Picking blind

by **Robojubei** » 29 Sep 2005 0:07

This has me curious - how many people here pick with their eyes closed? I remember reading more than once the importance of visualizing what's going on inside the lock, and i find it much easier if i shut out the visual. I pay much more attention to what i'm feeling in the lock.

What i'm wondering is how does everyone else navigate this situation? Is there something useful i could be watching for? (besides the cylinder turning - i can feel that and feel the pins click)

by **helix** » 29 Sep 2005 0:30

A lot of people, myself included, takes Shrubs advice and pick in the
dark, when in bed.

I find it extremely helpful in magnifying the feel.
It also helps get rid of feeling as though you need to stare into
a (blocked) keyway, in order to pick.

A typical person may have 100% sense,
made up of 20% sight, 20% sound, 20% feel, 20% taste and 20% hearing.

A typical BLIND person may still have 100% senses, but made of:
25% sound, 25% feel, 25% taste and 25%hearing.

I would imagine, that if you deprived all of your senses except for taste,
maybe you could taste what is going on in the lock, who knows?

But yeah, I find that if I can't see, my hearing and feel is a lot better.

by **Chrispy** » 29 Sep 2005 3:52

Rather than closing my eyes, I stare straight ahead at the TV or into space.

Instead of looking down at the lock: \

I'll look straight ahead or up at the wall: _ or /

Ha!...... that was fun. :shock:

by **kodierer** » 29 Sep 2005 7:16

I used to lay on my back, and stare at the ceiling, or sometimes close my eyes. However I found I am best at picking while looking at someone, and having a conversation, and have the actual lockpicking be second in my head rather than number one. I am not sure why this is, but my picking ability increased durastically when I made picking a secondary conscious function, instead of the first.

by **Chrispy** » 29 Sep 2005 7:22

kodierer wrote:However I found I am best at picking while looking at someone, and having a conversation, and have the actual lockpicking be second in my head rather than number one.

That's exactly it. It's almost like a sub-conscious thought process that eventually results in an open lock. I find that when I'm trying to pick a lock, it takes longer than when I'm picking a lock. :wink:

by **Robojubei** » 29 Sep 2005 8:52

What follows should be elective surgery to remove all non-picking related senses, and have implants installed to improve what's left. How will the locksmiths of today fare against the cyber-locksmiths from the future?

by **kodierer** » 29 Sep 2005 12:41

Locksmiths of the future will be like inspector gadget only with locksmithing tools built into his fingers instead of guns and stuff.

by **Robojubei** » 29 Sep 2005 12:42

heh yeah you wouldn't have to worry too much about feedback when the picks were connected to your nerves!

by **sivlogkart** » 29 Sep 2005 12:50

If it is light I do not shut my eyes, but don't use them either. I have a pile of padlocks next to my bed and pick locks in the dark too. It is all feel so it does not matter. Can you use your pick in either your left or right hand too? That is worth trying.

by **digital_blue** » 29 Sep 2005 13:18

You know, I think I tend to fair better when I'm paying attention and concentrating on what I'm doing. The hardest picking for me is when I'm trying to explain to someone what I'm doing while doing it. That's always been the problem with me when doing a demonstration. It may well be my own talking that I find so distracting, but I've learned that the best thing I can do when demonstrating is explain first, then shut up and do it.

As for picking with my eyes closed, I would say that closed or open doesn't actually make a difference to me. It has more to do with where my head is at than where my eyes are at.

db

by **kodierer** » 29 Sep 2005 13:23

DB I've done some demonstrations, and even though the people I was picking for thought I was pretty fast at it, I was actually slower, and in some cases a lot slower than normal. I think in a demonstration its that your nervous, and self conscious. But just talking to someone you've picked in front of a bunch of times I find it goes easiest, or while singing along to the radio, or reading a magazine.

by **digital_blue** » 29 Sep 2005 18:25

I can say without a doubt that for me, talking at all under any circumstances does not improve, but rather hinders my picking skills. I understand what you're saying about nerves when demonstrating, and I'm sure there's something to it, but even if I'm sitting with a friend picking locks I am slower and less effective if I speak or don't pay attention. Idle picking while watching TV does not seem to have negative effects to the same extent, but I still find I do best when I focus on what I'm doing.

db

by **lock_hacker** » 29 Sep 2005 19:04

I thought all lock picking was blind considering if you picking it you cant see the pins or waffers or whatever inside or the lock or what the key looks like.. what can you see on the lock that helps?

by **helix** » 29 Sep 2005 19:06

Our points, exactly.

You need to feel.

by **lock_hacker** » 29 Sep 2005 19:13

helix wrote:Our points, exactly.

You need to feel.

I was also told you can listen sometimes and hear pins click.

How do you feel?, you can feel the pins click? I heard that sometimes if you use a hook pick you can see or feel the tension pick move slightly
to know your closer to picking it

I have not learned waffer locks yet so i dont know bout those

helix if you could read my response in other thread that would be awesome. thanks!

Picking blind

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