Implicit knowledge is harder to acquire

[Menz Agitat]

I've always been very dogged about acquiring new skills but this one is a little different. I just got my first lock pick set today. It is the 15 piece set from Open Sesame Locks and it has very good, detailed reviews on Amazon. (I do not suspect my equipment is inferior.) I have been using it for the past few hours with some success. There is a transparent padlock that comes with, and it is very easy to pick. There is an opaque padlock that is harder. Also I have experimented with the doorknob for this room. I have had some success with the opaque padlock but none with the doorknob. Most of the stuff I've learned is something where there's more explicit feedback—like learning how to use R. Here except for the practice lock, I literally can't see what I'm doing. And I'm not sure what really works. Both locks have fallen open without much of any understanding on my part why. The only feedback that's been really reliable for me is when the torsioner suddenly dips. I'm still not entirely certain when a pin is set. And the written resources I have only help so much. I think the suggestion on how I should press on the torsioner in the book Practical Lock Picking was a little helpful for example and I am going further into this book to figure things out. Right now my hand is too sore for more practice. Should I just wait until it's rested and just plug away or are there more fundamentals I should really know? Am I going to waste time just relying on plucky determination?

[Squelchtone]

Hi,
Which pick set did you get? when I hear pick set, amazon, and see thru lock, I figure its the crap set that costs $10 dollars. could you post a link to it or a photo of it?

go on youtube and find the video lessons made by Schuyler Towne. It is best to actually learn how a lock works before sticking picks into one, especially the one on that door, if you break something by accident it may be a costly lesson.

Squelchtone

[sisk]

Don't get too discouraged. Those transparent locks want to fall open pretty badly. If you pop the cover off (go in through the shackle and use a deep hook to push it off, but watch the springs when you do) and look at the pins you'll notice that they're beveled at the top of the key pins and bottom of the driver pins so that it's even easier to pick them, plus the bitting on them is pretty pathetic. You can bring it from being a complete joke to about the difficulty of a cheap Chinese lock by turning the driver pins upside down so that the bevel is on the springs, at least in mine. Real locks are still a lot harder to pick though. It takes practice. Keep at it and you'll get it.

[jbrint]

Also the door lock could be beyond your current skillset or so sloppy and cheap it's just not a good training aid. If you insist on picking that lock it may be wise to take it off the door so in the event that you do bust it, then you can replace it much more easily.