Picks Strong Enough?

[Crazy]

Hi.

I was just wondering if my SouthOrd slimline picks are strong enough to open a FITTED lock.

Unlike when practising with an unfitted lock with a tension wrench, opening a fitted Yale type lock with a key usually requires some force. Aren't those tension wrenches simply going to break if turned to open a fitted lock??? I can't envisage them working. Am I underestimating them?

Thanks.

[horsefeathers]

Opening a fitted yale with a key means that you are not only turning the plug but also the spring latch bolt fitted on the back of the door, which as is said, is sprung and could also be stiff for a number of reasons such as bad fitting.

You only need light tension to enable you to pick the lock - once it is picked you can then use another tool (or cut down key blank) to turn the plug with the tension needed to overcome the spring latch.

regards

[illusion]

You should be able to turn it fine, but if this proves tricky, then get a small flat-headed screwdriver and make a 90 degree bend perhaps 2cm from the tip. This will let you really drank turning power.

[horsefeathers]

Personally, I never use the tension wrench to continue to turn the plug and retract the spring/bolt. Why risk damaging one of the most important tools in your pickset.

But each to their own.......

regards

[Crazy]

Thanks everyone.

Interesting. I have done quite alot of reading on picking and all that while thought that the turning was done by the wrench!

[mh]

I have that set, too, and the tension wrenches are rather strong. I don't see why they shouldn't be strong enough to open most locks that are fitted. They certainly work for me.

Cheers,
mh

[Crazy]

Thanks mh. I think I'll play it safe for the moment but it must be pretty tricky to insert another tool after the lock has been picked and avoid it locking itself again!

[ausbump]

Personally i have found that the easiest way to turn the lock is through the use of a piece of stiff wire (coathanger for warded locks) or some of the tools available on cheap swiss army knives. The 'L' shaped piece on the end allows you to turn the bolt after picking without damage.

[horsefeathers]

Personally i have found that the easiest way to turn the lock is through the use of a piece of stiff wire (coathanger for warded locks) or some of the tools available on cheap swiss army knives. The 'L' shaped piece on the end allows you to turn the bolt after picking without damage.

eeerrrr.....are you referring to mortice locks? The original poster was referring to Yale type rim locks.

regards

[locked]

Thanks mh. I think I'll play it safe for the moment but it must be pretty tricky to insert another tool after the lock has been picked and avoid it locking itself again!

Not really, as long as you turn the plug 20 degrees or so with the tension wrench after you've picked the lock. Then insert the screwdriver or whatever. The only "tension wrench damaging pressure" should be when the plug arrives at the point to pull the bolt across (plug should move quite a bit to get to that), unless of course you have a very, very stiff plug to start with.

[Shrub]

I always use the wrench to turn the lock,

Whats a bit of wiper?

Theres no issue with strength at all in my experiance and maybe on very few occasions some do need turning with a bit of force but normally theres no issue,

[locked]

Most locks as you say Shrub usually are pretty easy to turn but also certain locks where the bolt rubs against the frame (like mine) or the like can be quite tight, so i'd use another tool myself. As you said though those tension tools are one of the easiest to make anyway, so it doesn't really matter if they break.

Those wiper blades are pretty strong though, because i was making a tension tool the other day and cutting them through with a pair of pliers was no walk in the park. I had to jump up and down on them in the end (too idle to go back to the garage for a better tool )

[Prodigy]

Well after another absence of 6month in the fricken crap hole of a desert hopefully it is my last stint and i can enjoy the calming Zen of discussing my favorite subject......Locks without worring of getting blown up.

The all time favorite is a Allen Key ground down, but i really like the piano wire found in hobby shops K&S. The most useful tesnion tool is the HPC TR4 double sided and heavy.

I grind the ends and round them off so as not to bind the plug inside the cylinder, this is a common mistake when picking and a trick for young players.

I have plenty of tension tools and agree the most important part of picking is the tension.

[p1ckf1sh]

Well after another absence of 6month in the fricken crap hole of a desert
[...]
without worring of getting blown up.

Iraq?