Beginner Lock

[ghem321]

hey, im new to lock picking, i just bought a pick set online and i found a small padlock in my house, its a Mint Craft 1 1/4 " laminated padlock with 3 pins, i dont know if this is a good one to start with bc i think the keyhole might be a little to tight to properly fit a tension wrench and pick at the same time, i can usually set one of the pins (the front one) but not the other two, any suggestions?

thanks
george

[ThE_MasteR]

Try using a needle. That's what I started with, and I some times still use it for bigger padlocks.

Also, if you need a smaller tension wrench, use a bobby pin, and shape it the same a as normal tension wrench.

[digital_blue]

You know, I'm sure you can learn a thing or two by picking this lock as a beginner lock, but if you really want to learn the basic skills of lockpicking, and do it in the minimal amount of time, I don't think you're going about it the right way. I'd say you're best to go buy yourself a deadbolt cylinder. Pick something like a Weiser or Kwikset if you're in North America. Then take it apart and strip out all but two pin stacks. Then learn to pick it with only two pins, paying close attention to what you are feeling as you do it. Then, when two pins is no longer a challenge for you, add another pins stack back in. As you work your way up you will develop valuable skills that will certainly put you on the right track.

Good luck, and happy picking!

db

[ghem321]

i actually picked this lock about 5 minutes after i posted this question, i can now do it in as much time as it takes me to use the key, obviously this is about the most worthless lock ever. funny thing i learned was that i dont even need the tension wrench, i can set the pins with a rake pick and the lock simply pops open, what should my next step up be?

thanks
george

[sivlogkart]

I have shown many people how to pick pin-cylinder locks but never the way that db describes, but I am not saying it is a bad way just that I have not tried it. I might try it with my next new guy.

I generally do it by having a large set of locks that I can put in order of how easy they are to pick. It is useful though to see the inside of a real lock rather than just pictures, so you know in detail what it is you are trying to do.

Once you are good at picking locks it is then useful to repin a few locks to make them have the nastiest high-low pin combinations so you know that you can pick the worste things around. Also when I buy padlocks for picking, I look at the key first and choose the one that looks like it will be the hardest, or a beginner could pick the easiest.

KJ

[chopitup]

The way DB suggested is the best way to learn how the individual pins feel like when picking, in my opinion.

[sivlogkart]

I might be, but that does come in time anyway. It might be a case that the DB way some skills come before others, but I am not sure if it would be ultimately quicker. However, as I teach a lot of people to pick locks I will try a semi-controlled experiment.

Also in my way I do give people locks and not only ask them to pick them but to tell me the number of pins and the order in which they appear to bind etc to make them think about what is going on inside.

Is there anyone here who has tried both methods on new lockpickers?

As a Univ teacher too, I am interested in knowing the best teaching method. And other methods too. Also sometimes the best method of teaching depends on the skills of the student as well.

New guys learn faster, in general, if the early locks have large keyways.

KJ

[digital_blue]

It's worth noting that "the DB method" is actually a page out of Locks, Safes, and Security by M.W. Tobias. I really can't take any credit here.

It's also worth saying that this technique is not even the way I first learned to pick locks, but I wish to heck I'd have known or thought to try it 'cause it would have saved me a lot of time. I started with padlocks. After some time I came upon this method and sort of started over. I was personally impressed with how quickly my skills developed once I hit on this method. The most important thing with this is that you pay careful attention to what you are doing while you pick. Make each motion intentional. Learn to feel out each individual pin, find the binding one, and lift it to the shear line. Don't go adding the next pins stack until you are fully confident that you are opening the lock as a result of intentional actions, not the blind poke and prod method that is familiar to most newbies.

But really. This method, if practiced correctly, will help a person develop good technique at a faster rate than any other form of practice I've come across.

KJ, give it a whirl. Just make sure that your subject understands the concepts of what they are trying to do and is intentional with their motions. Let me know how it works out. I'd be willing to bet you see great success.

db

[sivlogkart]

I used the term DB method just for reference.

I can see your point. I learnt to pick myself in a very strange way, which was far from optimal. I was in junior school and started with lever locks thinking they would be easier and found them hard at first. Then as I thought moved up to good modern locks (pin-cylinder locks) and was stunned how quickly I could open them.

It is important to get people trying to pick pin-cylinder locks not to just do a sequence of random actions that seemed to have worked in the past. I have seen a few people that level out a bit early and I guess that they are not really thinking about what is going on, and the method you describe would help there. In fact I could try it with some of the people that have hit a wall to see if this gets them past it. However, with some of them moving the pick so it is in the same direction as the keyway to get it in the lock seems difficult, even though these are very smart guys.

Also getting new pickers to use a simple hook can help.

KJ