Last pin won't move

[Mastafarian]

Hi, I am relatively new to lock picking, so I have only really tried practice locks and padlocks so far and I have found that I got the hang of them pretty quickly. Recently I tried picking the locks on my front and back door (both cylinder locks) and it seems to be going well until I get to what must be the last pin which won't budge at all.

I am only assuming it is the last pin because of how much the cylinder turns with the tension wrench and because I hear a number of pins drop when I allow the pins to reset.

Does anybody know what I am doing wrong here because I think I must be lifting the pins in the correct order to get so much turn on the cylinder, so I can't understand why the last pin is jamming. Also I am putting very little pressure on the tension wrench and sometimes allowing it to go back to try and give the last pin more room.

Thany you for any replies

[Wizer]

Wellcome to LP101!
First I must say: Don´t pick locks that are in use, they could break leaving you with either an open door that you can´t lock or a locked door where your key wont work.
'But to your problem: It sounds like you have anti pick pins in the locks, and you are getting a false set. It could be that the "last pin" is actually the bottom of the lock.
Get some practice locks that you can disassemble to see the pins.
Hope this helps.

[Mastafarian]

Hi Wizer, thank you for you're reply

Both the locks are quite old so I'm wondering whether this may add to the problem, although I have managed to pick the front door lock twice before, but I think it was just luck on both occasions. I am certain that it is a pin that is the problem as I can push it down with ease when I allow the lock to reset and it is close enough to the front to see.

I think you're right about not picking locks that are in use, I never really thought about any possible damage to the lock.

As I have tried cut away locks which did help me a lot I think, but probably better to buy a real lock and practice on that.

Thank you

[Jedilocksmith]

Hi Wizer, thank you for you're reply

Both the locks are quite old so I'm wondering whether this may add to the problem, although I have managed to pick the front door lock twice before, but I think it was just luck on both occasions. I am certain that it is a pin that is the problem as I can push it down with ease when I allow the lock to reset and it is close enough to the front to see.

I think you're right about not picking locks that are in use, I never really thought about any possible damage to the lock.

As I have tried cut away locks which did help me a lot I think, but probably better to buy a real lock and practice on that.

Thank you

I agree with Wizer, it sounds like a false set. But I have also ran into the same problem with a certain lock before where i had actually left a burr on the side of the back keypin,(from picking/rakeing) which restricted it from pushing the driver pin all the way up to the shear line.