{"title":"Practice Locks with Security Pins","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSecurity pins\u003c\/strong\u003e — spools, serrated and mushroom drivers — are what stop most beginners. They give a \u003cstrong\u003efalse set\u003c\/strong\u003e that feels like an open, then the plug pushes back. These practice locks let you learn that feel deliberately, on a lock you can reset a hundred times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!--more--\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat are security pins?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandard driver pins are plain cylinders. Security pins are shaped to catch on the shear line when the plug is rotated slightly:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpool pins\u003c\/strong\u003e have a narrow waist. When the waist reaches the shear line the plug turns a little more — a false set — and then binds. Releasing tension slightly lets the spool pass; you feel the plug \u003cstrong\u003ecounter-rotate\u003c\/strong\u003e against the wrench.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSerrated pins\u003c\/strong\u003e have several grooves, each of which clicks like a set. You must push through several false clicks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMushroom pins\u003c\/strong\u003e behave like a softer spool.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost European door cylinders have at least one or two of these. Learning them is the difference between opening practice locks and opening real ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to learn to pick spool and serrated security pins\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e1. Watch spool pins in a transparent padlock\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/transparent-padlocks\"\u003eclear padlock with spool pins\u003c\/a\u003e shows the spool's waist catching on the shear line and the plug rocking back. Watch it while you feel it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e2. Feel security pins on a cutaway lock\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/cutaway-locks\"\u003ecutaway with security pins\u003c\/a\u003e gives real tolerances with the window still there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e3. Pick a security-pin lock blind\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA standard padlock or Euro cylinder pinned with spools and serrated pins. When you can identify a false set and ease past it without dropping the other pins, you are at the blue-belt level of the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/lock-picking-belt-ranking\"\u003ebelt ranking\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSecurity-pin practice locks in this collection\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTransparent, cutaway and standard practice locks pinned with security pins, plus re-pinnable cylinders that let you choose how many spools to install. Combine with a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/repinning-kits\"\u003erepinning kit\u003c\/a\u003e to build your own configurations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon mistakes when picking spool pins\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToo much tension — the classic error. A spool false-sets under heavy tension and refuses to move. Use the lightest tension that keeps the pins from dropping, and when you feel counter-rotation, \u003cstrong\u003elet the wrench move\u003c\/strong\u003e instead of fighting it. Our guide covers this with photos; start with the basics in \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/how-to-pick-a-lock-for-beginners\"\u003ehow to pick a lock for beginners\u003c\/a\u003e. Practising on your own locks is legal in nearly all of Europe (\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/is-lock-picking-legal\"\u003edetails by country\u003c\/a\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/lockpitkit.com\/collections\/practice-locks-with-security-pins.oembed","provider":"Lockpit Kit","version":"1.0","type":"link"}