What did you pick today?

[l0ckcr4ck3r]

@Gordon Nice going on the BiLock! No ideas on dismantling it, I'm still looking for one for my collection.

[phrygianradar]

Today I was at the park with my little two year old girl. As we were leaving, we saw a garage sale accross the street, so we went by to see what they had. I asked about any old locks or safes and mentioned that I like to pick locks, collect them, and even have a locksmithing licence/business. I'm no professional by a long shot, so please don't think I am equating myself with a real professional locksmith; not so, I was only telling them why I want locks etc. and otherwise making small talk. So when I mentioned all that, one of the three guys who lived there asked if I would pick the knob lock to a bedroom (his house) that he had misplaced the key to. Fortunately I go nowhere without my bogotas! No, not even the park with my little girl!

I have to admit, this was one of the toughest lock picking experiences for me to date! My baby was running off and yanking at my key chain and being a typical baby, the guy was standing there watching and saying "well, maybe I can just find the key...", the house smelled funny and had a weird skin crawling feel that made me want to just get out of there! Then I picked the knob in the wrong direction! Ahhh! My plug spinner was in my truck which my wife had at the time way out of town

Finally, after 15 of the longest minutes of my life, I got it open. A cheapo Kwickset knob lock. So the guy said, "what do I owe you?". A fair question, but I really don't have the foggiest idea what the going rates are because I am not really a locksmith. I have the license so I needn't fear police confiscation or hassle, and the business license because that is how California does things; they are a package deal. Since it was a garage sale, he said I could take anything I wanted. "How about that portable generator out there?", I said! Whoops, I guess he forgot that was out there It was brand new, still in the original box!

We both laughed and he slipped me ten bucks. Crazy experience. I don't know how you pros do it. I think bringing a baby along is not standard opperating procedure. Things would've gone smoother with my plug spinner and no baby, I imagine.

All that to say: today I picked a Kwickset knob lock, twice.

[MrWizard]

I know that skin crawling feeling of some peoples houses.
Just remember when you want to open a Kwikset knob always pick it to the left.

Most any brand deadbolts if mounted on the left side of the door pick to the right, mounted on the right side pick to the left. Unless they are mounted upside down.

Too bad you didn't get the generator but nice try.

10.00 bucks isn't too bad for a job that just fell into you lap and you were already there.

It was a good lesson learned how a simple locked Kwikset situation can be frustrating when you are in a real world lock out. And you will remember now to pick those Kwikset knobs to the left next time.

Richard

[phrygianradar]

I know that skin crawling feeling of some peoples houses.
Just remember when you want to open a Kwikset knob always pick it to the left.

Most any brand deadbolts if mounted on the left side of the door pick to the right, mounted on the right side pick to the left. Unless they are mounted upside down.

Too bad you didn't get the generator but nice try.

10.00 bucks isn't too bad for a job that just fell into you lap and you were already there.

It was a good lesson learned how a simple locked Kwikset situation can be frustrating when you are in a real world lock out. And you will remember now to pick those Kwikset knobs to the left next time.

Richard

Oh man you said a mouthful there, Richard! I will never make that mistake again. I know that I knew which way to pick it, but usually these types of locks are so darn easy to pick, I think I just got flustered and started loosing my cool. To be honest, I was more concerned with my little girl running out of the house and into the street or getting nabbed by some creep that I just couldn't think straight!

Good life lesson, no generator. But ten bucks is good too!

[MrWizard]

I have run into few Kwikset that were hard to open when I expected to rake it a few time and be done with it. Worn out looking piece of trash figured this will be simple and 30 minutes later it still not open.

[phrygianradar]

I have run into few Kwikset that were hard to open when I expected to rake it a few time and be done with it. Worn out looking piece of trash figured this will be simple and 30 minutes later it still not open.

Excactly, spot on! This knob looked like it had been around for a while. It jiggled and was sloppy as heck. I had to hold the knob and my tension wrench in one hand and manipulate the pins one by one with my half diamond. Forgot to mention that all my hooks are broken too (Stupid me. Darn Assa Twin!). I am waiting for my package of replacements to come in the mail...

[LockDocWa]

What did I pick today??
A Kwikset entry and deadbolt.
Under a minute, for both.
What still feels good after 30 (or more) years of locksmithing?
The praise and amazement of customers, in how little time it takes a professional to gain access.
Without any damage.

Opening safes, with no damage feels even better.
Safes normally takes a little longer...................

[GWiens2001]

What did I pick today??
A Kwikset entry and deadbolt.
Under a minute, for both.

It does make for impressed, and hopefully happy, customers

Safes normally takes a little longer...................

Ya don't say!?!

Gordon

[spoonzor]

I went on vacation for 2 weeks and took some cheap Chinese deadbolts and my pickset with me.
One time when I inserted my half diamond I tried to feel for the binding pin and CLICK the lock was open as I moved the pick from the back to the front of the lock. Pure luck, but fun nonetheless.

I also got one of those bypass tools for tubular locks and OMG they work better then a key on the hotel's electronic safe bypass lock (yeah i know, i was naughty)... but that's not picking and against all ethics since the safe was not mine. Luckily I didn't break anything. I teached me, once again, not to trust cheap hotel-room safes.

Today I got back home and two boxes from China arrived, one of them holding a couple of disc container lock picks. I never tried those before, so a friend of mine pushed me to buy one of those locks on the way to a bar. So I did. Took me 30 minutes to open the first time, including pauses to take a sip of my drink while chatting with my friends. On the second try the pick broke. Cheap stuff, far to much tension, friends wanting to try, still fixable, just need a tiny inbus to put it back together....

The vacation was GREAT and I had little time for lockpicking.

[SVENSON]

I finally got this little black and decker lock open. I found I was putting to much tension on the tension bar.

[GWiens2001]

KABA Micro. Lots easier than I thought. Will do a writeup once I have the time.



Gordon

[l0ckcr4ck3r]

Already Gordon?? Great going!!

[fgarci03]

Already Gordon?? Great going!!

Gordon can pick locks with his feet! Didn't you know?


After a days work, just remove his shoes and touch the locks.. They all fall right away. I guess that's the SMELL of victory for you Gordon!

[GWiens2001]

Unfortunately, when I take off my boots after a day of work, the smell cracks the tile floors. The locks don't stand a chance. If it wasn't for the bark scorpions, I would leave my boots in the garage.

Gordon

[fgarci03]

Picked a beautifull KABA Micro I got from l0ckcr4ck3r today!
Together with other locks that I still haven't been able to pick

I vouch for everything Gordon said on his post.
I particulary like the TINY keyway, on wich I couldn't insert a wrench and a pick at the same time. So I tensioned through the small lip right under the keyway, which I needed to be carefull so the wrench didn't fall off (which it did!).

Since there's no way to prove this lock has been picked on a photo, here's a clip



Thanks l0ckcr4ck3r!