comb picks

[MANDELBROT27]

Quick quistion guys, why do comb picks work as if they were the key on some locks?

[HallisChalmers]

Quick quistion guys, why do comb picks work as if they were the key on some locks?

I have some comb locks and as near as I can tell, the "teeth" of the comb pick will push (compress) all of the pins down below the shear line - allowing the plug to turn.

In other words, visualize overlifting a pin with your short hook. When you overlift, you have pushed the key AND driver pins further into the bible - below the shear line. That means the pin stack is tightly compressed because its all scrunched up.

Ok, now visualize doing that same process - simultaneously with the comb pick, across all of the pin stacks within the bible of your lock.

Then, as you let up on your comb pick you catch the pins below the shear line as you apply rotational pressure with your tension wrench - opening the lock.

Then again - WTF do I know. Maybe the fairies comb their hair with the pick and the Magical Fairy Dandruff opens the lock.

[R691]

Comb picks overlift all of the pins simultaneously so that the plug can turn. The plug rotates with no pins in it at all, they are all squished up into the bible. Some locks do not have tall enough chambers to hold the spring, driver, and bottom pin all at once and so a comb pick will not work on these locks. Many locks will have some bittings that allow for a comb bypass to work, however, the same lock with other bittings may not permit it.

I have some comb locks and as near as I can tell, the "teeth" of the comb pick will push (compress) all of the pins down below the shear line - allowing the plug to turn.

I think Hallis has been working on too many of those upsidedown Euro cylinders

Yes, the comb pick pushes the drivers AND keypins right out of the plug.
These picks do not work on all cylinders. Many times the bibles are not long enough to allow the entire assembly to be forced up like that.
Some times simply putting a large pin (like >6) into a domestic knobset will stop these picks from working.

Usually they work well on large padlocks, such as the ones with LW4, KW1 or whatever your regions' domestic residential keyways are.

[s1deshowmick]

I bought a set of comb picks a while ago and was very dissipointed in the fact that they didn't, and still don't work on any of my locks, new or old.

[Josh]

if your locks have too long of pin stacks the comb picks wont work..

[s1deshowmick]

if your locks have too long of pin stacks the comb picks wont work..

Yeah, i looked at most of the key bittings and all of em have 8 - 9 cuts.

Cheers mate.

Mick.

[Josh]

normally you dont want them longer than 6 or 7 cuts

[MANDELBROT27]

I have some comb locks and as near as I can tell, the "teeth" of the comb pick will push (compress) all of the pins down below the shear line - allowing the plug to turn.

I think Hallis has been working on too many of those upsidedown Euro cylinders

Yes, the comb pick pushes the drivers AND keypins right out of the plug.
These picks do not work on all cylinders. Many times the bibles are not long enough to allow the entire assembly to be forced up like that.
Some times simply putting a large pin (like >6) into a domestic knobset will stop these picks from working.

Usually they work well on large padlocks, such as the ones with LW4, KW1 or whatever your regions' domestic residential keyways are.

Thanks gutterclown,could you tell me in more detail about what LW4,KW1 is . i geuss its measurements for the keyway? or pin size ?

LW4 = Lockwood residential key profile
KW1 = Kwikset
etc.