Tension for Padlocks

[NoobInTraining]

I am trying to pick a #3 masterlock for about a week now and i cannot seem to get it no matter what I do. When I am picking the lock, i feel a pin grinding but i am barley putting any tension on it and when I lessen the tension, all the pins fall and i have to start over again. For a padlock, do you need about the same tension as a regular 5 pin tumbler lock or less?

[David_Parker]

Neh...sort of depends. After a while, you sort of gain a feel for tension required on Master locks and Schlage and Kwickset. All I can suggest is that you lubricate the padlock and keep trying. Remember to relax your hands. Popping doesn't really help in my opinion. Try sitting, resting your arms by your side and lifting your hands upward. Create the biggest palm you can and slowly make a fist. Gets my joints flowin'.

Practice makes perfect. You might not be able to pick that particular lock. Try another.

-Dave.

[plot]

Padlocks usually have a spring to push the plug back into it's original position. The spring can effect the plug in one of two ways, either before you pick the lock, or after you pick the lock. If the spring effects it before you pick the lock and the tumblers are in place, then you'll need to supply tension to counteract this, as well as slight tension for the actual picking of the pins. What i've found here, is not pushing on the wrench... but instead holding it in one place where it has a slight tension on the pins. You want light tension on the pins, very light tension... when people try to counteract that spring though, I think they tend to put on way to much pressure.

If the spring is after the tumblers are picked, then it won't matter until you set all the pins and go to unlock the lock, in which case you'll just need to supply more pressure to the tension wrench then normal when turning the plug. In other words, won't effect you picking the lock at all.

[Chucklz]

The Master #3 lock has that spring to overcome after you pick the lock, so ignore that its there, at least in the beginning.

[technik]

I knowhn ive micked my master 3 coz it gives about 20 degrees before it hits the spring, and then you have to apply more pressure to open the lock. So id say if you are blaming that you cant turn the spring, you may still have only half the lock picked. understand? Just keep going, and feel al the pins as loose, then apply torque on your lock.I made some tensions out of SCB's and when unlocking a gas cap (strong spring) When i thought i had picked the lock and i had to apply lots of torque to turn the plug, what if actually i hadn't fully picked the lock ad was just screwing up my tension? So i kept moderate tension of the wrench, took out my pick, inserted a flat-head screwdriver and twised with that. Then, atleast iknew if i ad really opened the lock, and wasnt just torqueing against a picked lock. Get my idea?

I hope some of this mumbo jumbo helps!

Technik