I cant do it

[5e3X5e]

Hey, im german.
I bought a lock pick set and watched a few good videos and learned stuff abgout lockpicking.

But when i try it i always FAIL! I cant do it! Either the little thingis in the lock wont go down or all of them are down and the lock wont open!
Please give me every tip u have

< sadness.

[MacGyver101]

The LSI Guide and DB's Beginnner's Lockpicking Exercise are probably the best way to get a good grounding.

Welcome to the site!

[xtcriott]

Thanks for the link to the LSI guide. It was getting kind of boring at work and I needed something to read after the MIT Lockpicking guide.

[shadow11612]

Yes you can do it. My advice that I give everyone asking about starting is to not give into the frustration.

As Barry Wels (of TOOOL) says "Every aspect of lock picking has to do with the 3 O's. Those O's stand for practicing Over, Over, and Over again."

If you only have one or two locks to play with, just take it slow and easy. just try and set the first pin, then let it go and do it again. Learn how the pick, tension wrench, and lock feel when you set a pin. Practice over and over setting a single pin, then move on to setting the first and second pin. Do not worry about the binding order. The whole point is to first learn how much pressure the pick and tension tool requires to set a pin.

If you have the ability, get a progressively pinned lock set. That is a set of 4 or 5 locks, with one lock having a single pin, the next having 2 pins and so on. I have a set of American Lock Padlocks, that I set up this way. Anytime I am going to pick, I warm up on these padlocks.

In my experience, the first problem new pickers have SPP, is either too much or not enough tension on the plug. This is not only how hard you press on the tension wrench, but where on the wrench you are pressing.

The second problem I see is using a lock that requires more experience than the picker has. Granted a really cheap, both in price and the way it is made, can sometime be difficult, get a cheap locks and keep at it.

Trust me on one point, when that first lock pops for you, you will be hooked for life.

[MrScruff]

Sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away. When you get really frustrated just stop for a day or two and come back. Each time you come back, try to do one thing differently than last time. That could be varying your tension, holding the pick differently, it doesn't matter, just do something different every time until you succeed.

Doing that helps keep my head clear and changing only one thing each time forces me to think more about what I'm doing. Good luck!

[jailersmith]

First, learn the principles. Second, practice using a very light touch. And third relax. I know you can do it because we all started exactly the same way.

[andy17]

Also check out if there are any locksport groups in your area that you could join and get help from.

[mccrotch]

It sounds like you are trying locks that are way above your skill level.

Everyone starts from padlocks, try a couple masterlocks such as this:



These are extremely easy to pick, you should be able to pick one in about 5-10 minutes even if you have never picked a lock. I've picked them in under 1min using only paperclips.

Also, make sure you read up on how the principles of lockpicking work. It's always good to practice fundamentals!

[Dpruente]

The biggest problem, good sir, is the attitude. I'm not criticizing you by any means, and I too am guilty of being a victim of my own frustration. My advice is to get a simpler lock, grab your picks and have a go at it. When you get frustrated, set it down and come back an hour or two later, when you're fresh and try it again. eventually you will get it. Once you get comfortable picking that lock, move on to something slightly more difficult, master that, and so on... You're learning a skill that relies on familiarity with the movements, the tools, and the feedback from the inside of the lock. The only way to become proficient in it is to do it over and over, as previous posts mention, and remember, we're all here to promote this hobby and help others. If you have a question, no matter how small, feel free to ask, and someone on here will be happy to answer it for you