Trouble counting pins

[Clarence]

I have trouble counting the pins when trying to pay attention to the binding order whilst doing spp. I'm usually alright for the first 2 or 3 but then it gets a bit vague and foggy. i loose track for one reason or another. either I skip over a pin or i feel the warding of the lock by accident and have to start over or I count the gap in between two pins as a deep set pin.
Does anyone else have this issue or a solution?
I've been picking for about two years now but somehow still have trouble with this so i'm really hoping that theres a better answer out there than just "practice harder at it" hahaha

cheers in advance, Clarence

ps. first ever post!

[MBI]

The first advice I'd give is use the search feature.
Questions like this have been answered many times all over the forum.

Second, don't be in a rush. Flip your pick over and use the flat bottom. Stick it all the way back in the keyway then lift the pins. While keeping the pins up, slowly withdraw the pick and listen and/or feel for the pins dropping and try counting them that way.

Polishing the shaft of your picks will also help give you better feedback so you won't get false feedback from rubbing the warding.

Read, read, read. There is a wealth of information on the forum if you'll spend some time browsing, especially the stickies near the top of each subforum.

[daniel22747]

Also, it's not that important in my opinion. As long as you can feel which pin is binding at a given time and set that you should be fine. Then go on and find the next pin that binds and set it.

Knowing the exact binding order is not essential as long as you can feel which pin is binding and which is not.

[Locks+Picks_Happy]

I was trying to follow MBI's advice and I found a great result by typing the question into google.

Top result is of course Lock Picking 101.
https://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopi ... =10&t=1768

Great stuff!

I hope that helps.

[MBI]

I was trying to follow MBI's advice and I found a great result by typing the question into google.

Top result is of course Lock Picking 101.
https://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopi ... =10&t=1768

I'm glad it worked for you. Every once in a while I get something right.

[knowspicker537]

Also, it's not that important in my opinion. As long as you can feel which pin is binding at a given time and set that you should be fine. Then go on and find the next pin that binds and set it.

Knowing the exact binding order is not essential as long as you can feel which pin is binding and which is not.

I totally agree, I've learned that even when picking the same lock over and over again it's different every time. That's why I like to take a more systematic approach for every lock, helps when you need to pick a lock you've never done before

-knowspicker537