Beginner's observation: watch your mark sizes

[prevariikation]

Just impressioned my first locks, starting simple with a Master No. 5 & No. 7. An obvious thing I learned along the way: look for marks whose size is the right order of magnitude! I was chasing marks that were way too small or large for the size/bevel of the pin tips, and patiently waiting for a clear mark helped me calibrate the right mark sizes to pay attention to.

Also, re-read everyone's guides a billion times!

[GWiens2001]

And then you kept locking the padlock and using the key about 80 times as you thought "Wow! It actually works, and I did it!!!".

How far off am I?

Congratulations, prevarikation! Well done.

Gordon

[prevariikation]

Thanks! The Eagle and American padlocks I've been trying are quite humbling.

And then you kept locking the padlock and using the key about 80 times as you thought "Wow! It actually works, and I did it!!!".

How far off am I?

So close! Probably about a hundred times (each day, lol )

[prevariikation]

Another lesson learned: on a pin tumbler, marks on the side of the key could be wear from the blank scraping in the keyway, and it's a bad idea to chase them.


So happy to have succeeded on this odd American 350 that uses an M10 key.