Novice questions and advice.

[silvablade]

I picked up lock picking as a hobby only 3 days or so ago. I ordered a set of Southord picks, and a practice lock to start out with. By the end of the first night I was picking the practice lock without looking (5 pin) in rougly 20 seconds. I was very surprised how simple it could be. I went to wal-mart and grabbed two padlocks for more practice. They took me a little longer, about a minute each. As the days have gone by, I'm getting worse and worse at picking them! Sometimes they open in 30 seconds, sometimes it takes me 5-10 minutes. Does anyone have advice for a novice? I've read alot over the forums, but I was hoping you pros out there might relate your "first picks" and say if you had somewhat similar experiances. It would appear that my "Pick Fu is not strong". How long did it take you guys to become more... consistent? Am I just being hard on myself for someone that has only been in it for 3 days? It seems most people picked this skill up very quickly.

Thanks!
Jake

[CVScam]

It sounds like you are off to a good start to me. I think everyone will tell you it just takes practice, practice, practice. I didn't pick locks everyday but it took me a long time to get to the skill I have now. You didn't say but if you are single pin picking you will get more consistent, if you are just raking locks open it is a lot of fun but you will have a hard time learning to be consistent. You might have picked up a padlock at Wallmart that has a security pin it. I guess a question is are you putting tension on the cylinder and feeling which pin is binding first or are you putting so much tension on the cylinder that more than one pin is hard to lift? I had a hard time learning to put less tension on the cylinder I would feel a pin or two get to the shear line then I would get fired up and put way too much torque to the tension wrench.

[silvablade]

Since the start I have been picking each pin, not raking. I'm sure tension is my issue. I have trouble feeling a pin bind. There are many times that I have trouble lifting the back pins (4th & 5th) because I am putting to much torque on the cylinder. My problem seems to be that with light preasure, I can't seem to get the pins to bind at all. My practice lock isn't helping me either. It's acrylic and see through. It doesn't seem to act or feel like a "real" lock. Tonight, I can't seem to pick a lock fot the life of me. Hmmm, maybe I should take a day and let me hands rest. In just these three days I can tell this is going to be a very rewarding hobby, but also very trying... lol

[Krypos]

go back to wal-mart. buy a cheap deadbolt. and then follow digital_blues beginner exercise. that will help you learn to single pin pick better and teach you the binding pin and some about tension as well. it can be found as a sticky in one of the sections.

try that, and then see how you fair against locks.


and welcome!

[Romstar]

One of the things that is happening to you is simple muscle fatique. As you develop these skills, you are teaching your muscles how to do something new.

It is very much like learning how to write. When you first sit down, you can control your hand, and while the letters are not perfect, they are acceptable. As you continue, the letters get worse, because your hand hurts.

This is the same in lock picking.

As you practice, at first your muscles have finer control, but the longer you pick at that sitting, the more fatiqued they become.

Take a break, go do something else.

When you come back, your muscles will be rested, and better able to do the job.

As time goes by, your muscles will remember what you have taught them, and you will be able to pick longer and with less fatque. This will lead to more consistant picking for longer periods of time.

Its all about getting used to it.

Romstar

[burlz24]

When I first started out with the hobby of picking locks about 2 years I didn't buy a set of picks until 6 months ago. I would design and make my own picks. I just thought by doing so I would get a better understanding of how exactly that peticular pick would work in a lock and then try it out and so on. I did that for a while, and with doing that I bought some locks, a couple crap locks, a wieser, schlage, Yale. Not all at once mind you but I did build up quite a collection. That's just how I learned the skill or lockpicking. Mind you I'm haven't even scratched the surface of lockpicking with the advent of the Medeco's, abloy's, ASSA's etc. with I have been toiling with on a regular basis I hope in the future with practice I could defeat said locks. I wish you good luck with your new found hobby! Also I found if you contacted the lock manufacturers they are more than happy to send you literature regarding their newest technology. (Ask for dealer literature, alot of exploded diagrams) Great wealth of info!! ASSA/ABLOY and MEDECO are by far the most helpfull. They're all under the same company umbrella.

[lechacal]

I stated picking back when I was still in Russia, nevertheless old Russian locks are very different from the ones I find here in America. But from what you say I believe your problem may be in either the last pin or the first one which have a unique bond with each other for me. For example, insert the pick all the way to the end then throw it up and immediately lift the picks handle to touch the first pin this method works for me. Good luck

[silvablade]

First off, I want to say thanks for all the great replies. This is such a warm community of "lockies". Over the past few days I have gotten those prior locks to about 10 seconds a piece. All of your advice helped! I think that my next step will be to pick up that deadbolt, and work on those practice excersises.

I'm not sure what exactly is so addicting about this hobby, but I now want to get harder locks, and keep getting more skilled. It reminds me a lot of billiards/pool. A guy playing for a month or so can become great quickly, but it can take years to master. Hopefully you'll be seeing more of my posts soon! Once again, thanks for the warm welcome!

Oh yea, one more thing: Does anyone have a suggestion for the "next level" of locks? Thanks again!

[SmokieD]

To silverblade, Ive had that problem myself. I think once you start picking locks, it all is new, so therefore you pay more attention, assuming that it is hard. But after you opened the first lock with ease, i take you got pretty confident. Confidence is good but I dont expect to just magically open a lock while forgetting how you did it before.

Few things I do is breathe in out deeply while relaxing myself(mostly my hands) and try to mentally imagine the inner working of the lock.

[JackNco]

hey welcome to the forums. yep you will find everyone on here very helpful. mainly because no one has to be here or has to reply.

Im yet to have a query and not get it answered.

All the best

John

[zerg49]

First off, I want to say thanks for all the great replies. This is such a warm community of "lockies". Over the past few days I have gotten those prior locks to about 10 seconds a piece. All of your advice helped! I think that my next step will be to pick up that deadbolt, and work on those practice excersises.

I'm not sure what exactly is so addicting about this hobby, but I now want to get harder locks, and keep getting more skilled. It reminds me a lot of billiards/pool. A guy playing for a month or so can become great quickly, but it can take years to master. Hopefully you'll be seeing more of my posts soon! Once again, thanks for the warm welcome!

Oh yea, one more thing: Does anyone have a suggestion for the "next level" of locks? Thanks again!

I agree, I really like it here and he couldnt have said it better

[lunchb0x]

what you should do is pull the lock apart and get a good understading of how all the parts work together, so when you are picking the lock you can get a visual image of what you are doing, some times when i pick a lock i would close my eyes and picture what i am doing to the lock
but practice makes better, and dont always use the same lock