Question about Practice Products

[eddie22487]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and just started lock picking as a helpful hobby b/c my friends lock themselves out everywhere all the time. I have a couple of questions:

1) is there a place where I can find almost like a see-through lock so that I can visually know what's going on as I do it? I think that would be neat and would help me build an even greater mental picture for future picks.

2) I bought a "RoadPro" lock at a truck stop near my school for like $11. I was trying to learn how to pick it and was using a rake for like an hour and only got it twice. Also, with how small the "keyway" (I think it's called) was, I couldn't get my torque wrench to really fit in without constantly popping out. I then switched to the single pin pick (not sure what it's called) and was able to put the torque wrench at the bottom and fit the pick over the top. I was able to open it within a couple of minutes, and after practicing literally all night, was able to open the lock literally within 4 seconds. It was almost too easy. Suddenly, it became really hard again and I realized that the pins stopped coming down and now it won't even work with my key. What is going on?

3) I would like to be able to pick my own door at school for practice, but they have these deadbolts on them that can take 3 different keys and still open the door. Does this make them harder to pick?

[Squelchtone]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and just started lock picking as a helpful hobby b/c my friends lock themselves out everywhere all the time.

Your friends need to carry a spare key in their wallet. It's gonna take you a year or two to get good enough to open locks on command when your friends call you on a lock out. Call a locksmith instead or like I said, have them carry spare keys, or give you a copy of their key if you are the most responsible of the group.

3) I would like to be able to pick my own door at school for practice, but they have these deadbolts on them that can take 3 different keys and still open the door. Does this make them harder to pick?

It's not really "your own" door. It belongs to the school, and if you F up the lock, the facilities people as well as your Dean will not be very pleased and will probably charge your account for damaging a lock. And if campus police find out you're picking school property doors, you'll be on their "watch this kid closely" list.

Most of us here who do this as a hobby have had the same temptations as you're having, but long time users gave us the good advice to go to the store and buy a Kwikset deadbolt (but not the smartkey model) and practice picking in your dorm room, but not on your dorm room door. Ebay is another good place to buy lock cylinders and padlocks to practice on.

To answer your question, if the keys are all different, then the lock is master keyed and grand master keyed. It all depends on what brand lock this is as to how hard it is to pick. But you and your dorm mates should have the same cut key, not 3 different looking keys, just 3 copies of the same key.

welcome to the world of hobby lockpicking,

Squelchtone

[eddie22487]

The Lock says MBS on it

How the keying works is there are 4 rooms to each suite. There is 1 key for each of the 4 rooms that don't work on any other doors, but all 4 of those room keys open our suit door. Then there is the Key our RA has that opens all the rooms only on that floor, then there is the master that opens all the keys in our hall (4 floors). So there's a good amount of keys that can open it.

[eddie22487]

Sry, I didn't see an edit button. Just wanted to say thanks for the advice, it probably isn't a good idea lol. I didn't think about messing my door lock up, I just figured I bought a crummy lock from the truck stop . Now I'm just curious as to whether it would be harder or easier really and how the lock itself actually works... hmm.

[djslacker]

Now I'm just curious as to whether it would be harder or easier really and how the lock itself actually works... hmm.

Just keep searching the forums and you will find guides and illustrations to help you. illusion and digital_blue (usernames) have good guides in the discussions here. A couple of them are at the top of the "Pick-Fu - Do... Not try." discussion. If you are still looking for more info, or just some animation, then either look up Deviant_Ollam's Power Point on locks or go to: http://home.howstuffworks.com/lock.htm Basically the two best words of advice are "read" and "practice".