I think I broke it

[FCPYRO]

I've been practiceing my lock pickings on a master lock that I picked up in a 5 pack from wally world. I went to pick the lock the other day and I couldn't seem to get it. I listened to the pins drop back down and I had all four pins up which should have resulted in an unlocked lock. Well I tried the key that came with the lock and it won't open the lock. What did I do? I definatley think I broke it but how so I don't make this same mistake twice.

[Squelchtone]

I had all four pins up which should have resulted in an unlocked lock.

If this were the case, then sticking any flat long piece of metal, or a blank uncut key into a any lock would result in the locks opening. The way picking works is that you are lifting each pin to a certain height, not all 4 to the same height. You're just lifting each pin to the heights that the real working key would lift them to.

As for why your lock no longer works.. who knows.. does the key insert all the way? does that key still open the other locks in your 5 pack? what picks are you using to pick the lock?

Squelchtone

[FCPYRO]

I think you misunderstood me, I had all four pins in the position they needed to be in and it wouldn't open. The key opens all the other locks.

[datagram]

Well, just because they fall down, or even click back, doesn't mean that you're actually setting them in the right places. You're probably binding the top or bottom pins at the shear line instead of splitting the pin pairs properly.

dg

[mcm757207]

\I had all four pins in the position they needed to be in

It would have opened if that were the case! Did you break a pick off in the lock? Does the key go all the way in? Try flushing it out with WD40, or beating on it a little. Can you post a picture of the key and lock? If the lock has a particularly small pin in it and it is a cheap enough lock, it might have been tipped if you were picking it really roughly (which is a distinct possibility if you are just starting).

If you put the flat side of a pick in and lift up all the pins, can you hear four distinct clicks as you withdraw the pick?

[raimundo]

Is this a lock you were picking a lot, and getting before, is that what makes you think you have all the pins set?
what are you using for picks, if you have been mineing brass ore from that cave with a sharp little tool, you can leave scratches on the pins, and scratches on the holes they are in, this and the tensor digging into the cylinder wall or in the case of laminated padlocks, digging into the cap lamination will change the way it picks or resists picking.
You might be able to solve this by sanding your picks. Also, a drop of oil in the lock.

[thedominator7a]

Try placing some silicone in the lock and check whether the lock has metal bits stuck in it. Make sure you are using light tension/torque on the tension wrench and if all fails try bumping the lock with a bump key..