Something to do..

[beefyboy69]

I've never before in my life picked a lock without using a hammer or brick and simply smashing it to bits. i ordered a pick set yesterday and am literally counting down the minutes before it arrives. i've still got another 7 days, and im out of school for 2 weeks starting tomorrow, is there anything i can do to kind of prepare me for lockpicking? i was also kinda wondering, "i have tried to find something on this" but what exactly is a security pin?

[digital_blue]

Get familiar with stripping a lock down to its components and putting it back together. This is a good exercise, it will come in handy later, and you will learn some about locks in the process.

Cheers!

db

[beefyboy69]

thanks db, just like to say you do a really good job on this site, you help with "EVERYTHING"

[What]

what exactly is a security pin?

a security pin is specialy designed to inhibit the picking of a lock.....

spools seem to be the most common for me...

they are shaped like this:



there are some other security pins(ie. mushroom,and serrated), i just cant remember their names right now

[What]

there are some other security pins(ie. mushroom,and serrated), i just cant remember their names right now

serrated:



mushroom:

[Omikron]

Security Pins:

http://www.crypto.com/photos/misc/lockpins/

[digital_blue]

thanks db, just like to say you do a really good job on this site, you help with "EVERYTHING"

Awwwww, shucks.

db

[pickin]

probobly the best thing you can do to prepare (something I wish I had done first) is read alot of the facts and how toos on this forum.

[conker]

this may sound kind of silly to you, but i swear that it allows me to become better at picking locks. look at lots of diagrams, any of hamptons books or on google will have lots of good ones. also take a paperclip, and test locks around your house, listen to the noises.

the silly part is zen, an artform that ties in with meditation. hampton reccomended it in one of his books, and i gave it a try. it took some practice, but now i have a visual image of what is going on inside the lock by listening and feeling the change with the pick/wrench.

it helped me a lot, and if not the zen, just diagrams will help a bunch.

[baddboy1]

now he picks locks like a ninja lol

[devnill]

i try to remind myself not to rush when i am picking locks. When i am going too fast, i tend to use too much tension, and thus it take longer than if i take my time.
I think almost everyone here will agree that one of the most common problems for beginners is that they use way too much tension. see how much force it takes to turn the key in the lock- you shouldnt exert any more force than that.
Good luck!
devnill

Remember to use very little tension. I think almost everyone here will agree that one of the most common mistakes is too much pressure o