Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:55 pm
HOW TO: Countermilling a Lock to Increase Pick Resistance
Thanks jeffmoss26 for letting me mod this lock!
Tools
- 6/32 Bottoming Tap (For Sargent, Schlage, Kwikset, etc)
- 6/32 x 3/16" set screws
- Allen wrench
- Security pins (spools)
Description
I had picked on a lock like this a few times before made by some members on here (Farmerfreak, KokomoLock). I decided to give this a shot myself. The concept here is to thread the plug and add spools so when you lift the pins, the spools catch and bite on the countermilling. You can also make it easier to repin the lock by threading the housing and adding set screws like how Medeco does at the factory. To do this you'll want to simply screw the tap into each chamber slowly. If the tap starts to bind, unscrew it slowly and clear out the metal then screw it back in. Use WD40 or some other lubricant to help if it starts binding hard. The rest is simple, install your pins and springs and then screw the set screws into the top. Done.
Here's a little methodology on pinning these up. I like to use keypins that are flipped upside down as you see in the photo above . To a novice, beginner or even a guy with lots of picking experience this will throw them off guard. When the plug false sets on the spools, overlifting a keypin will cause the keypin's arrow-like surface to force deceiving counter-rotation in the plug. This is extremely evil against pickers who use light tension as they will think this is a binding spool pin when in fact lifting it will most likely drop other pins back down. Aside from this, use spools with very thin lips that can fit into the countermilling that you've created. This will cause the driver to become trapped and it will feel like a truly set pin. To take this a step further you can add spooling to the flipped keypins so when they are lifted they will cross the shearline and the lock will false set onto the keypin. This would add even more confusion as the lock will never open until that keypin is dropped back down. You can even do this to all the keypins!
Video of it being picked both directions
You can just hear the crazy crunching noises. The bitting on this key is rather easy... with a lock that has lots of high cuts the picking resistance increases as you need to lift the drivers higher through more countermilling height. Picking this CCW was more difficult.
Tools
- 6/32 Bottoming Tap (For Sargent, Schlage, Kwikset, etc)
- 6/32 x 3/16" set screws
- Allen wrench
- Security pins (spools)
Description
I had picked on a lock like this a few times before made by some members on here (Farmerfreak, KokomoLock). I decided to give this a shot myself. The concept here is to thread the plug and add spools so when you lift the pins, the spools catch and bite on the countermilling. You can also make it easier to repin the lock by threading the housing and adding set screws like how Medeco does at the factory. To do this you'll want to simply screw the tap into each chamber slowly. If the tap starts to bind, unscrew it slowly and clear out the metal then screw it back in. Use WD40 or some other lubricant to help if it starts binding hard. The rest is simple, install your pins and springs and then screw the set screws into the top. Done.
Here's a little methodology on pinning these up. I like to use keypins that are flipped upside down as you see in the photo above . To a novice, beginner or even a guy with lots of picking experience this will throw them off guard. When the plug false sets on the spools, overlifting a keypin will cause the keypin's arrow-like surface to force deceiving counter-rotation in the plug. This is extremely evil against pickers who use light tension as they will think this is a binding spool pin when in fact lifting it will most likely drop other pins back down. Aside from this, use spools with very thin lips that can fit into the countermilling that you've created. This will cause the driver to become trapped and it will feel like a truly set pin. To take this a step further you can add spooling to the flipped keypins so when they are lifted they will cross the shearline and the lock will false set onto the keypin. This would add even more confusion as the lock will never open until that keypin is dropped back down. You can even do this to all the keypins!
Video of it being picked both directions
You can just hear the crazy crunching noises. The bitting on this key is rather easy... with a lock that has lots of high cuts the picking resistance increases as you need to lift the drivers higher through more countermilling height. Picking this CCW was more difficult.
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The code is hidden in the tumblers. One position opens the lock, another position opens one of these doors...
http://www.youtube.com/xeotech1
(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
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I like the flipped key pins. Never thought how they would give counter rotation like a spool tricking people (like me) into over setting the pin. 