picking old locks

[tyrant]

Usually, I've just been picking brand new to new locks, and I havent had much trouble. But I've run accross a couple of old locks and am really having some trouble. They are just standard 3-5 pin pintumbler locks, but it seems some of those pins just wont set. Usually its the first pin in the front that wont even get any binding force, no matter how much tension I apply. Sometimes it evens seems as though all the pins are set, but it still wont turn. (and yes, I have the keys, and they work). These locks cant be more than 8-10 years old, so whats the problem?

[salzi684]

Get some silicone or teflon lubricant and flush them out with it, try picking them again and if that doesn't work post back.

[Exodus5000]

It sounds to me like you're breaching a pin. That is to say, you're pushing one or more pins too much so that the bottom not only the top pin is passed the shear line, but your bottom pin is wedged on the shear line. When this happens to me i usually feel all the pins suddenly become very loose like they're set and they don't bind anymore. To remedy this I'll release a little pressure and listen for the click of a breached pin fall back down, or I'll just release all pressure and start all over. Experiment and find what works best.

[HeadHunterCEO]

now you are getting real .

not every lock was just installed yesterday.

a kwikset that has been mounted upside down for 5 years next to a busy road wil probably just be filled with crap.

wd40 is a must in the field.

[Mad Mick]

wd40 is a must in the field

...for flushing, or a temporary 'lube-job'.

[Chucklz]

Being asked to pick dirty old kwiksets can really be humbling. Its amazing how just a little dirt can throw your picking off a great deal, at lleast from the type of picking you do in your chair at home.

[tyrant]

Thanks guys.

I tried both the WD-40, and the method with unbreaching the pins.
It worked very well! Thanks guys, I can now get that lock in under 5 seconds most of the time.

[Chucklz]

With the WD-40, you may find the lock '"gums" up in a few weeks/months. A better longer lasting lubricant is of the silicon/teflon variety.