Would like some suggestions.....

by **Gallows** » 20 Dec 2005 20:17

Alright, my situation is a little weird, but I am really interested in doing this. Please, bear with me on this, and if you can offer any help I will appreciate it greatly.

Let me get right into it. I have one hand (well, my right hand is completely fine and I have about 3/5's of my left arm, so a bit more than just my elbow) and am having some trouble holding the pick and the tension/torque wrench. I have made everything I need to (I filed a safety pin and bent the end, turned a hair pin into a 90 degree angle for the tension wrench, simple stuff) and checked out a Masterlock Padlock. I also read a few guides on how to pick it and understand I will need to feel the lock before I actually pick it.

Now, what I was thinking was that I could somehow figure out how to pick the lock with one tool simply because I have trouble pushing the pin in place AND turning the tension wrench at the same time. I have picked one lock in my house doing this, but it was so simple I doubt it was a lock I could even practice on. I felt a spot that I could put the pick in and put it in, and suddenly, I could turn the door knob....

Anyway, I was looking for any tips or any help from anyone who can give it. This is an extremely interesting hobby and obviously requires skill. I just want anyone who is reading this to know that my arm has never, ever held me back in anything, and this isn't different. I just need to work twice as hard and need a bit of help to get started, and I'm a fast learner. As I said, any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

by **Shrub** » 20 Dec 2005 20:20

I had this conversation a while ago on here but for the life of me cant remember where or who with.

You can use a weighted tension wrench, a wrench with an adjustable weight, you would slide the weight down the wrench to put more tension on.

by **Gallows** » 20 Dec 2005 20:25

I could do that, but right now I am limited to homemade junk! Kekekeke.

by **Shrub** » 20 Dec 2005 20:34

I was meaning home made to be honest, i dont know of a commercial weighted one.

You could just put a lump of modeling clay on one end of the wrench :wink:

by **Gallows** » 20 Dec 2005 20:36

Hmmm.... Well that actually sounds pretty good.... I have a ton of that in my basement, sweet.

by **Gallows** » 20 Dec 2005 20:38

BTW thank you!

by **Shrub** » 20 Dec 2005 20:40

No worries, ill have a right good think about this and other things you could do and get back to you if i think of somthing.

An elastic band and drawing pin may be ok if useing some wood to mount your locks.

by **The Wanderer** » 21 Dec 2005 0:24

There was in fact a chap who was attempting to learn to pick who also had lost a hand. He too was having trouble with the tension wrench. This company here.....

http://www.pickmasters.net/tension/tens ... _info.html

.....produces a tension wrench which may be helpful to you Gallows. You could possibly make one yourself from fishing sinkers and a wiper blade insert. It certainly can't hurt to try. Good luck!!!!

by **DUKE** » 21 Dec 2005 0:35

That's a good thought. And even if you're not buying any pro tools just yet, you might take a hint from the tension wrench linked to by The Wanderer, and hang your modelling clay using a loop of some sort so that you can adjust the weight for more or less tension as you work.

by **DUKE** » 21 Dec 2005 1:28

Oh yeah, must not forget to say...

It wil be VERY worth your time to read a couple of the pick making tutorials on this site and build yourself one or two decent picks and tension wrenches to work with right away.

It's too hard to form a pick from a hacksaw blade if you're even a little mechanically inclined, and you'll save yourself plenty of the grief that comes from trying to safety-pin a lock open.

It can be done, but it wasn't so long ago that the supreme frustration of using the safety-pin/hair-pin combo led me to this forum in the first place.

Even if neither you or your school has a grinder or Dremel, someone you know does.

by **east_stingray** » 21 Dec 2005 1:31

I ought to hook you up with my dad. You guys could trade gloves. He has exactly the opposite (has his left hand, right just below the elbow).

by **digital_blue** » 21 Dec 2005 2:09

east_stingray wrote:I ought to hook you up with my dad. You guys could trade gloves. He has exactly the opposite (has his left hand, right just below the elbow).

Oh, that's funny stuff.

Gallows: Shrub is correct, in that you're not the first one-handed person to develop an interest in lockpicking. The last guy didn't really stick around tho. Hopefully you'll get the hang of it and stick around to tell us how you're making out. I like success stories.

Welcome to the site! Happy picking!

db

by **Gallows** » 21 Dec 2005 9:01

Haha thanks guys! I have been looking into it and messing around with most of the locks in the house. It took me a while, but I finally got the lock open to my front door. It actually took me the better half of an hour, but it's progress!

I guess I could mess around with some stuff but I don't have any saws or anything (to cut out my pieces). It is fun learning this stuff, it just takes a while!

by **Gallows** » 21 Dec 2005 9:01

east_stingray wrote:I ought to hook you up with my dad. You guys could trade gloves. He has exactly the opposite (has his left hand, right just below the elbow).

XD

by **pinky** » 21 Dec 2005 9:59

i once new a 1 handed picker, who use to attach an elastic band to his tension wrench and use a drawing pin to attach other end of band to the door, it worked for him.

i wish you will in your pursuits and welcome you to the site, keep us informed of your successes, as im sure it will be an inspiration to many.

Would like some suggestions.....

Would like some suggestions.....

One handed Tension wrench....

Who is online