Practise makes....defect? (overpicking)

[patrickson]

I encountered this problem and although I m sure you re all familiar with it,
it might be new for some new members.

So the thing is: the more you pick the lock, the more you damage it.
Yes, you probably all know that.

But what "damage" does it inflict?
The springs and the pins will wear and they will stuck in the bible or won t move at full lenght. They usually get stucked AT the shear line, which makes the lock can be opened WAY TOO EASILY!!!

I had this lock I couldn t open for a long time. I practised it for many days
till I could open.
And then....I could open it again and agian and again with less and less effort. I thought that it was me, who gained experience, but actually the damage I inflicted to the lock played an important role too. Sad story.
Now only 1 pin holds it, the other 4 are stucked.

If you have any ideas how these locks could be "resurrected", please share with me (us)!

Oh, I almost forgot: this is a video explaining overpicking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBK_9x8INUk

Happy picking!

[mindlord]

Interesting. I will check locks that seem to be betting too easy

Thanks for the info.

[poor paperclip picker]

I encountered this problem and although I m sure you re all familiar with it,
it might be new for some new members.

So the thing is: the more you pick the lock, the more you damage it.
Yes, you probably all know that.

But what "damage" does it inflict?
The springs and the pins will wear and they will stuck in the bible or won t move at full lenght. They usually get stucked AT the shear line, which makes the lock can be opened WAY TOO EASILY!!!

...

Oh, I almost forgot: this is a video explaining overpicking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBK_9x8INUk

Happy picking!

That video describes a method of picking called over picking or reverse picking. That is where you purposely pick the pins all pass the shear line, and you release tension just a little bit so the pins can drop to the shear line.

[patrickson]

Was the video incorrect?
I m sorry, I think i mistook something. Thanks PPP for pointing out : )

I also wanted to say that the damage we cause to the lock by practising can be relatively large. For example, the lock I first started to practise picking on has originally 4 pins and now it can be opened by slightly pressing 1 pin - and the lock opens : (

This is why all manuals and experts are keep telling NEVER to practise on a lock you actually rely on!

Of course, the damage we cause to the locks depends greatly on the skill and the actual picking time.
The more we fiddle in the lock, the more we damage it. Also, starters (like myself) are not careful enough (too much pressure, pressing pins from the wrong direction, etc.) and we cause more damage than professionals.

However, this is the price we pay for honing our skills, so don t let this hold you back from practising! I m sure all the professionals have wasted one or two locks before they got artistic skills!

Also, if anyone have any info about how these locks can be resurrected, I would really like to hear.

Happy picking!

[raimundo]

take your worn old practice lock and smack it on a wooden bench, then try picking it, I think that press only the first pin stuff may be due to other pins not resetting under spring power because roughness on the sides of the pin and also on the sides of the pin drillings, is interacting to keep those pins at the shear line.

I feel certain that if its opening that easy, those pins must be set at the shear before you even start. by running the key in an out of the lock and then smacking it in a direction that would set the pins at the bottom of the drillings will make the lock pick like it should. Also, some light lube might help.

Practice locks used by beginners should be examined to see if the cylinder wall is eroding at the bottom of the keyway, sometimes a groove is worn in this place by newbies and their overforceing, and after this, the tensor just sets in the groove and grounds all the torsion.