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okay what the heck

Having read the FAQ's you are still unfulfilled and seek more enlightenment, so post your general lock picking questions here.
Forum rules
Do not post safe related questions in this sub forum! Post them in This Old Safe

The sub forum you are currently in is for asking Beginner Hobby Lock Picking questions only.

okay what the heck

Postby Brocstar » 10 Oct 2009 1:47

Master No.3
EASY AS PIE RIGHT?
i've done two other no name dollar store locks and i read a no 3 master is easy as pie to pick so i went out and grabbed the one off my woodshed. i get all the pins up and i can feal the springs arent connected to the pins anymore because they are all loose but i cant get it to pop, i almost instantly get what feals to me like a false set and when i slowly release the tension on the tension wrench i get 3 clicks. always three and never four. aaaaaaam i doing something wrong? i went out to the wood shed on Wednesday, its friday and i'm frusterated.
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Re: okay what the heck

Postby Solomon » 10 Oct 2009 3:07

First things first, it's a no. 3 - so the plug rotates both directions. They almost always pick easier counter clockwise, so try that for starters. There is no false set, as they only contain regular pins, so what you're more likely to be feeling is a sudden change in slew caused by the looseness of the plug. Someone here did take one apart and found a couple of spool drivers in it, although he was very surprised by the discovery as he couldn't feel them when picking... so in all honesty, you shouldn't need to be treating the pins like spools even if there are some in there. The tolerances are extremely low in the no. 3, and because the drivers are so tiny it won't make any noticeable difference.

The fact that you're hearing 3 clicks and not 4, even though it feels like all the pins are set, is quite strange. Even if one of the pins was underset, you'd still hear 4 clicks... I'm a bit stumped on that one myself, maybe someone else can offer an explanation for it. Don't get frustrated though, that's one of the things stopping you from opening it!

Try it counter clockwise, and take care not to overset any pins as it's very easy to do with these little locks. Ease up on the tension... I know the tolerances aren't great, but you can still overset them prety easily if you're using too much. If all the pins feel set and it's not opening (and you're certain that you're not using too much tension), test for securities just to be sure. Occasionally reducing tension to let a pin or two fall back down again helps aswell, like I said it's very easy to overset pins because the plug is so loose and constant tension doesn't really work too well because of that. You'll definately get it, just don't get annoyed with it! The feedback is a bit weird because of the plug, just be careful with it and remember minimal movement with your pick as the pins are really tiny.

You'll have it in no time as long as you vary the tension a little. Sometimes it even helps to use heavy picking pressure, all depends on the lock really. And when I say heavy, I mean heavier than necessary... don't go bending your picks or anything like that. :mrgreen:
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Re: okay what the heck

Postby Brocstar » 10 Oct 2009 3:55

well, i tried it counterclockwise ( which is wierd for me because i'm right handed ) and the first time i got four clicks. went back to clockwise again just for comparison adn again only 3 clicks i dunno. still cant get it. i should really go to bed its 2 am and i've been doing this for hours..
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Re: okay what the heck

Postby Squelchtone » 10 Oct 2009 19:50

Brocstar wrote: i get all the pins up


You're probably not doing what you wrote above, but just in case, the basics of picking is not to "get all the pins up", if this were the case, I could stick a screwdriver into any lock, lift all the pins up and the lock would just open. The point of picking is to lift each pin to the SAME and ONLY to the same height that the real key would lift the pins to. Usually, most keys have different cuts (calling bitting), although sometimes you 'll see the same depth cut next to each other, followed by deeper or shallower cuts. Anyways, when picking you only lift each pin as much as needed to push the top pin out of the way of the plug. Move all the top pins out of the way, the lock is then picked, and the plug rotates. Anytime you run out to pick a lock that's been hanging out on your shed, etc, there is a good chance it has been in the rain and is either dirty or corroded.

Does this padlock open easily with it's key?

keep practicing,
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Re: okay what the heck

Postby ElbowMacaroni » 10 Oct 2009 22:22

I have to agree with solomon about picking these things counterclockwise until you get used to them... it for some reason is bizarrely easier to pick counterclockwise! Once you get used to that, then switch back to clockwise, and you'll eventually get it and be able to pick either direction reliably. But it took me a while to get it clockwise, even after being able to open it counterclockwise in under a min nearly every time.

it's all about patience and dealing with a lock's quirks.

-EM
"Cave ab homine unius libri"

Beware of anyone who has just one book
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