Padlocks vs. Door locks and deadbolts

[Safecracker13]

So I have no issue picking a padlock, with different picks and different locks. But I have a harder time with door knobs and deadbolts. Mainly the dead bolt I can't seem to pick. I've got the door knob with a few tries. Is there something different in the way they are set up? I know dorr and deadbolts have more pins but I can't imagine that being the issue. I have a practice kit of locks and one is 5 pins that I can pick with relative ease. I'm just not sure why I'm having an issue with these vs padlocks.

Also what is the best universal pick? A snake, half ball or diamond or a hook type?

Thanks in advance!

[Squelchtone]

Also what is the best universal pick? A snake, half ball or diamond or a hook type?

Your skill is the best universal pick. Once you have enough practice and experience, you can use pretty much anything to pick a lock. But if I really had to choose, a half diamond and then a snake rake; in that order.

Keep picking.
Squelchtone

[FarmerFreak]

Your skill is the best universal pick.

The honest truth is in those words.

If it were my choice. I would start with a hook, then a secondary hook. And possibly a third hook. The third one would mainly be for show.

This all comes down to personal preference.

[Rickthepick]

i know UK and US 'deadbolts' differ am i right in thinking US ones are usually geared and wind in rather than whip across like a UK one?

if this is the case then the bolt in the frame may cause a bit of extra resistance on a tight shutting door. More tension will be required and you may lose the feel of the pins

[Safecracker13]

Cool thanks guys. I use the Snake a lot and seem to have most success with it. But my other pick is half-diamond.

So more tension on deadbolts?

[rx6006]

I'm the strange one of the bunch. In my experience, albeit woefully limited, I really like a short hook.

[Solomon]

Cool thanks guys. I use the Snake a lot and seem to have most success with it. But my other pick is half-diamond.

So more tension on deadbolts?

When picking padlocks you're using more tension than a door cylinder to account for the spring return, so anything with a free rotating plug will require much less tension. It depends on the lock though, some aren't fussy and you can use anywhere between a certain range of tension effectively... others require you to be very precise. For example, I have an old crappy cylinder which will open with very light tension, heavy tension and just about anything in between - but most of them will only open with just the right amount. Some require a change in tension to get past certain pins. You have to experiment.

[Safecracker13]

That makes sense, padlocks have the spring. The deadbolt I'm trying to pick is a master lock. I'm just surprised because I can pick a door knob, but not a deadbolt. Maybe I'm just over thinking it as I'm picking it.

[Solomon]

I'm just surprised because I can pick a door knob, but not a deadbolt. Maybe I'm just over thinking it as I'm picking it.

I'd say the more you think about what you're doing and the more you concentrate, the better. You see a door knob in one hand and a deadbolt in the other, and you think if you can pick one you should be able to pick the other just as easily. This is often true but there are many subtle little differences between those locks that can add up and make one of them a serious pain in comparison to the other. Key bitting is a large factor, but there are a lot of other things you should be taking into consideration besides that. It's actually not often you will come across a lock with a crazy bitting anyway, so it's good to learn the other stuff.

As you look at a lock you're having trouble with, you should see all its parts, and imagine what kind of pins it's likely to have (and how many), aswell as how well all those parts fit together... you can see if it's old or new, how much wear it has and what kind, how smooth/stiff the rotation of the plug is, how much play there is in the plug, how stiff the springs are. All of these are things which can help you pick that lock if you know how to take advantage of certain things and cope with others. It sounds like a lot to be thinking about, but it all sort of comes in one quick flash as you're playing with it... I think anyone who has been picking like a mad person for a fair length of time knows what I'm talking about.

[UEDan]

Wait, are the locks mounted? Mounted locks are harder pick, deadbolts especially since its harder get a firm grip on them.

[Bad_Jason]

I'm relatively new to lock picking and I have the opposite problem. I can open all of my practice deadbolts, but I'm having problems with seemingly easier pad locks. I've opened several of my smaller Master Locks, but I have trouble with the larger, heavy duty ones like the Master Lock 911. I've convinced myself it's a tension thing, being that these locks take much more force to turn the key. All I can do is keep practicing I suppose.


When practicing, I predominately use a small hook.

[loki-aka]

As you said "practice". Try using different tension. If you think you are naturally 'heavy handed' try using
a lighter wrench.