Do the characteristics of a practice lock change?

[Garza]

I've noticed that the padlocks I've been practicing with, open a different way then when I first started with them. Is this because I'm wearing down the pins? Am I using too much pressure on the tension wrench? I'm very new to this hobby, but I'm quickly getting addicted. I practice almost anytime I have free time.

[unlisted]

What do you mean by opening a different way? is in the keyway spins a different direction? or the pins are at a different level, when it unlocks?

[Shrub]

If the key still works the lock hasnt changed unless its now stiffer,

Are you picking the lock or raking/scrubbing it open?

Raking/scrubbing the locks will damage them after a while.

[Garza]

The order that I set the pins seems to have changed on two of my locks. I started out raking them, but due to the advice I've been reading on this site, I've been trying to feel them out one by one. I've been practicing on Brinks and Master padlocks. I have several of different types.

I definitly have a long ways to go as I have good days and bad days when it comes to being successful.

Also, thanks to everyone for their advice on locksmithing schools. I've just enrolled with Foley-Belsaw, so hopefully I will be able to give my own positive review soon.

[raimundo]

practice locks will lose lubrication, and this will change them, also, if you see some yellow appearing on the pick, you are grinding a little bit of brass off something, the grit will mostly stay in the lock and affect picking, if you are useing force in there, (if your pickshaft is even a little bent, thats toomuch force) you may be affecting the wards where they meet the drillings, and you could put a burr in the way of pin travel. if your tensor is stuck stiff in the bottom of the keyway, you may be eroding a grove in that part of the cylinder wall and deflecting tension from doing its job. take your lock apart and examine the pins for long striations on the sides left by steel picktips, these effectively make the pins a bit thicker, by leaving a burr outside the pin diameter, look for the cylinder wall erosion, etc, then put a drop of oil on it and reassemble, remember, its a practice lock, so if you put the pins in differently, you are now practiceing on a different lock. thats good. all the things that can go wrong with a practice lock are just good training.

[Shrub]

You wont change the binding order of a lock, the binding order is a by product of how the lock is made which unless your machineing the lock again will remain the same.

[illusion]

You wont change the binding order of a lock, the binding order is a by product of how the lock is made which unless your machineing the lock again will remain the same.

I guess if you really use heavy tension and the lock is made of cheap metal you could change the tollerances after time...

[Shrub]

Ah well yes you could elongate the holes lol

[undeadspacehippie]

You wont change the binding order of a lock, the binding order is a by product of how the lock is made which unless your machineing the lock again will remain the same.

Binding order?? - this is new to me - there is a set binding order machined into the physical apparatus? this is amazing. I'll do some search fu and find out what I can on this. Thanks for the phrase of the day.

[Shrub]

No theres no specific binding order intentionally put on a lock,

The binding order is the order the pins bind,

This is due to the holes in the lock not being in line, the better the machineing, machine set up, less locks made, sharper the bits, quality control etc etc makes this tolerance smaller so the better more expensive locks are on a better 'straight line' thus making finding the binding pin harder and picking harder, rubbish locks can be stripped down and the holes seen to be in no sort of line with each other at all,

Now the quality of machines in these places are quite good and the tolerance will be quite good so its more how theyve been set up, this can mean that 10000 locks made today could all have the same binding order but the chances of you finding a few of todays locks together are slim,

Every lock has a binding order but its not intentional, the more inline they can get the holes the better for the company.

[raimundo]

Binding order as shub sees it is fixed, based on the concept that the pin drillings are not perfectly aligned to the nth degree, but there are other things that affect binding, the tolerance between the cylinder and the plug mean that when under tension the centerlines of the two parts become tangent, and this may change depending on whether you use a singleblade tensor in the bottom of the keyway, or a split tensor, or a top of keyway tensor, each of these could shift the centerline of the plug relative to the centerline of the cylinder differently. scratches on the sides of pins will also make one pin bind differently than another probably in a temporary way. and dirt and oxidation in the lock can affect binding, remember, binding is sticking, and sticky substances cause it as well as tension.

[Temple]

Just a thought but maybe as your skill level increases from practicing you are "feeling" the pins diffrently, just a thought.

[Garza]

After spending some time with Digital Blues lockpicking exercises, I think that you are very right Temple.

I'm excited that I'm learning so quickly, but disgusted that I could've been doing these exercises a couple of months ago when I first started. I'm still very new, but very addicted now. It also seems to impress my co-workers as I love practicing at work (Bank security--I supervise a very boring graveyard shift).

Thanks all!

[Shrub]

Ha ha weve got you know,

It is a great feeling when things suddenly 'click' (sorry lol) into place,

Yes you do start to feel locks differantly and also hear them differantly the more you practice succesfully.