Novice With a question.

[apgrnt]

Just got a Southord PXS-05 (btw love PXS: picks, ha) so like the number says it's a basic 5 piece set. Didn't buy a practice lock though. just started picking the bolt lock to my room (opens to the outside, i'm not emo). It's a Schlage.
I don't have any trouble picking the lock... in one direction. So if the door is bolted shut I can open it, but if i wanted to lock it from the outside it's much tougher. I only do it by accident it seems and after a long time if tinkering.
Why this is a problem is because the same locks are all over the house. So if i try to pick my front door i can't do it because the cylinder has to turn in the opposite direction. The direction I can't seem to figure out.
What is causing this?

[Josh K]

Don't pick locks in use. I'll let someone else read you the riot act on that.

Some locks are easier to pick in one direction. Obviously this can cause issues when you need to turn the plug in that direction. The solution is to then pick it in the direction that's easiest and then use a plug spinner to flip the plug the correct way.

[apgrnt]

right. and a plug spinner is?

[Josh K]

right. and a plug spinner is?

http://www.lockpickshop.com/Plug-Spinners.html

Google loves you.

[apgrnt]

Well that looks useful, but lets say i'm a minimalist(or a cheap ass). I want to pick a lock with as little as possible, like a tension wrench and a feeler pick (although i've found a half dimond to be perticularly useful).
What i really want to know is why is it harder to pick in different directions. Just because is acceptable, but it's kinda pissing me off and i'm trying to find a solution.
As for the riot act, that seems like a UK thing? either way, i don't have moral issues picking the locks when the key is right next to me. It's my house, who's right is it to tell me i can't practice what is widely practiced as a legitimate profession? neh?

[Josh K]

Well that looks useful, but lets say i'm a minimalist(or a cheap ass). I want to pick a lock with as little as possible, like a tension wrench and a feeler pick (although i've found a half dimond to be perticularly useful).
What i really want to know is why is it harder to pick in different directions. Just because is acceptable, but it's kinda pissing me off and i'm trying to find a solution.
As for the riot act, that seems like a UK thing? either way, i don't have moral issues picking the locks when the key is right next to me. It's my house, who's right is it to tell me i can't practice what is widely practiced as a legitimate profession? neh?

Like I said, I'll leave the riot act to someone else, but to sum it up it's not a "uk thing." It's not about "your moral issues" – whatever they may or may not be.

[unlisted]

I won't type out my "standard" riot act, as it appears to piss off new members when they expect their question answered, so.. Here are some links that I am sure can assist you.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47785
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47896
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47954
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48000

(do not pick locks in use)

I am sure someone else will come along and post the "riot act" - as I can never find a copy of that bugger when I need it!

(anyone got the link to that/those thread(s) handy?

[amlwchlocksmiths]

Just got a Southord PXS-05 (btw love PXS: picks, ha) so like the number says it's a basic 5 piece set. Didn't buy a practice lock though. just started picking the bolt lock to my room (opens to the outside, i'm not emo). It's a Schlage.
I don't have any trouble picking the lock... in one direction. So if the door is bolted shut I can open it, but if i wanted to lock it from the outside it's much tougher. I only do it by accident it seems and after a long time if tinkering.
Why this is a problem is because the same locks are all over the house. So if i try to pick my front door i can't do it because the cylinder has to turn in the opposite direction. The direction I can't seem to figure out.
What is causing this?

Don't pick locks in use.i surjest you go buy a lock to practise on.

1 you dont know what your doing.
2 if you break it you wont know whats happened.
3 just dont do it,go buy a lock.
4 if you break it at night your house wont be locked.
5 they are rules on signing up witch you sould read.

[apgrnt]

Ok so I won't pick locks in use. Although it seems like the best way to learn. picking a lock in a vice or you hand just seems so, uh, artificial.
Now i'm curios about the riot act. Is there a general summery, google wasn't my friend here.
And can anyone answer my question about why it is harder to pick the lock in one direction than the other? I've made it work 3-4 time but i can't get a good bead on why/how I got it to work. Feels like something with the tension wrench.

[Josh K]

Ok so I won't pick locks in use. Although it seems like the best way to learn. picking a lock in a vice or you hand just seems so, uh, artificial.
Now i'm curios about the riot act. Is there a general summery, google wasn't my friend here.
And can anyone answer my question about why it is harder to pick the lock in one direction than the other? I've made it work 3-4 time but i can't get a good bead on why/how I got it to work. Feels like something with the tension wrench.

Lock sport isn't about recreating a break-in.

Lock tolerances are normally biased towards one side or the other. Not all locks are the same, even within brands. I suggest taking a read at the MIT Lockpicking Guide

[amlwchlocksmiths]

Ok so I won't pick locks in use. Although it seems like the best way to learn. picking a lock in a vice or you hand just seems so, uh, artificial.
Now i'm curios about the riot act. Is there a general summery, google wasn't my friend here.
And can anyone answer my question about why it is harder to pick the lock in one direction than the other? I've made it work 3-4 time but i can't get a good bead on why/how I got it to work. Feels like something with the tension wrench.

you will find that some locks open easyer one way than the other.
it is how they are made.it is the inability of the manuacturer to machine parts to an almost fawless level of tolerance.when they make them they cant replace the drill bits each time(because of costs).
witch in a way it helps us pick them,the holes where the pins are,are not in a perfect line witch means you can pick them.

riot act is where someone normally tells you why you sould not pick locks in use.

the tension as to be very light.

and you can make a small door to put in a vise if you like,iv used one before.or just mount 6 or 8 locks in one peace of wood and put it in the vise.

hope this helps

[apgrnt]

exactly what i was hoping to hear man, thanks. I guess I'll just have to keep practicing and buy a practice lock, that i can take apart and what not, when i line up a job. Until then i'm stuck with what i got.
light pressure. I should be increasing the pressure as i feel the pins being set or will the cylinder turning slightly do that?

[Squelchtone]

It's my house, who's right is it to tell me i can't practice what is widely practiced as a legitimate profession? neh?

That's fine, you're right, it is your house, but as a noob you should respect our good advice from the years of experience we all have. So nobody is telling you that you can't practice on a lock that is in use, we're just saying that you shouldn't.

have a good one,
Squelchtone

[amlwchlocksmiths]

light pressure. I should be increasing the pressure as i feel the pins being set or will the cylinder turning slightly do that?

i normally find,it turns by itself,but sometimes you have to increase at times whys the pins drop back down,but if you increase to much and you make it hard work.you will find it comes to you as you learn.

i normally start at the front and pick backwards and then from the back to the front and then try different pins in different conbo's without letting the tension of untill i pick it.but thats for picking not raking.i use a very light tension on raking aswell.you put the rake in so its on the last pin and then pull out in a flash keeping a upward force on the pins as you pull out.

hope all this helps

[unlisted]

Please do not pick locks in use.

I looked over your past post history. If you are looking for cheap locks search for a "habitat for humanity Re-store" or another type of used/salvage building material store. They normally sell door locks for under 3 bucks a pop. ( can find them for around 1.00 at those places)

Hope this helps, and stop picking locks in use.