binding pin seems to change?

[quasar]

practising with two pins, I had been putting them in different configurations and everything was going okay. And then I put two different pins in the first two slots. I^m having trouble feeling what is happening.

Case one*
the front-end feels like it is the binding pin, and a push it up, and everything is going fine. However I don^t feel a click, but instead suddenly the lower pin has gone through to the top chamber and is offering no resistance.

Case two*
the backed it is binding, for a while. It gets to a point at where it doesn^t seem to want to go up any more. I don^t feel a click I move on to the front pin, which is binding. I push it up until it clicks. Then I go back on to the back pin and push it up some more until the lock opens,

can someone give me some advice and direction?

[pizarro]

This is probably a silly question, but when the pins change the binding order, have you changed which way you are turning the torque wrench?

Ok, Ok. I did say it was a silly question.

[digital_blue]

I don't think it's a silly question at all. May well be the case. Assuming for a moment that it's not....

Case one: It may be that you actually need a touch *more* tension. You won't catch me offering that advice very often, because it is so rarely the case, but if you're over-setting the pin habitually, it may be that some added tension will give you increased feedback when you hit the shear line and prevent this problem from occurring.

Case two: Clearly you are under-setting the back pin. It may be that minute imperfections in the shape of the pin (or possibly just too much tension use at that point) is causing the front pin to bind before you've hit the shear line. If you're lifting the back pin and it "feels" like it doesn't want to go further, but you've also not felt the telltale click of the pin setting, you may wish to loosen up the tension a touch and give the pin an extra nudge, carefully feeling for the pin setting at the shear line. Then go back to the front pin and continue as normal.

To your credit, you are going about learning in precisely the right way (IMO) and your experiences show that you are putting a good deal of thought and patients into it. If you stick it out, I've no doubt you'll be a better-than-average lock picker once you've cut your teeth on this stuff a bit.

Good luck, and keep the questions rolling in!

db

[quasar]

Always turning the torque wrench same way.


Am getting better at opening the lock in this setting. But I can^t tell which pin is supposed to set first. Sometimes a start with the front, and sometimes I start with the back. And then it^s always going forwards and backwards a few times until it opens.

a few thoughts
the reason I have very little tension is that I find it very difficult to push up pins. I hold the pick like a pen, with my third finger putting up under the neck. Because it is the thin portion, it hurts my finger after working for a little while. This is even though I put a few layers of tape on the tip of my finger. Should all my fingers be right back on the handle instead? I have my finger all the way up front against the lock in order to keep my distance so I don^t slip off the pin.

sometimes I get a mushy feeling as I^m pushing up one of the pins. I guess this is an indication that the other pin isn^t set properly, but for some reason this either sets or gets right through, after which a push on the other pin a bit and eventually it opens.

I have the tension wrench at the top of the keyhole. This is because if I have it at the bottom it gets in the way of my pick. But at the top, it makes it difficult to get at the first pin Sometimes I am trying to set the first pin and after a while I realise I^m pushing on the tip of my wrench instead.I^m using a hook pick but I still have to squirm around two get far enough.

[quasar]

OK. I got it down to front then back. No returns.

BUT, because of the wrench in the way of my pick thing, I never feel the click of it set. So it still feels flukey with the static tension of the metal, the quick bam when it slides, then hitting the wrench up top.

[digital_blue]

It sounds to me like you're well on your way, and just need some more practice. If you are truly not getting anywhere with this lock, or at least not getting to the point where you fully understand and can feel what's going on with two pins, I might suggest you try picking up another lock. Perhaps this one is a bit temperamental.

Regarding your grip, it sounds fine to me. I use a pencil-like grip and will often have the very tip of my middle finger actually contacting the face of the lock. This steadies the hand a bit.

db

[hzatorsk]

...Case one: It may be that you actually need a touch *more* tension. ...
db

I submit this day as a day in history where folks all around the world will celebrate this as 'DB-2s day". The Tuesday before Groundhog's day where DB suggested that someone may be using too much tension.

All I can say is....

Wow!

And I was here to see it.

What an honor!!!

[devnill]

yeah, i second that