Discuss Your Schlage Primus Technique

[andrex66it]

uhm...looks like it's not so easy to disassemble it.
It's a mortise cylinder, with a strip of metal on the top used to retain the springs and pins. This strip has two dimples on it, I guess it's for retaining it in place.
I tried to remove it but it's locked by the dimples.
Should I use "some" force and remove it?

Thank you and have fun,
Andrea

[mister sour]

no. if you can, shim the pins from the back of the plug. once all the pin stacks are shimmed, the plug will slide out of the mortise, but watch those finger pins! they will fly everywhere if u dont block them from shooting out. removing the strip of brass that retains the pins can sometimes deform it, making it even more difficult to get back on, and an even more lousy pin cover.

[escher7]

AIR_20130424_00001.jpg

I was lucky enough to find a friendly local locksmith recently. He gave me a bunch of high security locks, including some schlage primus cylinders. I am now planning attacks, including a cut-down key. Here is another idea for a tool which should both lift and pivot the finger pins: Convert a small Southord dimple pin flag-type pick by cutting a U-shaped slot in the flag. If the slot will fit the finger pin protrusion, you should be able to grasp it from the bottom and lift/turn it at the same time. (Can't figure out how to post a picture yet, but the description should be sufficient.) (OK - got the picture.)

[escher7]

Hey!!! Got my first Primus tonight. A friendly local locksmith recently gave me a bunch of high security locks, including a couple of Schlage Primus cylinders. He left a key in one (by accident since the keys are controlled) but it was the wrong key for the cylinder. This was not a level one, but most likely part of a master system. However I assumed the side cuts were correct since the key fit, and filed off the regular bitting to make a pick. As indicated by some of the big boys like Dev Ollam, the regular pins were Mickey Mouse non- security pins. I didn't even have to single pick the lock, just wiggle around a Southord 3 hump Pagoda (Southord's Bogota knock-off) and bingo! I re-picked it a couple of times to be sure.

What this means is that if you buy a level one key online and cut it down, any level one lock can be opened in seconds. For unique keys you need to get any copy (even by buying a lock from the same locksmith) or in the case of master systems any key for the building and you're in. Schlage Primus is, therefore, not a high security lock. Buy an Abloy Protec 2 if you want complete anti-pick security.

[femurat]

Congrats on your pick escher7, feels good, doesn't it?
Now try picking it without the key that sets the sidebar pins

Cheers

[xeo]

Nice work. I would say try a Schlage Everest Primus next, then an ASSA Twin Combi.

[escher7]

I'm going to try making the tool I showed above to see if it will twist up under the finger pins, allowing me to both lift and swing them. I may have to order the Chinese Southord dimple pick copy to get the right size pick to modify but I am afraid the steel will be crap. Maybe I will cut one from scratch. I do think the design has promise.

[Kezo]

The steel is pretty strong. That's the feeling I got when I used it. Tricky part might be filing it gently enough so you don't put too much pressure on the working end of the pick.

[femurat]

Finally I found a picture of the tool I made to SPP the finger pins. Here it is.

Cheers

[xeo]

Interesting looking tool. I can see how that would be effective. Have you had success with it? Does it fit into Primus and Everest Primus?

[femurat]

Hey xeo, I only have an old primus but I don't have an everest primus. I made these two tools to fit the primus so yes they both fit (one at a time). They slide under the finger pins without touching them. When you are under a pin you can rotate the handle to lift and push or pull to push or pull the finger pin.
I easily raked and SPPed the finger pins a few times when I made the tools, but there were no standard pins in the lock. At that time I was just interested in testing the tools and not in picking the lock. So I removed all the standard pins and left it with just the finger pins and sidebar.
I should look for this old kik I have somewhere and pick it fully pinned

[escher7]

Hey xeo, I only have an old primus but I don't have an everest primus. I made these two tools to fit the primus so yes they both fit (one at a time). They slide under the finger pins without touching them. When you are under a pin you can rotate the handle to lift and push or pull to push or pull the finger pin.
I easily raked and SPPed the finger pins a few times when I made the tools, but there were no standard pins in the lock. At that time I was just interested in testing the tools and not in picking the lock. So I removed all the standard pins and left it with just the finger pins and sidebar.
I should look for this old kik I have somewhere and pick it fully pinned

If your Primus tool had a small V cut into it, it would be the one I postulated in my sketch above. The idea being that by hooking the finger pin protrusion you could both lift and pivot the pin. I have been sidetracked on some Medeco research, but will make the Primus tool soon. I won't use a long handle like you did, but still, the idea of having some leverage is good, either with a shorter bent piece, or maybe a knob on the back end of the pick.

[femurat]

Hey escher7, my picture is a bit blurry, but the tool does have a groove like one of these. Doesn't matter if V or U, it works both ways I guess the U is a bit smoother... but that's just a guess since I've never tried the V. Go ahead, make it and let us know how it works.

Cheers

[escher7]

Hey escher7, my picture is a bit blurry, but the tool does have a groove like one of these. Doesn't matter if V or U, it works both ways I guess the U is a bit smoother... but that's just a guess since I've never tried the V. Go ahead, make it and let us know how it works.

Cheers

Yes, I see the groove now. The difference is that yours is on the side like the picture in your link. My idea, (that I haven't tried yet) is to have the groove on what amounts to the top so that when you twist it up from under the pin it locks in the groove and you can drag it back and forth. Untried, but I hope to get to it soon. They probably work about the same. I just scored a bunch of Medeco info so I'll be on that for a few days.

[Korver15]

So it's not really a technique but I found a little video showing how the side pins kinda look while you are picking them.