65 Padlocks and a pickset

[luckyharry]

My hope is that I can practice on these.

Here is 65 padlocks that I got from my college. They cut the locks on the lockers every summer. I got to take some from their collection.

Unfortunately, I cant open any of them. It's my first time to pick a lock. I've tried with a finger and a rake. It seems that either too little or too much tension keeps the pins in position.


(Click for larger picture)

[ThE_MasteR]

Well, I wish you alot of luck my friend, since it's your first time picking locks. i suggest you read the M.I.T Guide for your own good. It's in the FAQ section I think, lemme check.

Here http://www.lysator.liu.se/mit-guide/mit-guide.html

[Chucklz]

From your picture I see a Lince, a Yale, and some assorted Master brass body locks. Forget these for starters. They probably will all have some kind of security pin.

Directly below your Yale padlock is some kind of warded lock. Dont bother with "normal" picks on this one.

I would toss the dial locks to the side as well. With cut shackles, these may be a bit harder to open compared with the "standard" pull and manipulate technique.

On the very left second lock down, this appears to be a wafer lock. Usually easy to pick, but you can get into some bad habits picking wafer locks first. I also think that at least one of the dark bodied locks on the right is a wafer lock.

[luckyharry]

I'm hoping this will be a great excersise in learning to pick manually, since it'll be alot of different designs and pin patterns.

I've read ALOT about picking, and I've watched quite a few videos etc.
which of course dissappointed me, because it seemed so easy on video...

Anyway, thanks for the recommendations. I immediatly threw me over the combinational padlock in the top, but it wasn't as easy as on the "Master Unlock" webpage.

Who cares I'll learn.

[How]

It sounds like picking is the method you choose to open these, for practice no doubt.
I open padlocks by impressioning them or shimming the shackle or if there's no rim to block at the plug I'll shim at the plug. You can tell if there's a rim there by looking at the bottom of the keyway and see if there is a 'step' from the edge of the plug that would keep the shim from sliding along the shear line.
Some padlocks you can rap open.
Some peterson makes bypass tools for, as well as lockmasters.
Some padlocks have the serial number on them that you can put through a code program and get the combo or key cuts.
I am assuming that this is for practice but unless the padlock is masterkeyed, I usually only attempt picking for a minute or two on a padlock then cut it off because my time, at $60 an hour, is worth more than the price of a padlock.
My experience is that I used to used way to much pressure picking. It takes the right amount of force with the pick as well as the tension wrench. Some locks require lube, like I immediately lube weiser locks when I get them. When I first started, I mounted some deadbolts on a board and put them in a vice in my living room, yes I'm single, and would practice while watching tv or during commercials while I'd time myself. When I'd get too used to these locks I'd get practice rekeying them. I try to stay limp wristed, no comments please, while I pick, so I don't use too much force/pressure on the pins and wrench.

[helix]

I try to stay limp wristed

PM sent.

hehehehe.

[Chrispy]

I try to stay limp wristed

PM sent.

hehehehe.

I don't want to know what was in that PM.....

[helix]

[luckyharry]

... I see a Lince, a Yale, and some assorted Master brass body locks. Forget these for starters. They probably will all have some kind of security pin.

So much for the Lince anyway! I just picked it 3 times using a snake, and two of the times in under 10 seconds

I picked some of the other locks too. Only non-brands though, but great for self-confidence anyway