Piston Pin Challenge Lock - What a Beast! 

Hi Ash. So pleased it found its way to you eventually. I offered to make a challenge lock for you but you turned me down. 'No interest in challenge locks these days', you said. Hope I've proved that they can still pique a bit of that interest and provide entertainment and inspiration. I'll send you some pics of the method. All turned on a lathe, including the Ruko style undercuts (they use a sleeve). Congratulations for picking it so cleanly and thanks for not being too rough with my baby. Huge thanks to Wayne too for sending it in.

I'm not sure who I have more respect for; you for opening it, or the evil genius that created it. Well done.

Fully articulated serrated piston pins and other utterly devious traps? Yes. Yes there is 😅 Excellent precision work in this genuinely hard challenge lock and well worth a look! 😃🔐👍

It amazes me what the community comes up with in efforts to frustrate, annoy, anger but ultimately please others!

That is a really evil lock lol. Genius design I can see why it took a long time the first time. Absolutely beautiful. Hats off to the creator. But if you understand physics and how locks work, watching someone like you picking then seeing the inside, most of the time you can work out if you come across same types of pins. So I'd say challenge locks on the channel are still good to show and go through like this. Thanks for sharing

I marvel at your glee in the dissection of that lock. Well done.

That is one awesome challenge lock. Fantastic picking Ash and thanks for sharing mate.

FINALLY !!! I am so burnt out on people just butchering pins trying to make challenge locks just to make them easier to pick than they were stock. I am so pleased to see this person thought outside the box and came up with this genius idea. I have made some epic challenge locks myself and my hat is off to this one. Also well done on your part Noob for getting it picked

Great to see you say it was a couple of hours pick. I think many RU-vid videos give the impression that it's always a quick open. Great pick, thanks for sharing. See you in Bristol 😀

From what I remember, Bill claimed that challenge lock videos didn't do very well on his channel. Personally, I enjoyed them, especially the unique ones like this piston pin. Love seeing what evil things people can come up with. I hope to see some more of them on your channel if possible. Though, if you do accept some more locks, I'd suggest seting up rules. One of the things that made Bill stop with them was that many repeat the same simple concept, like strong springs, extreme high and low cuts, serrations and trap pins. Making a rule to only accept unique ideas would save you a lot of time

That piston pin is something else! I've just started to learn lock picking of pin tumbler padlocks, and was pretty proud when I picked my first American 1100. With two serrated and three spool driver pins, I was amazed I did it in under two minutes. I can't imagine even picking a lock with all of those security features. I have so much to learn!

Wow that’s just all kinds of hate/love put into that lock! Amazing workmanship there 👍

What a trip those mushroom pins are. Hats off to you for picking the lock. 🎩

Awesome that you picked a CL on channel, really cool! And what a beast, nice that it kept you on your toes for full 5 mins, we rarely see this with other locks by now. The excitement in your voice following the open was well earned, especially after one realizes the outstanding work on these pins! Well done and thank you very much for sharing! 👍

Holy crap, this thing is savage and evil in all meanings of the word... 😅😳😲 As a newcomer to locksport (I'm a literal lock noob, if you will), I would have just noped away from it for a few years, lmao. Just insane, both in the design of the pins and the ability and ingenuity to actually manufacture something of this level. Whoever made this is a beast!

6:48 That gasp of excited surprise and relief

Great pick on an awesomely done challenge lock. One thing I noticed... you said the Bible wasn't modified, but when I watched, it made me go back and pause cuz it looks like the 5th chamber in the Bible WAS threaded. I could be wrong Tho. Great video!

As someone who has done a bit of machining, I stand in awe of that piston-pin. Even with CNC it's exceedingly hard to work that intricately on such a small scale. Yet I do wonder about it's merits compared to a well designed spool pin, which from a picker's perspective would behave very similarly. A fine cylinder and a fine job picking too.

Not much impresses me with locks anymore, but this, I'm thoroughly impressed by!

