Right Raking Technique? No answers?

[vector40]

He was living in Bogota when he created them, I believe.

High-grit sandpaper won't reshape the pick, it'll just polish it. Can't really go too high, though you can certainly get to a point where you're wasting your time.

[c1187w]

raking when done right isn't all that random, although it does rely on luck. Start off with the lowest tension possible and rake the pins(use a half-circle pick or double bump pick) then go over it increasing the tension each time. Listen for the sound of the pins.

It gets more advanced, but that's the basics. Practice, practice, practice.

[Greyflex]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I would never have learned to rake if it wasn't for this website!

I finally got a 5-pin brass padlock open by raking. It has two security pins, too! Most of the time, I have to crack one of the security pins singly to finish the deed, but sometimes raking gets em all open! Oh, it's a homemade Bogota everyone, so more props to Raimundo.

I hope someone else can learn from this post! If you had touble like I did...

First of all.. read everyone else's advice in this post.. It's all true! Second, pretend you don't know anything about your lock, or about lock-picking. Throw out any preconceived notions, and follow their advice!

What I did was slide the rake in with no tension (it is tall enough that the points just engage the key pins, even with zero lift), then turn the wrench just a tad, till it stops, then pull the rake staight out pretty fast - fast but soft... pull with your wrist, not arm, so's you don't lose the head of your rake in the lock if it hangs up! I pull the rake ALL the way out, I don't move it back and forth just a little. I don't jiggle up and down. I don't gently scrub. Keep tension super light at first. Insert the rake again and pull out fast a couple more times, (keep some tension from here on out). All the while, keep on "creeping" up on the wrench, or pulsing, so to speak. If any of the pins set, I wanna make sure to advance the plug as far as possible, then reduce tension to the minimum to keep it from turning back (at least that's what I THINK I am doing!) before I rake, again.

Now if pins don't seem to be setting, I start raising the rake a bit as I pull it out. Nothing high tech here, just pull up and out. It is so counterintuitive, knowing what I know about the lock, and knowing how to single-pin pick it so easily, but this is all I do. Pull up and out repeatedly, like I am trying to paint the end of the pins really fast, or something with a brush. Ya.. it feels like holding a paint brush, kina sorta. Well, inevitably, I start to feel the plug giving up ground. (This padlock has pretty low tolerances As the plug turns further, it means more pins are setting, and it takes a bit more tension to keep the plug taught, so I am increasing pressure just a hair. Then one of two things happens: 1) the lock opens or 2) the pick starts hanging up on pin four, which has falsely set on it's spool driver, which I proceed to pick, very gingerly cuz my rake is so very thin and springy - then the lock opens. Oh, btw, I think the springiness must be helping, somehow.

It feels so very WEIRD, raking a lock open!!! I love it. The best part is now it's like I have a whole new set of practice locks.. yeaaaa!!

[Greyflex]

Now, I can rake with my snake rake, too, and even my small hook. I can't rake with my probe, though. It's too flat and smooth.
Now I see why so many people favor some sort of rake or a hook. Either way, you can rake at first, then pick the last pin or two with the same tool. Neat!

Now here's an thought... Would raking generally be helpful on locks that won't open by pick gun? Or would that type of lock also foil raking? Just wondering why I haven't seen a "rake" gun, yet..... something for CIA guys and lazy locksmiths, ya know?

[Greyflex]

"Digital and Shrub: yeah, i'm a guy. Come to think of it, I would think our particular addiciton is much more prevalent in males. Wonder if any females reading this can prove me wrong? Send a reply! And a pic? lol."

*****REPLY-COUNTER ::: 000******

[Greyflex]

I have a new problem.

I found a cheap brass padlock that says "Guard Security" on it. I have positively identified it as the kind that sells at Family Dollar stores for $2.00.

It has 5 pins.
Pin 1 is normal.
All the other pins seem to be security pins.

Odd feature - there is no warding on the bottom of the keyway, just a huge opening, so I have to wrench it from the top.

Other odd feature - Appears to have been forced open. I guess the original owner lost the key. It still works, but you have to turn the plug in order to close the shackle, because the retaining bolt is bent.

My problem - I can rake this lock open, but I can't pick it!!!!

Considering how this post started, I am thoroughly upset by this!

Pins 2-5 are really, really... CRUNCHY under tension. They are either frozen, or when they break there is no friction on them at all. It is very odd.

To be honest, I actually picked it open three times... including the first time I opened the lock. But I haven't been able to repeat that performance in over a week, yet I can rake it open in three or four rakes.

Any tips out there would be appreciated. I will definitly try using some oil, but have only WD 40, ATM.

[Greyflex]

Figured this one out.... I just needed to increase tension quite a bit, and use my fattest hook. Picking this thing almost feels like popping open a door with a crowbar... Nothing smooth about this lock, at all.

[Dimmy Locks]

I like your posting flex, not only are you showing a very keen interest in picking itself but you are prepared to heed advice from others and put it into practice, and reveling in it's rewards. well done you!!!.

I also liked the way you considered your approach and tried ways of adapting to overcome your non pickable lock. Inititive and adaptablility are *key* ( no pun intended) to becoming not just a good picker but a great one.

As far as rake techniques go, You'll discover that different styles work with different locks, even locks of the same brand and type.. remember, EVERY lock is an individual and has it's own "personality".
raking, like single pin picking is worth practicing, but do bare in mind, raking can and does damage pin heads and keyways over a period of time. so vary your raking practice across as many locks as you can, do not rake the same lock repeatedly.
If you really want to fine tune rake technique then I sugguest you make special rake picks just for practice. These should vary in length to coincide with a practice lock that you can remove and replace pins in. Isugguest you use a lock that you are prepared to destroy as raking is not kind to locks.
The simplest rake is a regular pick called a diamond or triangle head.
With 1 or 2 pins in the lock, rake it varying your stroke and speed and tension. Get the "feel" how this raking is effecting the pins. can u feel with the tensioner when 1 pin has set did you feel the moment as it set?? can you feel if the pins are binding or been over raised?. gently rubbing the pin with your diamond tip will give u loads of information between rake strokes.
Try with a third pin. This time try with a short multi rake. 2 or 3 crowns to the rake tool. Can you feel as a pin sets? can you identify without re inserting the pick which of the 3 pins set because you felt that exact moment it happened. At this point you should not use the rake to test each pin but use the diamond pick. Can you then adjust your tension and rake method to now do remaining pins?
Keep adding more pins and using progressively longer rake picks so you get used to how these tools behave with the different number of pins in the lock. I would sugguest u build up the number of pins in the lock over a period of a couple of days,. rushing from 2 pins to 6 pins in a few hours will not help you fully build up the real sense of what the tool is telling you what is happening in the lock.

Congratulations on your progress so far, you've come a long way, and its upto you how far you want to go.