Hopeless and frustrated!

[Kage]

I've been trying to pick my basic door lock for a few weeks now... I have the tools required, I understand the theory, I've been doing the exercises in the MIT guide... but, hmph.

It just doesn't feel like I'm progressing... either I'll be at a point where I'm sure I've done everything right, and the lock should open, but it doesn't... or it does open (I've gotten it about 4 times), and I've no idea what I did differently that time and it feels completely random, then try again and end up in the first situation again.

I know I just have to keep working at it and eventually it'll all "click" (drrr, no pun intended)... but it's very, very discouraging when it feels like I'm just trying blind, shooting in the dark like this. Did anyone else feel like this starting out? What changed for you?

[Chucklz]

Just keep working at it, and really repeat the 2, 3 4 pinned lock learning thing about a hundred times for each number of pins you have (Its in the MIT guide, learn by adding in pin stack by pin stack). I can venture a good guess that you are using too much tension. Try really reducing it, and hopefully that will work better for you

[mbell]

My advice would be go and buy yourself a few cheap replacement lock cylinders. Learn to disassemble and reassmeble them and do it starting with 1 pin and working up to 5 pins. This is the way I found was best to learn, after struggling for what seemed forever to pick a (poor quality) full 5 pin lock.

Another good idea, if you're still getting nowhere is cutting some slits in the side of a lock, so you can see WHICH pins you have raised the pins to the sheer line.

[Daniel]

im having the same trouble mate, i shout "why wont you bloody turn" stupid yale. make sure the lock ur using aint got mushroom pins etc.

[technik]

Yales i've heard are pretty hard dude, prbly got spools

[archiebald]

My unncle left me about 7 of them when he died alll brand new try something like lockwoods to start out with I learnt the hard way trying to pick Yales, still got 2 out of seven picked.