Questions

[Lockdown27]

Kinda a new at the art so i have some questions.


How much tension?
Why can't i keep all the pins up?
Is a rake , tension wrench, and hook all you really need?

I forgot my other questions but hopefully you can help me out

[Shrub]

Please wait for an answer to when you first post a question instead of posting it again, i replied to your last post that asked the same thing except for the pick question,

On the pick question,

Thats simply not true, an active picker of all types of locks will find uses for most of the tools you will see in the lock pick sets but for a standard pin tumbler lock you are only looking at being able to tension the plug and lift the pins up other than that you can choose which tools you use for that and most like to use a hook,

[Lockdown27]

I know but i posted it in the wrong subject. Sorry won't happen again.

[Bud Wiser]

Kinda a new at the art so i have some questions.


How much tension?
Why can't i keep all the pins up?
Is a rake , tension wrench, and hook all you really need?

I forgot my other questions but hopefully you can help me out

Tension varies greatly from very little to a lot, depending on the lock. Usually it's about the same amount of pressure you apply to a button on your keypad as long as your not pounding and typing normally. That's about how much tension you should start with.

Pins? The bottom pins will drop back down, but you should feel less rersistance if you set the upper pin.

Technically, Yes, that would be the very basic you need. A hook, rake and tension will open a lot of locks indeed.

You could even reduce the numbers more by using just a small half diamond and tension.

But the more picks you have the better. Some locks pick easier one way over another way.

For noobs I would recommend a sm hook and tension, and SPP.

[illusion]

I remember a Ruko lock - the first timne I picked it I used 5 different picks in the same session of picking - the medium hook didn't *quite* lift the last pin high enough so had to change picks.

Tension?

Different locks need different ammounts of tension - you kinda get a feel for when a lock requires more after picking for a while. Some padlocks require the plug to be turned a bit before the pins will even start to bind - once again you need to use a bit more, but not too much!

It's really quite hard to say how much tension to use, but as a rough kinda thing on a few locks... As hard as you press a key down on your keyboard - does that make it easier to visualise?

[illusion]

Whoops - didn't see you had pointed out the 'keyboard key tension' pointer Bud Weiser.

[paul1982]

I also find the profile of keyway helps determine the pick i use 9 times out of 10 i will use my hook pick and tension wrench and that does me but the odd time i dig deep in to my trusty picks for somthing else

[Lockdown27]

Since i am a noob what is ssp or spp?

And what other tools besides tension wrench, rake, and hook (short hook)

[Lockdown27]

Sorry for the double post but if i were to buy some practice locks what should i buy?

[pH]

Since i am a noob what is ssp or spp?

And what other tools besides tension wrench, rake, and hook (short hook)

SPP stands for single pin picking. It is better to learn this first, then raking, because it will help you learn the feel for pins that are set, not set, and over set. Believe it or not after a while you can even start to feel this stuff while raking (if you've developed the feel first.)

Honestly to start out you need to tension wrench and hook. After 2 months of picking now I really only use 2 or 3 different tension wrenches, a Peterson hook, and a Peterson reach pick. Just remember that the tension is just as important as the picking. In the beginning I was using WAY too much tension and it took me forever to open locks. When you have the tension just right, the pins just kind of 'melt' into place sometimes

[Lockdown27]

Thankyou

[pH]

No problem

Sorry for the double post but if i were to buy some practice locks what should i buy?

I'd recommend starting out with a cheap Kwikset you can get from wal-mart or Home Depot. Yes, the cheapest $12 one is fine (or whatever it sells for now). Just take a look at the key inside the package, make sure it has 5 pins, and if you can, try to get one where the key has a lot of different heights. Read digital_blue's beginner guide and follow it. He provides a link that will show you how to repin this lock. Once you get up to 5 pins and realize how easy it is, you'll be out buying tons more locks. Good luck!

[What]

Since i am a noob what is ssp or spp?

And what other tools besides tension wrench, rake, and hook (short hook)

spp = single pin picking