Help - Just got lockpicking kit!

[beefyboy69]

Ok, I just got my lockpicking kit, the SouthOrd's PSX-17 and so i bought a Masterlock #1, I've Managed to pick it one time using the half diamond. I've repeatidly read the MIT guide and have tried the exercises. But I cannot seem to be able to pick a lock 1 pin at a time with the small hook. And I can never find the binding pin or anything. I have a very hard time differentiating between different pins. I can't seem to get the small rake on 1 pin at a time, or else i dont know that it is acctually doing it and i dont realise it.

Also. Is it possible to pick a tubular lock with a normal lock-picking kit. I've seen the 7 and 8 pin tubular lock picks, but they are rather expensive for a grade 11 students income. If it is possible, can someone enlighten me as to how?

Btw! I have this padlock i just came across in my garage, it's a Fortress. I've never heard of that lock before but i can rake it in under 5 seconds, but when i try picking it 1 pin at a time, it takes over 5 minutes.

[Dartan]

I have the opposite problem; I can pick one pin at a time, but I can't rake...go figure.

Anyway, I read a good idea on another thread about learning to pick one pin at a time. Start at the front of the lock and without any tension, push up on the first pin. After you do that, you push the hook until it hits the second pin and then slide it down to the bottom of the pin and then you can push that pin up. Keep following that and you can easily find your way to the last pin. You can also do it with light tension and pick the lock from front to back (though I usually find that the first pins to bind are in the middle, but you can work your way around them.)

I don't know much about tubular locks except that you can pick some (most??) of the Kryptonite bike locks with a Bic pen. I do believe they require a special tool to pick though.

Dave

[Vincent-XXI]

As for not finding the binding pin with hook and half diamond, theres no real trick its mostly musle memory which needs time to develop. Repeat the Mit exercises daily and you should soon start to notice you can feel a difference in the pins.

The problem with tubular locks is if you pick it once you turn it a 7th or 8th of a ful revolution it locks as the second driver pin meets the first outer pin ect, although I'd imagine it would be possible to turn it a 14th or 6th of a full revoultion then impression it allowing it to be turn the rest of the way without picking it again and again. Hence the advantage of the special tubular picks.

I can't seem to get the small rake on 1 pin at a time

1 pin at a time picking with a rake, not the best of ideas.

[Eyes_Only]

Maybe once the tubular lock is picked you can use that Bic pen method to impression it. Never tried it but if you can do it on one thats locked with the pins all springy, maybe it'll work just as well after its compromised. Guess ill go to Office Depot later to buy some pens and find out.

[Vincent-XXI]

To my understanding, one of the key points to the bic pen trick is the temperature making the plastic soft enough to mold, provided the diameters of the pen and lock are similar and the plastic isn't too thick I'd imagine it working in sunny Cali though the devil will be ice skateing to work before its likely to work in N.Ireland and probably Canada.


With patience I'd imagine you could make a key from a blank, I'd imagine it'd be possible to insert a needle/pin down to rest on a pin and mark the needle/pin, repeat for the other pins, then cut into the blank. While not a proper key the proportions between the cuts shopuld be correct-ish allowing it to open the lock by gradualy pressing the pns further into the lock until the sheer lnes match up. (essentially making a key with all the cuts 1 above what they should be, or 2 above or below ect, but as the sheer lines on the ins would be at the same height its easy to compensate by pressing the key further into the lock).
Although the needle method probably wont give reliable or accurate measurements of the depth to the top of the pin resulting in a useless key and useles method, but an idea that could be improved upon (rather easily as it came from me ).

[illusion]

I wonder if you could get a plastic that you could heat, and it would remain mouldable long enough to take an impression, it can't be gooey because it would just gum up the lock, you could heat the plastic, press it down hard onto the pins, and it should mould itself around.

I remember palying rugby using boil-and-bite gum shields that you put in hot water and bite down hard on, this would mould itself to your teeth. The plastic used in these seems useful.

Anybody think this idea bears merit?

[illusion]

The above presuming you have picked the lock, and the pins have not yet settled into the next chambers - they are resting no the plug, and are of different heights, so it should be easy to decode them using mouldable plastic

[AndyF]

Illusion wrote -

I wonder if you could get a plastic that you could heat, and it would remain mouldable long enough to take an impression,

Hi Illusion, the product you are looking for is called 'Polymorph' and it's widely available over the net. Andy

[illusion]

Illusion wrote -

I wonder if you could get a plastic that you could heat, and it would remain mouldable long enough to take an impression,

Hi Illusion, the product you are looking for is called 'Polymorph' and it's widely available over the net. Andy

Cheers mate

I'll look into getting some and trying it out