I've recently written a 2 part article in Hackspace Magazine about locksport and lockpicking, the first part (issue 48) covers the basics around lockpicking practice and essential stuff such as the golden rules, never pick a lock you don't own and never pick a lock you depend on. The second part (issue 49) looks at DIY lockpicking/locksport tools where we made some picks, tension tools and a practice board. Occasionally when I am writing this type of piece I have to edit out sections to meet the word count requirements of the article, in this instance I culled a section on how to re-pin a lock. I'm posting it here as it's a really useful skill that can mean you need fewer practice locks and can get multiple setups/pinnings per lock.
Re-pinning a lock is a useful skill that can enable you to create a new challenge out of an existing lock that you have got used to picking. Essentially you are removing the centre core of the lock and removing the pins and replacing them to make the lock a different challenge. A standard 5 or 6 pin tumbler lock has the core of the lock retained with a C clip in a machined groove and this can be removed with a pair of pliers. Once you have removed the clip, be careful to not pull out the lock core until you are ready as all the pins will fly out and potentially get lost. You can’t remove the core until the lock is in the unlocked state. If your lock currently has a key that fits you can insert the key and then unlock the lock, but only turn the key an eight of a turn. With the key turned rotate the whole lock assembly so that the key is now vertical such that if you removed (but don’t do this yet) the core the key pins would remain sat in the now vertical channels in the core. A plug follower is a dowel, or indeed a 3D print in our case, that matches the diameter of the lock core. These are quite commonly half an inch in diameter. The plug follower allows you to remove the lock core without releasing all the pins at once. Whilst removing the lock core hold the plug follower flush with the far end of the core and feed it in as you move the core out. If all has gone well you now have the lock core, with the key inserted, and all the key pins still in the holes and you have the lock body with the springs and driver pins still in each channel hole block by the plug follower. Cover the end of the lock or place it flush onto a table top and then slowly retract the plug follower from the other end. You should hear each driver pin and spring release and once the plug follower is out you can lift the lock body and find all the springs and driver pins safely on your work surface. Re-pinning the lock reverses this process. Note that if you swap the key pins to different locations, making a new challenge from the same lock, your key will no longer fit or operate this lock. You can, of course, pick the lock into an open position and re-pin it back to work with the key.
To re-pin the lock place the plug follower at the back of the lock and with a pair of tweezers carefully place a spring into the hole furthest into the lock, next grab your driver pin with the tweezers and place that pin over the spring and push it until it is slightly seated into the hole. Next push the plug follower into the side of the driver pin, you should be able to trap the driver pin, binding it on the hole edge and then use your tweezers to push the pin fully down into the hole, you can then slide the plug follower over that pin to secure it and move on to repeat the process for the next pin. Finally once all the driver pins are replaced you can place the core, containing the key pins, back into position, lock the lock by rotating the core and then re attach the retaining C clip.
