Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:32 am by Master David Goodmen
Where can one purchase steel pins? I have read of their being used in some locks---like the original Schlage B560 deadbolt---but I have never seen them in ads, web sites, et cetera. Indeed, on LAB's web site, finding nickel-silver pins is difficult, as almost all bottom pins, and definitely everything else, are brass. I know stainless-steel pins can be made, but I have the machine-shop skills of your average house cat!
Um, wait: I believe the pins were nickel-silver, with the plug being stainless steel. The original B500-Series was only the 560 [Single-cylinder, thumbturn]. It disappeared.
Later, there was a different B500-Series, which added 562 [double-cylinder], and other configurations. That disappeared, too!
Somewhere, I read there is a new B500-Series coming out. Seems the lock industry are working hard to be as confusing as the computer industry.
I expect steel pins would be expensive, as the machine tools will have much more wear on them, processing the harder material. The production rate would be less than for nickel-silver as well, further increasing the cost of the pins.
Intelligence, Logic, and Reason are very powerful tools---but only if used!
