Why can't I learn feel?

[radiohaze]

I've picked open a lot of cheapo locks (master, "made in China" specials from wally world, etc) but I can't get the feeling of a binding pin. I just generally go through the lock front to back pressing down pins, and the lock opens. Which sounds great, but I know I need to learn feel in order to pick more advanced locks with security pins. I've tried repinning some locks with 2 or 3 pins, but still don't think I've got "feel" down. Any suggestions?

[Solomon]

Yep, use more tension!! Roll your pick over the pins with very gentle pick pressure without any tension first, so you're letting them spring up and down a little but not forcing them. So don't be pushing them all the way down or anything, just push a tiny amount so they're moving a little as your pick rolls over them.

Next, apply a fairly heavy amount of tension and stroke the pins again. The binding pin should stick out like a sore thumb now, it's like hitting a little speed bump. You can then reduce your tension for actually setting it and hold the tension at that amount to pick the rest (or you can increase again to find the next binding pin if necessary).

If you can't tell which pin is binding using this method then it could be that the rear pin is binding (ie. you're mistaking that binding pin for just back of the lock) - so try and set the rear pin then continue.

[radiohaze]

Cheers Solomon! I've read tons and tons of posts here and have never come across that exercise/technique. But it how it works makes a lot of sense. I'm at work, but can't wait to get home to try it.

[Bladen]

So simple but so effective.

It really amazes me how I can't seem to think of these things on my own.
It's been drilled into my head to not use too much tension that this would have never crossed my mind.

This is a fantastic post.

Thanks Soloman

[chaos4zap]

I would also suggest a cut-away...if you can manage to get one. It can be very helpful to be able to see, in real time, what is going on inside the lock as you are going through. If you feel any change, you can peek and see rather it was a pin setting, false-set of a security pin, over-set pin, etc... That can help you transition to the "mental image" that is so critical in picking lock's. Being able to actually picture the inside of the lock you are working on as if it is a cut-away. Also, what kind of picks are you using? Standard or slimline? Spring-steel or stainless? What kind of handles? all of these are factors that can effect how much feedback or feel you are getting tot he lock. I started with standard sized, punched steel SouthOrd pick with these fitted rubber type handles. I couldn't seem to "get it" I got a set of slimlines that had stainless and spring steel and after allot of practice I finally felt I could feel!. I swore I would never be going back to the standard sized picks and slim-line would be it in the future. After much more practice, I still use the slimlines more, but I have indeed incorporated the standards back into use and I use them frequently. For me, it was a change to tools that offered more feedback that got me over my hump of not being able to "feel"

[ahcha]

I just purchased a pick kit and haven't successfully picked a lock yet. I spent well over 2 hours on 6 locks (all mounted to doors in my house), and I can't get any of them. I'm trying to lift each pin one at a time. What am I doing wrong?!?! How much tension? How little?

Sigh.....

[Mitch]

I just purchased a pick kit and haven't successfully picked a lock yet. I spent well over 2 hours on 6 locks (all mounted to doors in my house), and I can't get any of them. I'm trying to lift each pin one at a time. What am I doing wrong?!?! How much tension? How little?

Sigh.....

New here too - but here's my 2 cents. I have never been good at picking one pin at a time. My method is to just ramdomly move in and out up and down, softly, with the least amout of tension possible, just a touch. I do this for about 20 seconds. Then relax - just listen for the click, click, click of the pins resetting. If after 2 minutes of that and it is still not open, then I change direction (assuming I don't know the correct rotation). Next I change picks. Usually it opens this way, usually in the first minute - if not, then the lock won and I might give up. Reason I joined the group is to find out how to open those more difficult locks that don't open with my method above.

[tspitzno]

Most excellent advice.
Like many others I had never tried to spp with more than "the weight of a butterfly" on the tension wrench.
Your approach instantly improved my technique.
Well deserved kudos and many thanks.

