First day picking, experiences and questions

[SuperZero]

So today's my first day getting picking, after prepping through various manuals and youtube videos. I've acquired a Masterlock padlock (No.130?) and a generic kwikset lock, rekeyed to only 1 pin for now. Also have various locks around the apartment.

Experience with the Masterlock: raked it open in approximately 2 minutes the first time. Began to have a feel for the pins and realized the back pins weren't catching, eventually raked open in approximately 30 seconds. Attempted to pick individual pins, ran into spacing problems between tension and pick.

Experience with the Kwikset: obviously, very easy to pick with one pin. Attempted to develop feel for binding pin. Felt scraping while pushing up: looked and realized it was merely the pick scraping against the side of the pin. More difficult to get the pick underneath the pin than I would've thought. Will attempt 2 pins in a day or two.

Ultimately, the two greatest questions after day one are: how do you deal with the lack of space between tension and the pins? I suppose there's more space underneath the pins in the rear, but getting a hook pick back there is a bit difficult sometimes.

Also, how to tell if you're pushing a pin up or merely feeling the result of friction of pick against side of pin? Or maybe I'm just really noob and I'll learn that in due time.

[datagram]

For tension wrenches and spacing, you can try to tension from the top of the plug, using a smaller bend (easy enough to do with your existing wrench and pliers) on the other end. If you browse around the Buy/Sell/Trade forum you can see some of the wrenches for sale have this. With tension at the top, you have more room to move around in the keyway, and you don't have to worry about hitting the wrench with the bottom of your pick. At the same time, you need to make sure you don't hit it with the top (not too hard), and also that you don't touch the first pin with it, because you can cause it to bind out of place.

To gauge the differences with binding and pins, first insert the pick and get a feel for the springs without any tension. After doing that you can apply tension and find the binding pin versus pins that have normal spring pressure. Make sure to feel and remember each pin, visualizing it helps, because some pins might have slightly different spring pressures from the get-go.

As for the "side" of the pin, just keep the pick straight. This shouldn't be a problem once you get more experienced, the worse you'll get are very pointy bottom pins, but just keeping a level pick properly aligned will get you past this.

dg

[dougfarre]

Maybe you have huge picks. Sand your picks down to a smaller size if they are bulky and stuff.

[ToolyMcgee]

Good tips all around.

I deal with the lack of space by using slimmer tools, and in the case of locks like the 130, 140, 150 and many others by using a top tensioner.

In the case of telling binding pin from scrapeing the side of the lock plug, side of the pin, whatever the simple answer is practice. With some practice it will be easier to tell the slight give of a binding pin from the unmovable side of the plug. Tension is a big help too. If you are locking up the binding pin solid it is harder to tell from anything else in the lock, so try using as little tension as possible as light tension is always best.

[SuperZero]

Appreciate the advice about keeping the pick straight and tensioning from the top.

I've adopted two exercises I made up for m yself. Since I know I can rake open the Masterlock, I do so and slowly let go of the tension to hear for all 4 pins dropping back down individually.

Also, I take the plug of the kwikset out, with the key pins still in. I then put my finger over the top of them and try to push up each pin individually, so I receive tactile feedback on each pin.

Good ideas? Any other suggested exercises (other than the binding pin exercise thing)?

[ToolyMcgee]

The taking the plug out thing is kind of a neat idea, just make sure you are at a bench with a mat incase you drop the plug so you don't have to go searching for pins. I'd imagine you'll probably grow out of this exercise quickly.

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=10677 This is digitalblue's list of exercises. Hope it helps.

[SuperZero]

Thanks. Just wondering (yes I'm getting annoying with the questions): what do the Master lock numbers mean? Like #130 or #3 and such.

[ToolyMcgee]

It's the model number stamped on the bottom of the lock. Makes them super easy to identify.

[straightpick]

On tension wrenches, you want the wrench to ALMOST be able to go straight across the bottom of the keyway - that way you will have the most room available for your picks to work in. You can't have enough tension wrenches, in a way they are more important than the picks because if you can't get your picks in, you can't do much. Also different amounts of stiffness in the tension wrenches. Soft, medium, hard and very hard. Actually, the stiffer the tension wrench, the more feedback you will get from the pins. You can also try the tweezer type tension tools, they will give you the most room to pick with.

[zeke79]

As Datagram stated, tension from the top of the keyway. Find some stainless windshield wiper inserts the proper width and start making yourself an array of tension tools. Learning to tension from the top of the keyway is a good skill to have. Most of my picking is done this way as to me it seems to give better feedback because A. you are definately not touching the shell with the wrench which will give you less feedback and B. you are turing the plug from a point that is closer to the centerline of the plug which to me seems to give a better overall feel of what is actually happening inside the lock while you pick. As stated though, be sure that your wrench is NOT touching the #1 pin as this will give you a false binding so you are likely going to overlift pin #1 before it is actually time to be working with that pin. I feel that as I stated, the closer you can tension the plug to the centerline, the more true your feedback from the lock will be.

Keep practicing and most of all, have fun .