Need help with what appears to be an easy lock

[MPSchnurle]

A friend lost his key to a wall safe, and was removing it to take to a locksmith the other day, when I happened on by, heard the story, and volunteered my novice skills. Needless to say, I have not been successful, but what has been frustrating is that it appears to be a very easy lock to pick. It looks like a 3 pin design, (it's easy to see them through the keyhole), and I can hear the clicks of the pins when I release the tension. Either (a)I'm a poor picker, and I just need to keep to trying, or (b) there is something about this lock I'm just not getting. (Smart money is on (a)).

Further details:

I believe this is a Sentry 7150. It comes with a manual combo lock; my friend gave me the combination. The Sentry website has the manual for this model (that's so nice of them), so I know I'm turning the dial and the key cylinder in the right directions.

Note: my technique is limited, but I feel like this lock is ready to pop. I just can't quite finish it off.

If anyone has any tips or knowledge to share, I would really appreciate it. It's always nice to do a favor, and it doesn't hurt to have a little reputation, either.

[rayman452]

Safecracking is not discussed in the general chat area. We do not condone to this because you could be a theif. Im trying to be like the other members btw, but I cant really remember the whole speach. Basi9cally, I really dontb think it would be a 3 pin lock, considering that would be really really insecure. But if it is, then Im gussing that there are spool puins in there, and thats why you feel its about to pop.

[master in training]

i know nothign about these safes, but i would say the combination alone should open them, so the safe itself may be faulty. as for the lock, it may have pins both sides or simply more behind it, or security pins as rayman said, but as he also said, safe cracking is not discussed in open forums. sorry to tell you, but it is just they way it works!
as for the lock being 3 pin, what i can say is that if it was 3 pin or even worse 3 wafer, i wouldnt secure my pen with it, let alone the contents of a safe! i'd doubt it would be as easy to open as you think.
if however it is that easy and you crack it, well done!

sorry we could not help much, the best thing your friend could do is to take it to a locksmith or possibly the manufacturer if it is fairly new and malfunctioning.

~ Master in Training ~

[vector40]

Safecracking is not discussed in the general chat area. We do not condone to this because you could be a theif. Im trying to be like the other members btw, but I cant really remember the whole speach.

[master in training]

yeah its close enough rayman, lol! good to see people are trying to restrict information, not just telling everyone what they want to know straight away!

[Elijah]

Personally, I believe that if your friend owns a SENTRY and thinks he is getting security, he deserves to have it cracked by a novice. I don't think we should be discussing this here simply because it is against the rules (I obviously don't consider a Sentry lock to be classified at all), but I can still suggest this: Right when you feel the lock should be opening, let off the tension ever so slowly. If you feel the lock give even the slightest bit, go ahead and give it full tension again. Usually, that gets me into Sentry safes (I own a few, as does my girlfriend). Good luck with that!