Tension dilema.

[Kyodoom]

Hi guys, first post here

I've been reading a lot about lockpicking for about a month now, and I can pick padlocks with usually no problem, the thing comes when I try to open my dorm door lock (I know i shouldnt pick locks that I may rely on but I live alone in my house so I dont use it anyways ) First thing is that I almost always open it "blind" cause I get very little feedback.

I've tried less tension, more tension etc. but if light tension its used usually pins dont bind and if they bind I cant notice...
If i use a LITTLE more tension the back pins get stuck and I have to reset. I have been trying a new "technique" that consists of everytime i set a pin put a little more tension till i open the lock which its like 4 out of 10 times

The questions is.... What clues can I use to determine if I need more tension or less? and any personal tips ([like from your experience, cause I know the ones from the books ) you guys would like to share would be greatly apreciated ... oh and almost forgot, the keyhole of my door lock its kinda like an "S" which makes it hard to pick sometimes cause it gets stuck on the sides but I manage to work around that by tilting the pick about 4 degrees counter-clockwise ... are there special picks for those kind of locks?


PS: Excuse any grammar mistakes but its just that english its not my first language

[Kyodoom]

My bad guys

I guess it was a noob question, I'll figure it out sooner or later, I'll keep practicing so you then have to ask me for help
No hard feelings ...

[exiluxis]

I have the same problem and i think it is djust trying and keep trying until we get the feeling for it. I read something about 0.5 to 1 oz in tention is some kind of standard or usaly corect to use but im very new at this so i would be happy if some corected me if i have mised something.

Exiluxis

[hurley_000]

Each lock will have different tension, I have a masterlock that I can put lots of tension on and I can really hear the pins click when they set. I find for that particular lock it helps to have lots. I have some cheaper cylinders (kwikset, weiser) that I have to use light tension with or I just end up oversetting the pins. It's the lighter tension that allows me to feel the pins set.

So play around with a range of tension on a lock and see what works best for you to be able to hear and feel the pins set. Remember that if you are using lots of tension its harder to feel the feedback that your wrench is giving you. So, if you encounter a spool pin it might feel like its set and you won't be able to feel your wrench trying to turn the cylinder back in the opposite direction.

Usually if you see your finger turning white or have an indent where your tension wrench sits in your hand you're probably using too much tension

[Kyodoom]

Here's an update, the door been in use its not a problem anymore since I disarmed the lock to further investigate why it was causing me so much trouble to open this lock... I started playing with "repining" the lock, 1 pin, 2 pin, 3 pin, THEN when I added the forth pin

AHA!!! that was the first binding pin and for some reason even the lightest tension would "stuck it" in place and if I push it up even if it didnt reach the shear line it would stay up soooo I passed from using the tension of a butterfly sitting on a flower, to using the tension of a mosquito sitting on top of a hair...( Someone in the forum came up with butterfly analogy so I paraphased it the best i could )

Another thing I've noticed its that I could set pins 1,2,3 without setting the forth pin BUT that makes it impossible to open the lock cause try as u might to lift the pin, it wont budge and that leads me to the question, Its there a STRICT binding order for every lock? cause i though i u could get away with opening the lock with a least 2 different orders with one being better than the other, but for this lock its not the case...

@ Exiluxis: I guess putting a number on the amount of presure helps visualize it but the best way to describe the amount of presure im using is if a breath hard on the tension wrench that would give me enough tension to set the first pin (Back to front) then after that I can use a LITTLE more tension... If i learn something else I'll be sure to post it here in the Newbies post

@ Hurley I guess I should start colecting locks since currently I only own 2 padlocks and the recently adquire "dorm lock "
And thanks for the advice on tension, Greatly aprecciated

[squelchtone]

when I try to open my dorm door lock (I know i shouldnt pick locks that I may rely on but I live alone in my house so I dont use it anyways )

I was to be as clear as possible on what I'm about to tell you, so please listen and take it seriously.

Since you didn't fill out a location, what you call a "dorm lock" in the town and country you live in may be something totally different from what I am imagining, but if you live on a college or university campus, or even off campus in college apartments or "dorms" that they rent to you as part of your tuition, and you pay rent to live there, still doesn't make it "your lock" and free for you to practice on. I doubt the landlord, university or whoever you rent from had the tenant picking the locks for fun as part of the lease agreement.

We get a lot of people who after I tell them this little speech, tell me to piss off, that I don't know them, and its their lock to do with whatever they please because they pay tuition or rent, or because they were given the key, that means they have a right to pick it or take it apart, but unless you moved in and installed a lock you bought or brought with you, I highly recommend you put the lock back together, put it on the door, and don't mess with it. Just go to the local DIY or hardware store and buy a deadbolt for $10-$20 and take that apart and practice all you want.

Also, and this is a real world example, when you pick college dormitory locks, you get arrested and possibly go to jail. Please read this article about a University of Montana student who picked his dorm locks and made illegal copies of master keys to the dorm buildings: http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11362&p=394664#p394664

Be mindful of your powers and keep it legal!
Squelchtone

[Kyodoom]

@Squelchtone

Sorry if there has been a misunderstanding I have my own house and the lock i'm picking its the one that leads to my room since english its not my first language I thought "my dorm lock door" meant "the lock that is on the door that leads to my room" my bad there

Its my house (Which I own and im not paying anyone rent...) just to clarify hehe , anyways I kinda got obsessed with opening THAT lock so I took it apart and bought a new one for the door. So again I apologize for the misunderstanding and
Squelchtone dont worry im playing by the rules