Slim picks any good for house locks?

[SolidAnchor]

Ok I've been working on the lock on my front door but still have not succeeded. I know this is mostly because of my lack of experience.

So my question is that does my set of picks I use make it more difficult or less difficult to pick this lock?


The set off picks I am using are the slim C801 and the lock is a standard house lock with 5 pins and all the lock says on it is "Weiser" and there is a metal piece of the wall that says "7406."

[frollard]

from what I've found, the plastic cylinder in the weiser locks makes for a hell of a time picking them.

the slimline picks would help with the keyway design (quite annoying)

what tension tool are you using? AND, pictures?

[Mad Mick]

Picking with a slimline set shouldn't really be any different to a standard sized set. You've probably got to the 'overconfident' stage where you expect to be able to pick a lock pretty quickly. Forget speed and concentrate on feeling what is actually happening inside the lock. Analyse the feedback you are getting through the pick and the wrench - concentrate on the tension. Also, refreshing your mind by rereading the MIT guide, www.crypto.com etc. will help. Some of the more accomplished pickers still refer back to the guides on occasion, myself included although I wouldn't class myself as accomplished.

Above all, relax....sometimes you may notice that a lock may pop open when you get distracted i.e. watching tv.

[frollard]

Above all, relax....sometimes you may notice that a lock may pop open when you get distracted i.e. watching tv.

my weiser I can ONLY pick when I'm just madly whacking away at the pins with my hook and not looking. I HATE that thing.

[SolidAnchor]

what tension tool are you using?

My set came with 2, a small one and a long one with a twist in it. I've tried them both on the lock and the larger one with the twist fits much better and feels more comfortable.




I am just having trouble knowing if the pins are set right. The first pen, I can push it down half way, or apply a little more tension and it goes down all the way, I don't know if it's jamming or what. Also I'm not always sure what pin I am on or can tell which ones have been pushed down. I don't have a good "feel" for it yet.

[Chucklz]

Probably too much tension. Also, you want to set the pins, not simply push them all down. Take another look at the MIT guide for a quick refresher.

[SolidAnchor]

I know the logic I just have trouble knowing if the back pins are being set and being set properly. When I try and push a back pin down I have to push all the pins ahead of it down so how can I work back to front?

[Romstar]

A hook pick Solid, a hook pick.

There is a reason why some of the best lock pickers in the world use hook and feeler picks.

Yes, the diamond is excellent for this as well, and the snake has great applications.

However to truely get a feel for the feedback from the pins through the pick and trension wrench, the best method is pin by pin picking with a hook pick.

Also, keep in mind that you can't always set the rear most pin first. Sometimes the pin that sets first is #3, or any other pin. That means you have to go back and forth.

I recomend that you pick with the pins pointing down. When you have the driver pins set, or at least bound at the shear line, the key pins will fall back into the plug. When you try to lift them, you won't feel the pressure from the spring because they aren't touching anymore.

Romstar

[SolidAnchor]

I recomend that you pick with the pins pointing down. When you have the driver pins set, or at least bound at the shear line, the key pins will fall back into the plug. When you try to lift them, you won't feel the pressure from the spring because they aren't touching anymore.

I know what you mean, let gravity be my ally and since my lock has pins on the bottom I can do this method.