i had a lock fall apart on me

ever been curious how locks work? while sorting thru unidentified keys, a lock fell apart on me. this is what the tumbler looks like. each of those holes holds a pin.


the bottom of the lock tumbler is actually open


start inserting the key. the bump on the key doesnt match the pin, and the pin sticks out excessively.


with the key all the way in, all the pins are raised, but not sticking out excessively. this enables the tumbler to turn. if the pins are down, springs from above prevent it from turning. if the pins are up, that prevents it from turning.


key in, pins up and level, able to turn


key out, pins down




these are the pins, notice they're all different heights


each red line corresponds with a pin. the bumps in the key lift the pins to each of their correct heights, allowing the lock to be turned. when picking a lock, EACH pin has to be lifted to the exact correct height. too high and the tumbler wont turn. too low and the tumbler wont turn. times 5 separate pins on this tumbler/lock. it takes skill and a whole set of tiny little specialized tools to do that. i cant do that. well i've never actually tried. i just love knowing how things work.


springs hold the pins in their down position. (i lost two of the springs in the leaves and rocks below the porch door. i was quite surprised when the whole tumbler pulled out of the lock when i pulled the key back.)