Corbin lock is killing a beginner's enthusiasim

by **magnethead** » 27 Oct 2005 5:57

Hi There,
I'm new to this forum and the art of lockpicking, just started picking my desk drawer the other day and now I'm hooked

I've made soon picks up from hack saw blades, grinded down.

Here's my question:
I know this forum says that beginners should stay away from Corbin locks but there's loads of them around here and one's that look like immetation corbin's. Could someone please describe the feel of picking one of these locks

See attached photo's, there's a knob on one side and the keyway on the other. I've managed to get five pins in position, after I release the tension five pins can be heard to click! How many pins to I need to put in position and what makes the Corbin so bloody hard to pick??

Thanks for all your help
Nathan
http://homepage.eircom.net/~downloadpage1/back.jpg
http://homepage.eircom.net/~downloadpage1/front.jpg

by **digital_blue** » 27 Oct 2005 10:08

Neither link works for me and the pictures don't show up.

Having said that.. beginners should stay away from Corbins. They'll suck the enthusiasm out of you.

db

by **magnethead** » 27 Oct 2005 12:49

Hey, I'm not afraid of this silly lock, If needs be I'll take it out of the door with a lump hammer when my frustration gets great enough

Still I ask the question: Could someone PLEASE describe the technique needed to pick this type lock

I've made all the picks I think I need, and I can get FIVE pins down, but still don't know enough about it to get it to turn

HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP

by **helix** » 27 Oct 2005 13:04

The technique is setting the pins, not just pushing them down.
Do you know EXACTLY why a lock can be picked?
If not, have a good read of the MIT guide.
Do a search for MIT on this site, you will find it.

You said in your first post that you are new to picking.

That is all we need to know, to advise you to not bother with that lock.

It isn't about being scared of it, it is about being able to set four or
five security pins and a normal pin at the front.

Can you pick one security pin? Two? You won't have any joy with that lock
just yet, dude.

Go get some cheapo locks to play around with for a while, and gradually
move up to harder stuff like that lock.

What you are basically saying, is, "I just learned how to not stall a car.
.....What technique do I need to race a Ferrari today?"

Trust us. Put that lock in the 'not just yet pile' dude.

by **n2oah** » 27 Oct 2005 15:08

Magnethead, stay away from that lock until you get a little more experience. It has a pretty nasty keyway, and I'm guessing there are some spool pins to go along with it.

by **nhughz** » 27 Oct 2005 15:55

desk draw to corbin will only lead to tears :cry:

by **KamilM** » 27 Oct 2005 16:59

I think He has to big pick for this lock. Picks maded with hacksaw blades is not good to pick this lock. I know this because in Poland (I am from there) is very much of this lock with tight keyway. I proper to make a new pick with wires blades.
Your choice, magnethead

by **pinky** » 27 Oct 2005 17:20

dont be too dissheartened , corbin sucks the enthusiasm out of many a good locksmith, so a beginner can be forgiven for admitting defeat to this one.

by **l0cked0ut** » 27 Oct 2005 22:08

have to agree with everyone. I stepped into lockpicking with curiosity but also a whole lot of confidence that I could do this. I started off with easy door locks and jumped immediately to Brinks high security padlocks. My enthusiasm started dropping and in a futile 100 attempts to understand and open this lock, I managed to bend some of my picks. Im just not ready for that lock yet. So right now my confidence has gone way down so Im going to stay away from that lock and work my way up.

by **digital_blue** » 27 Oct 2005 22:58

l0cked0ut wrote:...so Im going to stay away from that lock and work my way up.

And there's no shame whatsoever in that. In fact, you'll probably end up a better picker as a result. Working on a lock that's well beyond your current skill level is probably not even very effective as far as teaching you anything. The things it has to teach, you're not ready to learn. l0cked0out, your approach is exactly the right one. And there's no harm in having a pile of "Not There Yet" locks. I've got several of them. I just got 3 more this week, as a matter of fact.

I would suggest to anyone that you should spend about 20% of your time working on locks that you know you can pick, 10% on locks that you probably couldn't pick to save your life (you gotta find out for sure somehow), and the other 70% on locks that are just a bit above your current skill set.

I'm not nearly the best picker on this site. I'm probably not even above average as far as any of the more veteran members here. But I keep working at it, and I'm not losing any sleep over the 6 pin biaxial Medecos I've got sitting here... or the Kaba Gemini... or the Sargent Keso I just picked up... or the Western Electric... or the ScanLock that came today (haven't even tried that one yet)... you get the point.

db

by **vector40** » 28 Oct 2005 1:09

In the same vein, I'm nearly positive that even many of the n00bs here are better pickers than I. (My solution is to cheat devilishly :twisted:

.)

by **magnethead** » 28 Oct 2005 8:54

Hi Everyone, thanks a million for all your good replies, Feel a good bit more humble now

Will stick to some of the easier locks for a bit and will only go at that Corbin once a week for a couple of mins until I build up the experience.

Has anyone ever come accros a SEQUENCE of locks, that should be followed on the path to becoming a good picker??

by **l0cked0ut** » 28 Oct 2005 11:01

i think the spirit of lockpicking as a hobby is that no lockpicker is the same, we are all from different places, therefor no one has access to the same locks. I suppose thats why lock sporting groups were first created, to learn from eachother and also to share locks and picks

. Even if there was an ideal progression of lock difficulties for people to tackle, it would be impossible for most people to actually follow an american or european list etc.

What most people like to do to progress in difficulties is to take a lock apart and progress from one pin to 5. That way, its not necessary to buy a bunch of different locks sometimes. This is particularly useful when trying to learn to deal with spool pins (as I am), but it doesnt work on all padlocks.

by **skold** » 28 Oct 2005 21:27

pinky wrote:dont be too dissheartened , corbin sucks the enthusiasm out of many a good locksmith, so a beginner can be forgiven for admitting defeat to this one.

Corbin tend to make me laugh...

by **raimundo** » 29 Oct 2005 9:00

corbins usually have spools or mushrooms in them, to pick spools or mushrooms, you need a light touch, and must be sensitive to the feedback from the tensor, if it starts to reverse, let it, until the pin sets, then look for another spool, by touching the other pins lightly until one starts to reverse in the same way, this may cause the one already set to drop, but don't let that bother you, just reset it. you will eventually get it and after that do it again until you can do it consistantly, this the real learning experience.

Corbin lock is killing a beginner's enthusiasim

Corbin lock is killing a beginner's enthusiasim

NOt afraid

Thanks for all your replies

spools

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