im stuck any ideas?

[anikan_25]

alright so i was bored and wanted to get started with my lock collection even tho my pick set hasnt come in the mail yet, ive done plenty of reading and even watched the visual guide to lock picking but im stuck on my first lock and dont know what im doing wrong. Firstly, its a padlock made by "Home Security" (which i believe is a cheapo version of a brinks padlock i also have) it has four brass pins which i believe are just standard pins. I can spp the first 2-3 pins fairly quickly but then it usually takes a while for me to get the pin furthest in the keyway. The problem i am having is that after fiddling with this lock for about 30min at a time i usually decide to just take a break and start later but when i release the tension wrench i can clearly her four pins reset. The pakaging says there are only four pins and the key only has four grooves so why is it not unlocking if I have set all four pins? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ps: the lock does open with the key so i do not thing there is anything wrong with it, also the key can turn either way about 45 degrees and then turns back to the centre when i release it

[datagram]

Well, just hearing four clicks doesn't mean that the pins are set correctly. What happens (usually) is that you are putting too much tension on, and pins are binding before they are setting, OR you are pushing the bottom pins too far up into the keyway. Do you know if that lock has security pins? I believe the actual Brinks have spool pins, don't know about your version, though.

My advice would be to try and pick it with light tension to begin. Some of the lockpicking exercises on the pick-fu forum should help you get mroe acquainted with your lock, as well.

dg

[anikan_25]

i know that the brinks version does have spool pins but im pretty sure this one doesnt ill try with lighter tension im probably screwing up the with the pins near the back because i can see the front two and they seem to be set (they fall down freely and i feel the little click when i push them up) maybe im just getting impatient because paper clips are hard to learn with cant wait for my pick set to come, neways ill try to keep the tension light

[barbarian]

You might have lifted the first few pins too high. Then when you let off the tension they drop back down.

I bet when you get some good picks you will have better luck.

Is there any way you can try to make a pick from a hacksaw blade or something like that ? Paper clips are not the best.

[straightpick]

Try picking that last pin first, then the other three.

[rat eater]

You might start picking with something you can take apart, this way you can see and become part of the lock, as you are picking it eather that or maybe light pressure will work.

[Legacy712]

It would seem from your post that you release the tension wrench after around 30 minutes of trying. If this is correct...

If you feel you're getting 3 of the 4 pins quickly, then spending a lot of time on the last one, you may want to release the wrench after a minute or few of trying and start over. If you haven't picked a lock like this within a few minutes, you're probably just wasting time beyond that.

You should be able to easily verify the number of pins by yourself, by "feeling" them with a pick or paper clip.

A light touch on the wrench is generally best, although you may need to experiment with it to overcome the return-spring on the cylinder.

[raimundo]

watch some TV, maybe some olympic games, hold the lock in your lap and do an exercise in which all you are trying to do is go to a pin, lift it, and move on, also do not keep pressing on the tensor, start letting the pins drop a whole lot more. Don't try to pick the lock, just use light tension and lift the pins and move on to the next pin, let off tension frequently, look at the pick your using, if it has a lot of brass filings on it, it needs to be sanded. a smooth pick will make it all easier.
If you keep dropping tension and just lifting pins, and if you do not have a stuck tensor, (meaning it is not loose enough to fall out of the lock, it is binding against the cylinder wall at the bottom of the keyway) At some point, you will pick the lock. you need to disconnect the mental frustration of trying to make it do your will and get into the zen of simply getting to know its parts. moving them and moving on.

[Engineer]

Hi,

When I started out, the classic mistake I made was too much tension as has been said.

I discovered for myself (but have since read it several times) that one or more of the pins were binding through too great a tension, possibly I had even overlifted them as I was putting too much tension on the pick. So to let them down, you can try "vibrating" the tension wrench just a little and listen and feel for one or more of the pins dropping down. It saves having to completely re-pick all the pins and probably getting into the same bind again.

Don't give up! Through applying too much force, my first lock took two evenings to get, but it was all worth while when I finally got it to go!

Your new picks will probably help a lot as well once they come - If only to make you more determined.

Good luck!