitely doesn't bind up first; I'm 90% sure it's 3, the shortest one. Just wondering what a loss in tension like this is indicative of; I know there's spools in here and I'm just trying to get a better idea of what's going on inside. Any other advice with this (other than 'keep trying', because I intend to :) ) would be greatly appreciated.
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Josephus

Active Member

Posts: 267

Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:30 pm

Location: Michigan

Post Fri Sep 25, 2015 4:13 pm

Re: Loss of spring tension on key pin?

A free-floating pin like that just means the driver is either binding or already set with a space underneath for the keypin to move. The first stack is definitely not overset as that would mean that the keypin is bound at the shearline and would not move freely.

If you have a thin pick and a light hand or a very short hook you might not have to bend through a yale keyway. Interacting with more than one pin at once is okay too if you use very light pick pressure, just barely enough to move binding pins. In fact, you are probably just setting the first pin with the shaft of your pick. That happens and is fine so long as you don't overset.
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kanped

Newbie

Posts: 5

Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:15 pm

Location: UK

Post Fri Sep 25, 2015 4:32 pm

Re: Loss of spring tension on key pin?

Thanks for the advice. Makes sense as well, now that you mention it. I can push the keypin all the way up and it just drops back down, so I'm guessing it's set. I still do need to bend round with the tools I have and the keypin losing tension means that the first pin is always going to be in the way, so it's under and around. As long as I know I'm not oversetting something, though I should be able to just keep at it.

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