Summary

This is a collection of tools for repinning 6 pin euro cylinders, they are designed for the Sterling branded locks but probably work on other 6 and maybe 5 pin Euro cylinder lock designs.

Firstly, don't mess with locks that are not yours, and don't start out with locks that you need. Get a lock to play with, there are ways to get totally stuck and break the lock. If you are working on locks that you intend to use for real do make sure you have a backup plan and don't end up bricking a lock that is needed. Never attempt to do this with a lock that is installed in a door, take it out first. This is not about picking, no picking is required, but I will assume you have a set of picks.

To use these your first task is to remove the brass circlip from the end of the lock you want to rekey. Using a pair of picks works to pull this apart, small circlip pliers are better. You will then be able to insert the key in the lock, rotate 180 and pull the cylinder out. A load of bits will then fall out, these are the top pins, and maybe some springs. Take them all out and maybe arrange them in a pinning tray. There will be some hardware that controls the centre turning cam. Be careful that you know which way round this goes for your lock, if you are using thumb turn locks there is a long spring and a brass/silver thing which has to be reinserted later the right way round and right way up. There may be a black metal spacer that goes inside the lock cylinder and presses on the silver side of the brass/silver thing.

OK, the lock is gutted, and we start using the printouts. First the spring tool. Load this up with springs. The slightly shorter one is the anti-bump spring, that goes in chamber 6. The rest are standard. You can then insert the spring tool fully into the lock body, rotate 180 and the springs will drop into their chambers. You can use a pick to encourage this process, nothing needs forcing.

Next up we can load the pinning tool with top pins. Spools in 1,2,3,5 hardened in 4 and anti-bump in 6. Just like the spring tool you load up the chambers, insert in the lock and rotate 180. Make sure all the hardware you want in the middle of the lock is in place (that brass/silver springy thing with the longer silver end on the outside) You can then use a pick (use a hook kind of upside down) to push down the pins onto the springs, you can then rotate the pinning tool 90 and leave it there for a bit.

Now load up the chamber with your new key pins, be super careful that they fit your target pin perfectly and all line up flush when the key is inserted.

You can insert the pin holder along the short slot in the pinning tool, and rotate 90 so that the pin holder is sitting on top of the pins and springs in the lock. Now put the pin holder frame on the end of the lock with the pin holder in the slot, and use the wedge to lock them together. You can now carefully remove the pinning tool, whilst ensuring the pin holder stays in place holding down the pins. If any pop out you start again. If that works OK you should be able to slide in your lock cylinder without the key in it. Slide it all the way in, that may require some rotation (but not 180 or you could be totally screwed if the cylinder isn't fully inserted and the sprung pins go in the wrong chambers - you will be left trying to pick 5 chambers behind the stuck pin 1) and some rotation of the other end of the lock to line things up. You could probably use a different pinning shoe for this part, perhaps with a metal bit to hold the pins down more securely. I just didn't have one so printed up a three part design (holder, frame and wedge) that seemed to work for me.

Once you are happy that it is fully inserted you can gently rotate the cylinder 180 until you hear a click as all the top pins are pushed into the cylinder. Now your key will go in, and hopefully turn. Once you are happy with this you can recrimp the circlip to stop the cylinder from dropping out.