Pin kits, as a sort of collective for like- minded pins, did not always exist. They are still not as common in Europe as they are in the United States. Let’s add some color to our journey, and that will hap- pen courtesy of Bill Zipf. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah — The Zipf Colored Pin Kit and Key Decoder Dial Unbeknownst to many, Master Lock Company first created the color-coded pin tumbler, and Bill Zipf (Zipf Lock Company, Columbus, OH) initially li- censed them from Master Lock, accord- ing to locksmithing expert Jerome V. An- drews, CML. Incidentally, colored pins are now manufactured by LAB Pins and others. Jerry Roraback, executive vice president of LAB, recently reminisced about the brilliance of the color finish on the Zipco pins. He said, “The original Zipco colored pins had a vividness in color and sheen that is unmatched at present, even by us. Bill Zipf Sr. had created his own special paint that is still a secret to this day. Even though the chemical com- ponents may not meet today’s EPA and OSHA standards, back in the 1950s and ‘60s, they still shimmered like gems!” Pictured in Figures 2 and 3 (courtesy of John Hubel, CML) is the original Zipco .005" Universal colored pin. Notice it is formatted in two drawers. Figures 4 and 5 show the Zipco SFIC (14" x 5.5" x 1.5"), circa 1960s. They are truly collector’s items. The vintage dial pictured in Figure 6, an oldie but goodie, was also manufac- tured by Zipf Lock Company to measure key depths, but it also worked well for deciphering pin depths. As you can see from the picture a tumbler pin (red .187" wafer pin in this example) can be placed between the upper bars and the dial and it will indicate its depth by marked incre- ments of .005". At the bottom of the dial, the extended pin can be pushed upward 36 KEYNOTES JANUARY 2017 until it meets flush with the root of the key cut. Two rings of increments can de- note the key cut depth or the pin depth. There is also a turn button that will allow for calibration adjustments. It is held by a sturdy iron base and the dial can also swivel to any desired angle. Let’s go back even further to the Egyp- tian era when it appears that locks and pins may have first been invented. “The remains of perhaps the first locking device were found in the ruins of a palace in Egypt dated about 4,000 years ago.” Historical Perspective As amazing as it may sound, the remains of perhaps the first locking device were found in the ruins of a palace in Egypt dated about 4,000 years ago. This type of lock is classified as a pin tumbler lock. It had floating wooden top pins and was op- erated by a large paddle-shaped key with wooden prongs extended. Fast forward to the 19th century, and it was Linus Yale Jr. who gave us what we know today as the modern pin tumbler mortise cylinder, highlighted in his patent of 1865. We must thank our lucky pin tumbler stars that in 1956 Bob Labbe, a 24-year old toolmaker in Hartford, CT, had a vi- sion. Bob decided to plan and construct a high-speed screw machine (Figure 7) that he dreamed could produce pin tumblers 20 times faster than current machines of that era. Even though people told him it couldn’t be done, he did it. Within one year, it was a reality, and thus the birth of LAB, today the largest manufacturer of quality pin tumblers in the world. In the 1970s, Bob Labbe revolution- ized the pin kit design by introducing the “leak-proof” pin kit (Figure 8). It could be turned over or dropped on the floor (closed of course), and the pins would still remain in their individual compartments. Soon to follow in 1977 was the .003" Uni- versal Pin System, still popular and in wide use today. Because of constant machine upgrades, these pins were the smoothest-operating and the most accu- rate universal pins being manufactured. LAB’s corporate headquarters (Figure 9) were moved to Bristol, CT, in 1994 and their manufacturing facility resides there to this day, offering the highest-quality pin tumblers to locksmiths and the major lock manufactures throughout the world. With the long-time help of Executive Vice President Jerry Roraback — and because of his true dedication to the profession with his vast technical and marketing expertise — LAB has become the hands-down favorite pin and pin kit source for locksmiths and lock manu- facturers nationwide. Bob, Jerry and the LAB staff have all helped this pin manu- facturing giant become and remain the gold standard for the entire industry, both here and abroad. Corbin Russwin One of the leading lock manufactures, Corbin Russwin, has a history steeped in WWW.ALOA.ORG
