Question About Generic Door Knob Locks

[Bud Wiser]

Yea, I could have used a bump key too, but what fun is that?

[mrdan]

I have picked my own lock too. I too could easily replace it and am not at all worried about it. Thus far I have yet to bif it and screw up a lock. Knock on wood. I also practice on padlocks that I find lying around. I have my eye on a Brinks high end or the Master equivelant. When I get an extra $22 (that isn't spoken for) I will get it. Maybe I'v been lucky, maybe I just don't care if I bif up a lock. I can easily replace it.

(as Bud Wiser said)

[!*AMP*!]

I have not TOTALLY messed up a lock, but have screwed one up. It was a cheaper lock-in-knob on our front door, and one of the pins' springs is messed up, which makes it a bit easier to pick, but I need to replace it. That was before I took the advice of Shrub and Varjeal...ie. "Don't pick locks you rely on". So now it's check the lock aisle at Wal-mart and Home-depot everytime I go there,

Had the same problem when I picked our BACK door. Of course, didn't have a plug-spinner so I had to turn lock around and repick...fortunately, hehe, I knew what had happened, but hey, we're all in this together, eh?

[Bud Wiser]

I think that's the *key* to the fair warning not to pick locks you *rely* on, of course that is meant for folks who are not prepared for the worse case scenario, replace the lock.

It's only a warning not a cardinial rule..

That way no one can say nobody warned them

As adults we can make our own decisions, good or bad, based on what we know. So the warning is good to have.

[LockNewbie21]

Its not really the thought of not being able to get in cuz i screwed up my lock.. but getting myself family and pup out if there a fire or emergency.


Thats really the reason, someitmes you don't knwo yu screwed it up, you just pick and pick and giv eup then.. no turn, no key entry no nothin.

Personally i haven't said that whole don't pick it if you rely on it, becuase nobody listen's. Besides its your lock do as you please.

Just remeber that it is a hazard to have a screwed up lock on one side and a flaming house on the other... I just reread that and it sounds funny..

Okay bye

[raimundo]

I think loch nubie needs a fire axe

[LockNewbie21]

Hella yea ray

[Earned Entry]

a plug spinner will work and can mess up at times to. he can also bypass the lock but that takes the fun out of picking it.

and the first rule about fightclub is... er.. umm.. I meant the 19th rule of LP101 is we don't talk about bypassing

Yea, I could have used a bump key too, but what fun is that?

Not terribly sure on how you consider a plug spinner to be a bypass device. You still have to actually pick the lock in order to use it.

[Bud Wiser]

Not terribly sure on how you consider a plug spinner to be a bypass device. You still have to actually pick the lock in order to use it.

To be honest I've never used a plug spinner before, so I'm sure I will take a closer look at it at some point like I did with bump keys.

All a plug spinner does is turn the cylnder around right? You still need to pick the lock right? So in my case because I was picking clockwise I could have used a plug spinner to reverse it?

It's on my list of things to check out

[Earned Entry]

The way I understand it, yes, that's all a plug spinner does. You pick the lock left, but you have to turn it right to actually unlock the door knob. Insert plug spinner, wind spring, let go, pop, open door knob.

Check out TShock's thread in the Manual Picks section. Can make a spinner for around... oh... $3? Hehe

[unbreakable]

and the first rule about fightclub is... er.. umm.. I meant the 19th rule of LP101 is we don't talk about bypassing

Another FightClub fan I see

[ericm115]

Thats really the reason, someitmes you don't knwo yu screwed it up, you just pick and pick and giv eup then.. no turn, no key entry no nothin.

Personally i haven't said that whole don't pick it if you rely on it, becuase nobody listen's. Besides its your lock do as you please.

Heh... actually... I was at a buddy's apartment a few days ago... I wanted to gain more experience on lock-in-knobs (all I have to practice on are my padlocks and a cheapo kwickset deadbolt that I repin often). So I asked if I could pick his door (he is very interested in learning to pick also). So I picked his deadbolt, then his knob. It probably was around two minutes for the two (a little slow, I know... but I don't even own a rake, just 7 homemade hooks ... I should get extra credit points for that).

We went out to get food, came back, and what do you know... his key no longer opened his knob. We tried and tried and jiggled and raked with the key, but to no avail, and all of our picks were inside (another reason everyone should carry picks on them at all times). Soooo, we drove down to the University machine shop, found an old hacksaw blade, filed two primitive hooks and a tensioner from it, rubbed it on cement to smooth it, and went back. It easily picked open in just a few seconds. The whole ordeal probably took 30-45 minutes. His key worked fine after that. Never did figure out what caused the problem.

Soo, I guess the point is, picking a lock can certainly break it... but it can also fix it! hehe. eh.. so I don't do that anymore...

[unbreakable]

Thats really the reason, someitmes you don't knwo yu screwed it up, you just pick and pick and giv eup then.. no turn, no key entry no nothin.

Personally i haven't said that whole don't pick it if you rely on it, becuase nobody listen's. Besides its your lock do as you please.

Heh... actually... I was at a buddy's apartment a few days ago... I wanted to gain more experience on lock-in-knobs (all I have to practice on are my padlocks and a cheapo kwickset deadbolt that I repin often). So I asked if I could pick his door (he is very interested in learning to pick also). So I picked his deadbolt, then his knob. It probably was around two minutes for the two (a little slow, I know... but I don't even own a rake, just 7 homemade hooks ... I should get extra credit points for that).

We went out to get food, came back, and what do you know... his key no longer opened his knob. We tried and tried and jiggled and raked with the key, but to no avail, and all of our picks were inside (another reason everyone should carry picks on them at all times). Soooo, we drove down to the University machine shop, found an old hacksaw blade, filed two primitive hooks and a tensioner from it, rubbed it on cement to smooth it, and went back. It easily picked open in just a few seconds. The whole ordeal probably took 30-45 minutes. His key worked fine after that. Never did figure out what caused the problem.

Soo, I guess the point is, picking a lock can certainly break it... but it can also fix it! hehe. eh.. so I don't do that anymore...

Ouch, that sucks. At least it works again, it could have been worse

[LockNewbie21]

I agree, might have jammed a pin or screwed up a spring, iw ould take it apart and service it

[kepiblanc]

All a plug spinner does is turn the cylnder around right? You still need to pick the lock right? So in my case because I was picking clockwise I could have used a plug spinner to reverse it?

Budwiser,

A plug spinner is ideal for when one has picked a lock in the wrong direction, which seems to be what happened in the scenario you described. (Both key-in-knob locks and deadbolts can be picked in the wrong direction.) Yes, the lock would have to be picked first. Yes, you could have used a plug spinner, because a plug spinner can rapidly rotate the lock's plug to the other side of the shear line before the pins reset. This would have made another picking of the lock in the opposite direction unnecessary for you.

Sometimes a lock will have to be picked in the wrong direction, due to space constraints upon the radius of certain tension wrenches in the area where a lock is mounted, or when one just has an easier time picking the lock in such a direction. Situations like these are when a plug spinner is quite a handy tool for one to have.