What am i doing wrong?

[Daggers]

I've read countless articles and tutorials on lockpicking and i can't get the hang of it. I apply the tension and then start with the back pin and apply pressure but it's hard for me to know how far to push and also i seem to be skipping pins. How do i know where the next pin is?

[EddieBro]

After you apply tension (lighter is better in most cases), use your pick to touch all the pins one will be harder to push up, that's the binding pin. Push it up slowly until the cylinder very slightly rotates you may even hear it click. Now start over feeling the rest of the pins the next pin will be the one that's harder to push up on just like the first one you already did, keep doing that until you open the lock. This is just simple pint tumbler no security pins, I am still trying to get hang of security pins but, you should get it pretty quick just take your time to feel for the binding pin and push up slowly if it's really hard to push up you are using too much tension, relax it just a bit so you don,t release the pins you already have done. GL!

[hurley_000]

Try some pin feeling exercises to begin with. Make it so your goal is not to open the lock but to be able to visualize where you are inside the lock. If your only goal is to open it you will become frustrated quickly. You said you're skipping pins, so try this..

Go to the last pin in the lock and press up on it slightly then pull your pick out a bit, you should feel it catch on the side of the next pin. Lower your pressure on the pick and it should slide right onto the bottom of the next pin. Continue this until your at the first pin.
Try and visualize which pin you are in the whole time. Then once you can do this, try doing it with less and less pressure on the pick so that you are not pushing the pins up very far. With a bit of practice you will be able to just lightly touch the bottom of each pin to be able to landmark where you are at. You can also start with the first pin and work your way to the back.

The whole front to back / back to front thing is just being systematical. The pins won't necessarily bind 5-4-3-2-1 or 1-2-3-4-5.

[Daggers]

sorry for the delayed reply, but thanks for the advice!

[cmaltzan]

Yeah, really great advice. I'm new as well here. This community is really helping me to improve quickly

[andrex66]

I would advise to start with a lock with only one or two pins, so you can feel how it should be when setting a pin.
Sometimes I disassemble a lock I can't pick just to know the "something" I'm looking for, like a finger pin setting or a correct rotation of the pin for a sidebar.
There are some tuts here on how to disassemble a lock, worth a look.
Have fun,
Andrea