That thing is a work of art, very cool pick.

When you said beast I thought it was just going to be tough, that lock is a work of art (devious art) but art nonetheless. That piston pin alone is phenomenal, it had to be pressure fit to stay in place like that. Thanks for doing a challenge lock, I understand why a lot of pickers stay away from them, but in this case it was so worth it.

Awesome video Ash mate nicely done fantastic pin work crafty lock😊👊🇬🇧😎

The undercut can be made with a small 'T-slot cutter' and a small/accurate vertical mill such as a Sherline.(The Sherlines are very solid machines for their size, so have the required rigidity to do the work) I have the Sherline, but I don't think I have a cutter that's small enough. It shouldn't be a problem to make one out of HSS steel for someone who makes such small items as custom pins, though. The ridging in the other holes can be made with a miniature boring bar for lathes. My smallest can go through a 1.1mm hole and do a 0.3mm undercut inside the hole. And that one I bought from China.

Excellent lock well thought out!! And great picking! See why Bills on a sabbatical!!!

That is one beautiful lock and some of the best pins I have seen! Excellent job getting an open on that! I have a feeling after you saw the pins and plug mods you were in a bit of disbelief that you did pick it open LOL. I could hear that in your voice. Another great video and enjoy seeing innovation. I sent you an email on this.

Piston pin. How innovative. Just genius.

That was absolutely devious. Thanks.

beautiful beautiful workmanship.

What a pick. Good job!

That’s some good work. And what’s nice to see is that his pins match his plug mods. It was also possible to mod Bible chambers had he wanted to. Would’ve really been a nightmare. I give it a 8+ out of 10,for his work. Really well done!👏👏👏😎

wow that’s one of the more evil challenge locks I’ve seen. super impressive work.

Really cool lock. Please do more challenge locks, the craftsmanship is amazing

Nicely picked, Ash! Thanks for the video. 🙂👍 Of course, a lock with those piston pins, and other 'refinements', will likely never be available commercially, because they would cost too much to produce. But they're still an interesting set of ideas, even though most of us will never have the chance to tackle them.

As a complete novice, having only started picking a couple of weeks ago, I am completely amazed that it's even possible to pick something like that. Have to admire the skill that went into making that lock and the skill that went into picking it. I'm still struggling with the simplest of locks, this one just looks scary.....awesome, but scary.

I, for one, enjoy seeing the creativity in challenge locks. Thanks for sharing.

Very nice work on that lock, and great picking to match, but can you imagine a lock with more than 1 piston pin, like 4 and standard pin. Have a great day

Oh man, well done at picking that, and even more well done for the maker of this fantastically amazing lock!!!! What a work of art!

Great picking and video my friend, that is a monster of challenge lock and the maker a trully craftman. Great job!! ;o)))

Awesome craftsmanship creating those pins. Thank you for showing it.

Hats off to the designer, that is absolutely fantastic work, and the gasp you made as you got the open, magical. Fantastic video, certainly a unique lock. 👍👍👍👍

Because of u Locknoob, I've been enlightened to how fascinating is the world of lock picking. this is my new passion and hobby. in addition I'm also pursuing a legit career as a lock smith

Lovely pick of a truly devious lock. Loved the struggle and the reveal.

That is BEASTLY! Mad props!!! Well picked chief, that's an achievement even knowing what's in there!

La la la, I'm the best. Hahaha. That cracked me up.

That masterpiece of a lock was built by a genius. Definitely in the top 5 coolest challenge locks I’ve ever seen.

good job mate, i dont think i would have been able to pick it, im still learning, that piston pin looks hard and so well done. i was shocked to see it.

Wow... That is some incredible work! Just a work of art. Thanks for sharing.

Wow.. nasty challenge. Respect

Wow. Wow. Just wow.

It’s not that we don’t like you - we just need to send you more challenge locks!

