more oſten cutting and more oſten 45°. It is a term commonly used in mechan- ical and manufacturing engineering Bevel - n. a slope from the horizontal or vertical in carpentry, stonework or engineering; a sloping surface or edge Even though those definitions were somewhat refreshing (as a warm drink in the desert sun), they do tell us some- thing. What, you ask? They tell us that we don’t know what types of pins are out and about within the pin world. So, let’s venture a foray down that special pin path and take a wistful look at some of the types of pins that exist amongst us. Pinning Down Types Pin types invited to the party (may be on the guest list but might not all attend) are: bottom pins, master pins, control/buildup pins, driver/top pins, spool pins, mush- room pins, serrated pins, angled and ro- tating pins, interlocking pins, square pins (yes, square pins), ball pins, magnetic pins and colored pins. We’ll also take a look at the wide variety of interesting features that make up their moral fiber. These pins each have a character — a persona, if you will — that makes them unique and some- times fascinating. Pin architecture can be an amazing study. From the relatively flat bottom and top of a Kwikset bottom pin to the unusually rounded, almost oval shape of a Sargent bottom pin, one never knows what one will find in this proverbial “box of chocolates.” Don’t forget that these little guys have a wide variety of shapes and sizes just like people do. Some of your friends have slim waists, whereas others have large guts. That can be similar to a pin’s diameter. Take for instance, this mixture of pin waist sizes in Figure 1. Hopefully you’ll measure only with an extremely accurate tape measure. And there are an almost infinite number of pin lengths. Whether you are 4'10" or 6'3", WWW.ALOA.ORG a pin’s length depends on the applicable increment system from whence it came — similar to a person’s ancestry. But even more interesting are the sub- tle differences that make a pin what it is. Whether hair color, dimples, freckles or 11 fingers, whether you like someone because of an outgoing personality or in spite of it, pins will be pins. During our journey, we’ll take a brief voyeuris- tic glimpse at nine pin types to investi- gate their characteristics and exactly what makes them tick. Interlocking Pins: clingy; pretentious; protective (Aquarius) Angled and Rotating Pins: exhibition- ists; ostentatious; caring; these guys will dance at the drop if a hat! (Leo) Spool Pins: sedentary; staid; humor- ous (Capricorn) Mushroom Pins: introverted; unpre- dictable; fun-loving (Libra) Serrated Pins: intelligent; deceitful; hard-working (Scorpion) Bottom Pins: hyperactive; need for at- tention; resilient (Aries) Wafer Pins: (masters, build-up, driv- ers/top pins) steadfast; dull; workhors- es (Taurus) Square Pins: old-fashioned; dependent; dim-witted (Pisces) Ball Pins: frenetic; tough; tireless (Gemini) The Way They Were Oſtentimes, we’re muddled down by the past. But, we should use the past to teach us what we need to do now — and per- haps in the future. Because pin kits were not once as “available” as they are now, locksmiths oſten saved pins for reuse. Not a great idea, especially with the de- terioration of bottom pins through use. Also, if there was no pin kit, how would they be stored? In small jars – hundreds of them? Mixing and matching is OK for clothing, but not for lock pins. Figure 5 Figures 2 and 3. Pictured in Figures 2 and 3 (courtesy of John Hubel, CML) is the original Zipco .005" Universal colored pin Figure 4 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figures 4 and 5. These photos show the Zipco SFIC (14" x 5.5" x 1.5"), circa 1960s. Then there was the unsavory practice of filing down pins to fit the job. Ouch! With the abundance and availability of pin kits today, hopefully this practice will be outlawed and relegated to the days of long past. JANUARY 2017 KEYNOTES 35
