Lucky first try?

[coolwhipL]

I have to share this.
Last week I accidently locked the keys to a vacation cabin inside. I'm sure that happens to everyone now and then.

I figured there were three ways to retrieve the keys. Break a window, Call a locksmith, or learn how to pick the lock.

A locksmith would cost me $120 to come out an open or break the locking device. Not out of the question, but certainly not my first choice to resolve this dilema.

I didn't want to break a window. This would be probably the second choice.

This house has an older type, bolt on the inside of the door, locking device. Some years ago, I had a locksmith come out an open a door for me. It took him all of 12 seconds to pick the lock.

With this in mind, I figured why not go buy some picks and try it myself.

I found a little store nearby that actually sells these picks. I had no idea they were that available. I practiced with a few locks at home with no success, but I learned a lot just by feeling around inside them and by reading and watching an online video.

Needless to say, I was pretty confident that I could do it.

Last night I went out to the cabin with my confidence and picks in hand. I could not believe how easy it was. I spent about a minute and a half just checking out the pin situation inside the lock. After thoroughly understanding how many pins and where they were located and what they felt like, I went to work.

I inserted the torsion wrench, put light pressure on it and start pushing the pins. Click... Click... Click... Done!

I couldn't believe it. OPEN!

The pick set cost me $40. But saved me $80. And look at the experience I gained... and I'm pretty proud of myself, too.

Was I just lucky or is it really that easy?

[n00by]

Not sure if it was luck or skill or anything but that was pretty cool that it actually opened. I was just wondering what store you bought it from? I can't find any place that would sell them.

[Bitter Man]

I'm gonna go with that being a combination of skill and luck heavily weighted on skill. I think picking any lock requires a little bit of luck ;-). But you did put wayyyyyy too much work into learning how to do this. Or did I just put way too little and im really a lazy person? Yea thats it. Good job, youve got a work ethic you lucky bastard =P. But seriously, you sound like you got some talent and potential and all that. Go out and practice some more. Get better. Laugh at your friends when they have to call a locksmith and when you do the exact same thing the locksmith did in the same amount of time.

[coolwhipL]

Thanks for the positive comments. I bought the picks from a little store in Bellevue, Wash. The place is called Spy Outlet.

I'm trying to open a Master padlock, now. I don't even know if it is possible to do without shims. But, I'm working on it. Wish me luck.

[safecracker]

Master are an easy brand, good luck. Many spy stores sell picks.

[coolwhipL]

Oh, I forgot to mention that it is a Master Combination lock. Hmmmm.

[safecracker]

I posted a link on thm recently pretty simple to figure out.

[fyrwurxx]

the MIT lockpick guide opens up with the statement that "it's easy," and it truely is (at least in my very limited experience). I probably watched the same online video you did (was it lockpicking at H2k2?) and within a half hour I had improvised picks and had picked the lock on my front door. today i picked the lock on my garage in about 15 minutes or less. i'd agree with the person who said that you have skill that was heavily played with luck. it took me 30 seconds to open my lock once, but another time it took 2 hours. it just depends.

[basho]

I know the feeling of your first lock. I just picked mine last Sunday when i left my key inside my apartment and got locked out by my mom. The office was closed, so i couldn't get anyone from there to get me in. I'd read up on the inner workings of a lock and how to pick locks, as i'm getting ready to get my first set, and I decided to try and pick my front door. I made a pick/tension wrench combo out of a length of stiff wire I found on the ground and picked the lock in about 6 minutes. I know a lot of it was luck, but I like to think that I had some skill.

[Varjeal]

It sounds like it was a combination of hard work and experience. Taking the time to learn about the lock your trying to win is going to increase your chances greatly of being successful. Part of the process (an important part) is to imagine the inside workings of a lock. When you understand that, you'll be better equipped to understand the sensation of pins "setting", and you will understand how/where to go in the lock to pick or rake the pins.

Knowledge is Power!