First locks picked and first (non-introductory) post.

[Xlerb]

Many thanks to all the various posters on the site. I've been reading and learning and I'm having some success. I've opened several Master #3 locks, first by raking then by single pin picking. I know that is little more than proof that I know which end of the lockpick goes in the lock, but it's still exciting for a beginner.

Also I had a number of used Kwikset and new Schlage cylinders laying around from when I had replaced the Kwikset deadbolts on our house with Schlage deadbolts but used a universal cylinder so we could use the same key as the front door, which is an elderly Corbin lock. Since I had 4 cylinders of each type I took some pins out of them to create two series of locks with 2, 3, 4, and 5 pins in them. From eBay I also bought a similar series of locks, along with a cutaway cylinder. So I've got lots to practice on. The cutaway cylinder isn't as useful as I thought it would be as an aid in figuring out what's going on as you set pins, but it's been a useful tool in working on pick management, and figuring out just what it is the pick is telling me about the inside of the lock.

I'm happy to say that I've worked my way up to where I can reliably single pin pick the fully pinned Kwikset locks. I'm a little further behind on the Schlage locks. The 3 pin ones give me no trouble at all, but I haven't been able to deal with that 4th pin yet. I'll get there, it just takes more practice and work on my technique. In both the cylinders I have set up with 4 pins I can feel the first two binding pins set clearly, but I'm having trouble recognizing when the remaining pins set. Sometimes I'll feel a faint difference in tension as I push a pin up. But usually those pins push up firmly but smoothly, until from the key pattern I know they are well past the shear line. But I do not feel, hear, or see any indication of the pins setting that I recognize. I'll get it, I just need to learn how to pay closer attention to what the lock is telling me. I may set those cylinders aside for the time being though and round up a few others to work with. Perhaps I just happened to get a couple of difficult (for a beginner) cylinders. Though I'm thinking the issue is on the other end of the pick.