Which way do you turn the tension tool?

[letsburn]

I have found a couple of locks in my storage. I don't have the keys to any of them which way do i know to turn the tension tool?

[LocksmithArmy]

it may not matter too much but heres what i do.

i try and imagine i have a key in my hand. i insert the key and turn it the way that feels natural. then that is the way i turn the tension tool... BUT

its not always correct...

ALSO:

if im turning the tool one way and 0 pins set and i turn it the other way and at least one pin sets than that is the correct way.

last but not least:

pick for awhile one way and if you get it good if you dont try picking the other way.

worst case senerio if you get it picked the wrong way you can use a plug spinner or pick it the other way.

some locks can be opened ether way. im not sure which locks your picking.

even some padlocks have a little faceplate with 1 or 2 quarter circles cut out of it making the key only turn one way. but these are obvious and if you had one of these you wouldnt have asked

ok hope i helped. good luck

[Jaakko]

The most obvious way is clockwise, but there are some exceptions to this. What locks do you have?

[letsburn]

I have two brass ones i just found out those two are clockwise and i'm pretty sure the master lock number five is counter clockwise.
Thanks for the tips

[raimundo]

Yeah, a lot of master locks will pick in either direction and open. Often the anti clockwise is somewhat easier.

everything else, clockwise to start if you don't know different.

[EvilGuru]

Most of the locks that I have encountered have opened clockwise.

As a tangent: William Poundstone in the book 'How Would You Move Mt. Fuji' explains this (in answer to the question 'which way would you open a car door') as follows:

The design of the hand, wrist, and arm thus makes it easier for a right-handed person to turn a key clockwise (so that the top of the key turns to the right). It is the opposite with left-handed people. There are fewer left-handed people, though, creating a true asymmetry. That provides a basis for saying that the key should turn one way or the other. [..]

He then goes onto argue that it is better for the unlocking action to be intuitive than the locking action.

However, as has already been pointed out, a lot of locks will pick in both directions and a plug spinner can be used if it is picked in the wrong direction.

For locks that only pick in one direction experience has taught me to attempt to rotate the plug in both directions, the one which has the most 'give' is most likely the correct one. Not sure if this is true for all locks, mind you.

Regards, Freddie.

[poor paperclip picker]

...

even some padlocks have a little faceplate with 1 or 2 quarter circles cut out of it making the key only turn one way. but these are obvious and if you had one of these you wouldnt have asked

....

I have one of these, and I found it on the road. I picked it, with tension towards the key stoppers, and picked it with more ease than picking the correct way, but the shackle didn't open.

Just thought I'd share...

[LocksmithArmy]

yeah if you take it apart and look at it, it will work the same if you turn it ether way but the shackle wont open because the notches for the balls that hold the shackle are different sizes.

the ball that holds the part of the shackle that stays in the lock does not have to retract as far (if it retracts all the way the shackle will fall out) as the ball that holds the end part of the shackle.

but a plug spinner will solve this some locks are easier to pick the other way.

[lock2006]

Yeah, a lot of master locks will pick in either direction and open. Often the anti clockwise is somewhat easier.

everything else, clockwise to start if you don't know different.

Yes is true what raimundo say here a lot of master locks and cheaps locks will pick in either direction
somes padlocks i run into won't open in the wrong direction that's another way to tell,what direction to go.