Imagine if it was a assa twin, because you would have to re pick the sidebar constantly with those false sets and piston lifting

What a cool lock and great to hear some honesty on how difficult it was and how long it took the first time great video 👍🏻

Amazing Ash well done indeed, beautiful lock 🔐

Extraordinary ability of this lock maker thats for sure, and extraordinary abilty of your lockpicking skill all in one video. I m in locksport more than 20 years for now and dont even seen in live some of pins inside of this lock.

That is an impressive pick. What a challenge! Nice engineering involved in the pins 👍

Forget to say, the name of the challenge lock is Enigma..👍

so cool ! great job!

"La La i am the best"... lol you were very stressed... lol lol well done... very entertaining

Wow. Amazing engineering.

Fair play. I can feel the tension . Nice one

Wow….amazing…nice pin

That is amazing. Cool to watch

Great workmanship on those parts. Unfortunately this is still vulnerable to the same attacks that all pin tumblers with "security pins" have. The undercut catching shape of pin chamber 2 was nice though - that kind of design could allow false set deeper than the total width of a keypin.

Very safe lock then.

Some marvelous pieces of engineering in those pins and lock core, also very nicely picked LN, well done guys ;-)

8:26 yes, thats true. Locks get me too every time xD (i'm a beginner and only picked 3 different locks: Masterlock n°3, abus T65AL/40 myLock and Masterlock 140eurd)

You should pick up some sparrows pin tweezers there really handy :)

Soo cool ! Thanks ! :)

that’s a really good idea 🤔

That cylinder logo looks to be 80's, they were being made in England for a period of time.

I love the stealthy look of this lock. It would be great if manufacturers didn't put the name and security rating on the visible body of their locks, but just on the internal part and the keys. That way, a potential thief would never know what they're dealing with just by an initial viewing.

outstanding piston pin 😍 , definitely a pin that's not easily made and takes many tries to get the hang of making.. awesome job on the pick and gut 🦾🦾🦾

nice open love the pins lock with no name ill name it - Enola Gay - it has a piston and pin 5 look like a bomb u drop

That lock belongs on hell's front door. "Abandon all hope, ye who try to pick this".😂

Fantastic job Ash. Pretty sure the creator was a Mr Hewson from York. Very clever guy. Keep up the good work. 👍

Shut the front door! Wow, that pin is some next level @#$%.

The maker must of been a dentist 🦷 🤣

WOW! Knew this was going to be good when I seen how long it was. Love that lock, truly evil, really shows your skills. Of course everyone wants some of those piston pins now, myself included, as well as some of the other unique pins. Love the way they machined chamber 2 but be damned if I can think of how to do that. Just one question. With such a wide open keyway, why did you use that ultra thin Peterson pick?

Damn.

Yikes. The Bosnian bill mantle passes on.

nice

Where can I get those tweezers, pinning tray, and follower?

Excellent Video, Locksmith here in Canada. I was curious what that C-Clip removal tool was you used? They appear on camera at 8:45. Do you know what brand or where I could get some? Thank you

Aye. Remember yale cylinders and paddocks from the 1970-80's. And could request keys from yale by the number stamped on key. 3b662 series. And remember them very well made. The threads was imperial.

"ASSA has entered the chat"

It appears the piston rod has a spherical end to allow movement in any direction. Ball and socket designs are not common

Holy crap, that’s insane detail. Whoever made that deserves some serious kudos

That lock is evil

Video Length: 18 minutes long. Yep, it's going to be difficult.

Is that a wave rake on your wedding band?

No, people like to see challenge locks. They like to see not only a challenge but craftsmanship and shit.

1st yes!

How **I** would make the piston pin is to make a ball end for one piece then make a plain cup on the other. Put the cup on the ball end then you take a punch or other tool to beat or press the lip of the cup so it crushes down to a smaller diameter than the rest of the cup. Given the lack of toolmarks, i believe the challenger might have spin formed the cup onto the ball end. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_spinning