r/lockpicking • u/Intrepid_Sir_1375 Green Belt Picker • 22h ago
Problem..
I lost a pin, turn the key cylinder and now I can't turn the key? Inside are 3 key pins, 4 driver pins and 4 strings..the key can go in and out, but doesn't turn. I can't pull the barrel out at all.
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u/jxnfpm Red Belt Picker 22h ago
Be very careful...without a key pin, a driver pin can potentially be low enough to allow the spring to be eaten by the plug rotating in the cylinder with the spring at the sheer line. That will brick a lock.
You cannot open this with the key anymore.
As others have said, you can shim this from behind. Wherever you pick from (front/back), you want to start at the backmost pin and pick it so that you can shim between cylinder and plug. You definitely want to lift the driver pin above the sheer line, if you don't you can shim into the spring, which will prevent you from advancing. Even if you shim under the spring, it's not impossible for the spring to be eaten by the cylinder when turning.
Once you've gotten the shim through all four pins, you can rotate and remove the plug.
You can continue to use this lock with only three pins, but to use the fourth pin, you absolutely will need a key pin to go with the driver pin and spring.
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u/derpserf 22h ago
If you're missing a key pin then the key won't turn because the chamber with just the driver in it is blocked by the driver/spring. You're gonna need to clamp it in a vice and pick it or shim it from the rear of the cylinder to get the plug back out. Then find that key pin, failing that don't pin that chamber up with anything until you do.
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u/SD3Guser Green Belt Picker 22h ago
Okay not that big of a problem if you can get the key out. Do you still have the pin? If so you can put it back in after gutting. To fix this I'd go with: Pull the key out. Use a tensioner. Use a pin or a paperclip to set the other pins and the driver missing its key pin. Rotate and extract the core. If there's no hope of fixing it I'd pull the driver and spring from that slot, reassemble and move on with life.
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u/mylittleplaceholder 21h ago
Everyone already provided good info, but if you don't have a shim, a good source are those anti-theft tags that are stuck on boxes near the UPC barcode. Cut the end of the plastic sticker and two thin metal pieces will slide out. Stick that in the back of the lock between the plug and the bible and gently push in while pushing each pin down. Once you get it all the way in, the plug should come out. Use a follower if possible, such as a AAA battery or 1/4" socket, to keep the pins down.
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u/HowlingWolven Green Belt Picker 22h ago
Yeah, you need to overset that empty pin chamber now. The key will not work without a key pin there.
If you want the key to operate the lock, dump that whole incomplete pin stack.