[Solomon]

Whoo I'm helping

I spent years using minimal tension and just setting pins with random pick movement, all I'd feel was an occasional bit of give here and there until it opened... only time I knew which pin I was on was when a lock went into false set and I had to find the pin that gave counter rotation. You can feel the pins binding and setting with very light tension but when you're starting out it just doesn't work like that... it was mostly laziness on my part, cos what I was doing worked... but if you wanna learn the feel properly and know the binding order etc this is pretty much essential in my opinion. Nothing beats the feeling of that last pin clicking into place and the plug turns when you expect it to, it's miles better than having it just open suddenly - when a lock opens, you don't just wanna go "oh". You wanna go "aaaaaawwwwww riiiiiiiight"

[too-picky]

I'm new to picking, but I'd suggest also to adjust how close or far away your hand is from the pins. Think of the pick as being a lever and the laws of physics applying. Then you can adjust your relative position forward or back to increase the "feel" for any given tension. This may help you keep light tension, yet "feel" like having to press really hard to get movement.

Like I said, I'm new, so this may be hogwash, but certainly seems to be worth a try...which is what I'm going to do right now.

[too-picky]

lol, I tried to take my own advice. I'm not sure if I learned anything or not. I chose my "easiest" lock, and it seemed that every pin I touched made it fly open. I've never had picking go so easy--I finally had my moment "in the zone".

Oh well, I'll try again on a particularly bad day.

[gloves]

lol, I tried to take my own advice. I'm not sure if I learned anything or not. I chose my "easiest" lock, and it seemed that every pin I touched made it fly open. I've never had picking go so easy--I finally had my moment "in the zone".

Oh well, I'll try again on a particularly bad day.

I'm sure this has been posted already, but I thought I'd highlight it again: always keep around a lock you're familiar/easy to pick on. It is a good ego booster which makes the difference between a bad day and a very bad one. Usually the smaller ones within the same line have less pins and hence are easier to progress with.
As every sport this is supposed to be fun, so never be too sad for it.

[chaos4zap]

I do have to point out that this method of just sticking a pick in there and moving it about for 2 mins, change picks and repeat until it opens is almost certainly going to only work on the easiest of locks (mater #'s 1,2,3 and cheap deadbolts, etc...) If you have any aspirations of moving on to more challenging locks, you are much better off putting the time in to learn SPP'n. Of course it's frustrating, but if you are looking for a hobby that will come quickly and pay off right away...I'm not sure if this will be the one. My guess is that this advise will allow someone to be able to open the easiest of locks they have, then when they try to move up...they have no luck and just stick to the easy stuff and eventually do it less and less and before you know it...hardly ever picking anything. Falling into the "sour grapes" type of mentality of telling themselves they can pick, when in reality...they con only pick a few very simple, very terrible locks. I'm seriously not trying to be too critical here, just saying that I understand how it feels to finally be able to open a couple of locks, and it all depends on where you want to go with it in the long run, but if you want to move up...then I would try and steer clear of considering sticking a pick in and moving it around somewhat randomly as a big "win". It's similar tot he people that only take the time to learn raking, can only rake a few locks, don't learn anything else...then gleefully proclaim to themselves or others that they can pick locks. Again, I offer this advise only to try and help, if you don't learn SPP'n then you are bound to fairly quickly find yourself in a rut and without progress.

[chaos4zap]

Forgot, I wanted to share a story as well. The other day I was at the local locksmith shop to pick up a lock and I got to talking to one of the younger guy's working there. While discussing Spool pins, he told me that he thought the ability to pick locks with spool pins in them had more to do with "luck" than anything else (He clearly was new and didn't have much picking under his belt). The reason I mention this is because that is the kind of response I might expect from someone who's primary picking attack is to stick a pick in an movie it around and if that doesn't work...switch picks and try again. Had he been experienced with SPP'n, there is no way he could justify chalking spool pins up to mostly "luck"

[BrownsJoinery]

Really new here hi,

Just started picking locks myself, I'm a joiner by trade and have fitted hundreds of locks in the ten years I've been doing it, but now as I'm 28 I've decided I'd like to add lock picking and maybe general locksmithing to my skillset and gain some experience in the field over the years and maybe even look to becoming a locksmith in the future. I've read through the forum alot over the last few weeks but only just registered. Can I ask what does SPP'n mean? Great advise on here as well thanks.