new vs. old locks

[iateshaggy]

is it just me or do old locks pick easier. i just bought a house and i can rake the locks that came with the house instantly open but my new deadbolts take a little work.

[digital_blue]

Locks can experience wear that causes them to be easier to pick. Having said that, old locks can also get really gunked up and much tougher to pick without a good flushing. Depends on the lock. If it's clean, and older lock is often easier to pick.

Cheers!

db

[ksm1989]

I just started to pick locks and so far i can get into my house through my garage every time, but when i go to my front door, it is impossible to pick! I havent got it open yet! It is the same brand: Kwikset and the same key works in it as well as my garage door. The only difference is that it is a brand new lock and it feels like the tension wrench isn't doing anything. Suggestions? Thanks.

[quickpicks]

The tension wrench is probably catching on the cylider and jamming. Try using a different size tensioner. It works 90% of the time for me.

[dwkbb]

The locks on the doors of my house are all the same age and keyed alike. However, they each pick differently. Some have very little spring pressure on the pins compared with others and the pins set in different orders. I suspect the this is due to differences in machining and weather exposure.

[digital_blue]

The pick order is, as you mentioned, probably the result of slight variations in the machining process. The spring pressure variation sounds to me like wear. My guess would be that the lock with the least amount of pressure from the springs is in the highest traffic location.

db

[dwkbb]

Actually, the lock I have which has the lightest spring pressure is one that we never use. It is on the front door and we always enter the house from the garage. Because we enter though the garage, keys have rarely been in these locks. Of course I have picked them all plenty of time for fun and have found that the seem to "stiffen up" a bit as a result. I figure that the wear on the components which results is the cause. Lubrication then is indicated.