My SPP Training

[Scajaquada87]

Greetings!

I've been picking locks off and on for awhile now and started to get back into it. So far I've picked a Schlage 5-pin key-in-knob lock, a Master #1, the double-wafer ignition lock on my '96 Civic and a few other assorted locks. My current goal is to refine my skill so that I can rely more on single-pin-picking as opposed to "scrubbing," which is what I have been doing mostly. Eventually, I would like to be able to pick cylinders with security pins, but this is a very long way down the road for me.

I've recently been working on a Kawneer 5-pin mortise cylinder (regular drivers, no security pins) where I removed all but a few stacks of pins. I've picked it with stacks 1, 4 & 5 then worked with stacks 1, 2 & 3 and now I'm working with stacks 1 & 3. I've been trying to get a good feel for the pins setting. I've been using an HPC short hook and a thin tension wrench (positioned at the top of the keyway). The bottom pin in stack 1 is noticeably lower than the rest of the pins, so I figured this pin configuration would make a good challenge combined with the unique warding.

My pick set consists of a short hook, half-diamond, c-rake, ball and double-ball along with a thin tension wrench, a thick tension wrench (which does not flex at all) and a wishbone-style tension wrench. The picks are HPC, although I'm not sure about the wrenches (I inherited the set).

Anyway, I can get the feel of picking with one set of pins (had it with only the #1 set in place) but when I add pins the order in which they pick seems to vary. It seems like I need a lot of tension to get the pins to set, particularly the #1 set (currently have sets 1 & 3 pinned). Also as of now, I can only pick this cylinder with only up to three sets in it (four and five are too much). It seems like I can't get these pins to set too often and when I do get them to set it seems like its more by accident than by touch.

So how did you guys learn to "feel" the pins in a cylinder when you first started lock picking? I realize that there are probably no easy answers to this question, but some training tips/ways to modify my training would be appreciated.

[Couloirman]

To be honest it really sounds like you are doing the right thing. Pick locks with 2 pins for a day. Next day add another pin. o forth and so on. Switch up the order of the pins too if you dont like how it is binding. No need for more of a challenge at this stage in your development than just picking easy locks with medium numbers of pins. Youll be on to high security pins before you even know it. The Master 140D has one high security pin in it, but really isnt that hard, and is cheap enough that you could just buy one now. I might be wrong, but I think it has 4 pin stacks in it? It is a great intro to high security pin picking.

[Scajaquada87]

Hey, just thought I would post an update as to how things are coming along. I've been practicing more with two pin stacks. Last night I had a huge breakthrough when I was reading up on some lockpicking theory and learned more about the importance of the binding effect. I always understood that tension is what caused the pins to set, but never really understood much about binding order or what to feel for. When I finally figured out how to feel for the binding pin in the cylinder I was able to single-pin pick my Kawneer cylinder with sets 1 & 2 present. However unlike previous times I knew exactly when the plug was about to turn. When I apply counterclockwise tension, #2 sets before #1 and vise versa when going the other direction.

Anyway, the point of this story is that after fourteen years of picking locks off and on I finally fully "get" the binding effect in pin tumbler locks...funny how that happens when you actually take the time to read up on a given subject.

Oh, and the new set of Petersons that arrived since my last post didn't hurt either!

[cledry]

Kawneer cylinders are generally cheap diecast aluminum cylinders with a huge shear line. I would probably consider them a step down from a Master padlock or Schlage F line, perhaps even a step down from a Kwikset. I would try and use a brass cylinder for practice if possible. The Kawneer might be a Yale para keyway though which is good to practice on.

[Scajaquada87]

Kawneer cylinders are generally cheap diecast aluminum cylinders with a huge shear line. I would probably consider them a step down from a Master padlock or Schlage F line, perhaps even a step down from a Kwikset. I would try and use a brass cylinder for practice if possible. The Kawneer might be a Yale para keyway though which is good to practice on.

Thanks for the info! I wasn't sure exactly where my Kawneer cylinder stood regarding the sheer line tolerances, so this helps me get an idea of what I'm working with. Eventually I'll need to get my hands on a Schlage cylinder to practice with. I figured that the Yale-style warding was good for practicing my pick-navigation though. Anyway, at this point I'm thinking that I should try and add some variety. As of tonight I've gotten up to three sets of pins on the Kawneer cylinder, which is noticeably more difficult than working with two sets. However I can still feel the binding order, which means that I'm still on the right track to learning how to "feel" the pins. Also, something I've found out is that binding order seems to vary depending on whether I am applying tension clockwise or counterclockwise.

[Aldenrenfrid]

I've found out is that binding order seems to vary depending on whether I am applying tension clockwise or counterclockwise.

*Nods* Yep, since the pins and cylinder are worn in slightly different places binding order can change up. It's awesome to hear how you're progressing though. The questions are making me pause in my practice and try to figure out how exactly I'd describe each feeling. I think its making me better too, truly analyzing the feel of things again.

[Scajaquada87]

Hello Again! Last weekend I acquired a 5-pin Schlage cylinder that I've been working with. Upon acquiring the lock, I disassembled it to find that stacks 1 thru 4 all utilized spool driver pins. After removing all the pins, I re-assembled the lock using my own (regular) driver pins, starting with only stack 1 present. I did notice a difference when I got to two stacks, as it was more difficult to determine binding order. When I got to three stacks, it still presented a bit of a challenge. The good news is that I am still able to feel most of the pins binding. As of last Friday I am now up to four stacks and it is quite tricky. What I have learned from this is the importance of light tension. It seems that heavy tension causes me to either over-set or under-set the pins. I've also noticed that all the pins feel as though they are set, but I usually have to go over the pins again with my long-hook. Usually one needs to be lifted just a tiny bit higher (this is usually stack #4) and then the plug is able to rotate freely.

I've also found that "lifting" the pick works better for me as opposed to "rocking" the pick. I think that when I "rock" the pick I tend to overset pins due to the improved leverage. When I "lift," I've found that I can get a better feel of the resistance and any binding that might occur. Of course this is just my current preference and may change as I move onto different locks/become more proficient.

[luckey]

I am a lot newer than you and after just a few weeks I was picking locks with security pins in. I had your problem at first, i.e. I couldn't really feel what was happening and i was using what digital blue refers to as the poke and prod method. Then I did digital blues 'Beginners lock picking exercise' i.e. what you are basically doing now starting with one stack then adding one. Digital blue's exercise also recommended reading The MIT guide to lockpicking and the Lock sport international guide to lock picking. The MIT guide is not just a read, I had to read it, re-read it, take notes from it and shorten the notes before I really understood it all. Now I know what is going in and with practice and it takes a lot of practice to feel the difference between lifting a pin stack that has not set and therefore feeling the spring and lifting the key pin in a stack where the driver has set and there is at first no force acting on the key pin from the spring. This is the hard part and gets harder to feel the deeper you go into the lock. So, I also recommend doing all of the exercises in the MIT Guide. Once I had done this I could quickly pick 5 and then 6 pin cylinders with standard pins. Then I started doing digital blues exercise with security pins and learnt about false sets and security pins in this forum and JK the Cher's 'Quick SPP lesson' was also a good help. I was soon able to open a lock with one spool pin, then two, then 3, I slowed down a bit at 4 but then could open it at will, slowed down much more at 5 and with 6 spool pins in I can open the lock regularly but not at will. So my progress has come on really quickly because i followed other people's suggestions. So, if you still need help then this suggestion may help you as it did me.