Stymied by a Baldwin. Difficult bitting, n00b, or both?

[Ecksdee]

I have picked this baldwin 5-pin three times. I never knew what I was doing back then- I was just kind of jiggling a short hook in there until something happened- it took me like ten minutes to pick and I never had any idea how I'd done it. When I tried picking it properly without just jiggling around a pick and hoping for the best, I failed every time. The tolerances are absurd- it gives me no clues to how far along it is, and the bitting, I think, is extreme. I'm amazed I got it picked at all! I have beaten every other lock I've consciously tried to pick, except for this one. I'm at a loss. Here's a pic of the bitting:



So, am I dealing with a serious monster bitting-wise, or am I just a n00b ? No need to preserve my pride, I'm here to learn.

[cledry]

The bitting will make it tough. Baldwin isn't what it used to be, so not sure how tight the tolerances are. I'm a locksmith, so if jiggling the pick opens the door in a few minutes then I am happy, if it takes 15 minutes of feeling each pin then I am not happy. The name of the game is getting the lock open in the least amount of time.

[Ecksdee]

I know with absolute certainty that this lock is at least fifteen years old, so it is whatever Baldwin used to be, not what it is now.

[unjust]

you've got a brilliant example of how i explain why you want to use different picks for different locks, and occasionally you want more than one pick on a lock.

(file this under things i need to photograph)

take a half diamond type pick and rest it atop the key as if the key was the lock (handle of pick near tip of key, business end nearer bow)

now angle the pick so that the business bit of the pick would just engage the 1st pin (cut nearest the bow)

make sure you haven't' let the bottom side of the pick drop below the flat side of the key, and look at if you can actually get the pick into a position that will get pin 1 into position without overlifting pin 2.

now try the same exercise with a small hook, and a large hook.

now, with the hooks, see if you can negotiate their business end under cuts 2 and 4 to engage pins 1 and 3 without moving outside of the key.

of course in the air you don't have to worry about warding, and you can play within the entire area of the key rather than just the area of the keyway you can actually manipulate a pick within, so now take your picks to the keyway and see how much space you really have to work in, and try the whole exercise again.

[Ecksdee]

I GOT IT!

Raimundo, your work has proven itself yet again! I used your half diamond/hook to finally beat this tricky bugger!



I used the high angle of attack you guys suggested, and persistence paid off!

[Ecksdee]

... And that was the only time I picked it. This dog killed my half diamond, and it STILL won't go. I'm about ready to see how well a sledgehammer works for picking this guy. NO FEEL. AT ALL. It's not even satisfying, because on the off chance that it does go, I know it had absolutely nothing to do with my skill.