Lock picked about 100 times--worn pins???

[devildog]

I've got a simple $5 Master lock and a Brinks Clamshell shrouded padlock that I've picked about a hundred times a piece (not keeping count, but they've been picked a LOT), and now it's almost impossible to get them open. I really think that the top of the key pins got nicked/scratched/dented on the edge of the hull at the sheer line (in other words, I think I sort of serrated the pins by picking them a bunch of times). Does this sound right? Anyone experienced anything like this where a lock they've picked a bunch starts getting harder to open, the technique you used to use doesn't cut it anymore, and eventually it's almost impossible to pick open? Here's pictures of the two padlocks to help:




Oh, and yes, the keys still work just fine, which fits with my theory (scratched/self-serrated pins wouldn't affect opening with a key, but would make picking harder, just like real serrated pins do), and I used to be able to rake the Master open in 5-10 seconds (now I'm lucky if I can pick it open pin-by-pin within 10 minutes) and the brinks I could rake all of the pins down except what I thought was the only security pin, pin 3, which I could just push down with a hook while slowly letting up on tension (just like what would normally be done with a spool pin) and it would pop right open in under 30 seconds almost every time; now I've just realized that pin 2 is definately a spool which I must have just been getting lucky with and setting it when I was raking it, and now I have to rake a few, pick, maybe rake again, maybe it opens maybe it doesn't, maybe pick some more, maybe have it open before my hands cramp up (about 20 minutes I guess, if I get it at all). Anyway, the point it that it's a LOT harder to pick them now than it was, and I'm really hoping it's not just me

[Santos718]

Besides breaking a lock, my abus lock has seriously loosened up. most of the time the driver hibernates in the hull, and the spring barely even gives force feedback anymore. The key does work fine, but it does seem harder to pick.

[Mad Mick]

I've got a simple $5 Master lock and a Brinks Clamshell shrouded padlock that I've picked about a hundred times...

Thought about lubing these locks? May help...

[devildog]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I already tried lubing them--didn't help, just got a bunch of grey sludge all over from the graphite that was still in there from the factory (these locks are both less than a month old so I really figured it wasn't that they needed lube, but didn't want to miss anything). I used some Remington gun oil with teflon that I've got. I don't know if it'll gum it up in the future (probably not because any lube meant for a firearm CANNOT evaporate or gum up because the weapon may then bind up as a result, and if someone is relying on the weapon to fire at the moment of truth, i.e. a cop or dangerous game hunter, it HAS to fire; the only ones that evaporate do so on purpose and leave some kind of dry lubricant, usually teflon, behind), but I tried it a few minutes after lubing it so that's irrelevant as it was very well lubed at that point, and the lube didn't help at all.

[Chrispy]

If you want to go to the trouble of buying a pin kit and figuring out how to get those plugs out, you could completely re-pin 'em....

[cracksman]

Devildog,
I can understand your theory that you are essentially denting or wearing the pins at the shear line, I think this is unlikely however. Imagine what happens to each pin (5-pin as example), the 1 pin gets hit 5 times with each key insert, the 5 pin once. So the average house cylinder, 2 entrances a day for one year= 730 for pin 1, 3650 for pin 5, all of which are taking a rather quick insert of a key, and quick removal.

There is, however, the added stress of the torque on the cylinder which is not present when the key is put in. This may be enough to shave the pins a bit, add to that some more violent raking and heavy torque... It may be that as you have worn the top of your bottom pins, you have added to the angle your pins are being driven up at, thus locking the pin before it hit the shear line.....err it seems I changed my own mind, you may very well have worn them down.

At some point you are going to want to learn how to pick pin by pin, this may be a good time to start If you already know then ignore me, to be honest though, I have never really learned how to rake, I only use that technique on garage doors, file cabinets, and desks (those type locks). I just do it for fun though so I'm never in a rush to open a lock.

[devildog]

Oh yes, thanks to lurking here for a bit while I was waiting for my picks from LPS, I knew that I needed to learn to PICK before I learned RAKING as this is imperative to understanding how a lock is essentially picked, but I would have to say that by now I usually do what most people here seem inclined to do, and that is rake the pins to set the ones that can be set by raking (usually regular non-security pins) and then individually pick the ones that can't be gotten with raking (usually the security pins), as this seems to be the fastest and most effecient method. I do definately think you should, every now and then, pick a lock pin-by-pin even if you would normally just rake it so you keep your picking skills honed for when the time comes that you HAVE to pick pin-by-pin, as you're always better off figuring things out ahead of time, in preparation, when you don't really need to as opposed to figuring them out when you REALLY REALLY need to !!

Hmmm, you know that reminds me of one of the most important things I heard in the Marine Corps (I must admit that I'd heard it many times long before then--my dad was a Marine! ):

Prior
Proper
Preparation
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Performance!