Lock Practice

[Pietenpol]

I've started the Foley-Belsaw course and jumped the gun by making my own picks. Collected all the locks I could find around the house and bought a few for practice. Here's my thoughts so far.

1. Collected locks ranging from small luggage locks to brinks padlocks

2. A few of the locks are keyed alike.

3. Some days I can pick certain locks, some days I can't.

4. Keyed-alike locks don't necessarily open the same way, one of the locks I can rake 3 times and it pops open...the other I have to rake and pick the remaining pins individually or do them one at a time from the start.

5. Tension seems to be the biggest key for me at least as a beginner.

I take all my padlocks and link them together then as I have spare time thru the day I start to try and pick them. Having them linked makes it a little more difficult as they are bulky.

I also keep them on the nightstand and play with them while watching tv at night. I figure if I can pick them without paying 100% attention to them then when I am focused on only picking the lock it will come easier...like running with weights on your ankles.

I have also been playing around with different pick and tension styles. Found some old crochet hooks of my moms that I ground into hooks. They worked well but I think I need to temper them as they lose the shape with use. I also found some sort of scissor thing that I made into a really nice hook pick. The difference is that it looks like I took a regular hook pick and twisted the handle 90 degrees from the pick. Makes it "touchier". I balance it on my thumb and use my forefinger in the back to lift the pins. Will post a pick when I can.

Other than that I've enjoyed the site and look forward to contributing any way I can.

[LocksmithArmy]

interesting...


i like your idea on linking all your padlocks... i have about 4 here i do the same thing with... all my others i just hold... i try linking em so each 1 has the other 3 shackles in it... thats y i only do it with 4

looking forward to seeing pics of your crochet turning tool lol sounds fun

also how u likin the foley-belsaw course? ill b enrolin in a month or 2(depends on the cash)

[Pietenpol]

Also been playing around with different shapes for my tension wrench. I had an allen wrench that I ground down at first. I then thinned the long side so it was more springy. That helped. Been playing around now with a few that have an angle built into them....again it needs a picture and I will post soon. As for the course, from everything I've read here (after the fact) Don't sign up right away, let them schmooze you and they will eventually lower the price and offer you free equipment as an incentive to take the course.

[LocksmithArmy]

ha lol

thanks for the heads up

[Olson Burry]

Great stuff!

I have something to add to this comment

I also keep them on the nightstand and play with them while watching tv at night. I figure if I can pick them without paying 100% attention to them then when I am focused on only picking the lock it will come easier...like running with weights on your ankles.

What can happen, when your whole concentration is focused on opening the lock, is, "that's all there is". It wont open because you're trying to open it, not manipulate it to a position where it can be opened.

What your subconscious can do, when you're picking and your mind is somewhere else, is feel the minute changes that happen within. Your minds eye, unconsciously can make decisions on how to further manipulate the lock to get it open without you knowing it.

This is the Zen of lockpicking, feel, hear and experience the lock as a picture in your head, instead of an object to be opened. It is a puzzle which needs a certain headspace to configure correctly.

That might sound a little ethereal but I always find when I'm really inside the lock it is much easier to open and sometimes that involves not looking, and using a third eye, if you will, to really dissect what is happening.

Good luck with your adventure!

[Viggs]

I also keep them on the nightstand and play with them while watching tv at night. I figure if I can pick them without paying 100% attention to them then when I am focused on only picking the lock it will come easier...like running with weights on your ankles.

For me, it really helped to maintain my focus on the locks and not divide my attention. It's easier to link sensations and sounds to pin-states when you pay attention to them and notice the same things over and over. Less attention = less learning for me.

[LocksmithArmy]

it depends on which part of the learning process you are in.

if its the first time you ve picked this lock then pay attention BUT

if you ve picked it a thousand times and your just going thru the motions just for muscle memory than its probably better to do it subconsiously

of course when your doin it for muscle memory it isnt important whether the lock opens or not... its nice if it does tho

[bushd]

I tried grinding down crochet hooks once. It didn't turn out good but it's been so long I can't remember why but I can tell you they're not in my collection.

[peejay52]

nice words olsen,
I think that is the way I will be trying with my next lock..i.e. visualise the insides whilst picking,
Thanks again guys for your excellent advice

[Pietenpol]

Here's my small collection and how I'm doing with them. Prefer a medium hook. Tried a half diamond for raking #3 but like the hook best.

1. Small Samsonite brass lock (almost same size as master 120).
tight space, easy pick...usually just 1 pin to set.

2. Master 120.
Again tight space, 2 pins to set.

3. (2) Master 30 - keyed alike.
Usually raking will open these quick, for some reason I think I tend to overset these easily.

4. (2) Magnum 240 - keyed alike.
These have some security pins I think, until I learned that tip of sensing the tension wrenching turning backwards. I really have to focus on these 2 and they are a little difficult for me.

5. Taskforce 20.
Similar to the Magnums, tougher to pick. Only did it once at that was last night!

6. Master Knockoff, steel laminated 45mm.
1st picked lock for me. Only 4 pins and I could do it pretty regular but haven't gotten it open for awhile.

7. (2) Brinks with blue plastic cover, about the same size as the 45mm.
Only picked once, lock really needed tension to turn the cylinder.

8. Brinks circular lock (storage unit lock).
Still haven't picked it yet.

[JK_the_CJer]

A while back I wrote up a little about the round Brinks (R70), maybe it'll help:

http://www.theamazingking.com/locks.html#r70

[Pietenpol]

Great page!

I have hit and miss on those master brass locks. You mentioned setting the security pins first and then raking. Is that the best way to do it or does it make a difference if the spools are the first to bind or not? (If that question even makes sense...)

[Pietenpol]

Just noticed that your page is the same one I downloaded the lock pick game from. Really cool as well. Two things that I thought might be a good addition would be a click sound when the pins set and maybe controlling the angle of the pick with the scroll of the mouse wheel if possible.