Padlocks - Is it just me?

[stilte]

I started picking with padlocks and then moved on to euro, rim, and oval cylinders for over a month. Went back to padlocks today because I saw an ABUS Diskus going cheap.

And... right now, I seem to have lost all padlock picking ability, even a 3-pin master is stumping me. I can rake it all right, but pin by pin is impossible. This is really weird, I thought I was getting good when I managed to pick my 6-pin Yale cylinder filled with spools.

[What]

everyone has their off days, maybe today is that day for you...

or, you could be thinking about it too much.

[dosman]

I have the same problem sometimes. I can pick an ABUS 85/50 with 3-4 spools and a master #570 with a mushroom pin, but I'm having trouble going back to a Chinese knock-off of a M#3 right now, won't even rake open for me. Practice practice practice. Once I get the cheap lock opened I'll move on to the newly arrived American #1101.

[Bud Wiser]

They don't call them "Master" for nothing! And each and every one of them come "pick resistance" too

[upick2]

I've only been picking locks for a couple of months, but I feel your pain. Each morning, before I start my real job, I pick half a dozen cylinders and padlocks. Then I do it again at lunch time (if possible) and again in the evening. The ones that should be more difficult (security pins, Schlage deadbolts, etc.) I open fairly quickly. It's the stupid little Master No. 3's that give me trouble. I save them till the end like cold peas.

[VashTSPD]

I'm just like the first poster---I started out with the good'oll Master #3's and then worked my way up. I picked up a few padlocks recently and had a tough time picking them. Then newest one was the most easy. I think that I just got used to the large keyways, doubly so because I'm in the US.

[Bud Wiser]

Seriously folks, master locks 1 to 15 are junk. Sure you can pop them open in seconds raking, or some times in 10 seconds SPP, but other times they just plain suck! It's like, what happened? Did this lock break? No, it didn't break, it's just one of the cheaper master locks that can throw you every now and then. I think it's the poor craftsmenship in these models that throw us.

Now take the better quality master locks, non laminated, the brass, steel, etc, and those are much better quality locks! Those can be picked more consistently!

I wouldn't feel bad or question the master #1-15 that much. Those are the bargain bin cheapies. I ran in to the same thing with really cheap dollar store locks too!

[bumpit]

No it is not just you. So far I have picked a Fortress 5 pin deadbolt, a Guardian brass padlock (3pin), a simple toolbox lock, a 5 pin brass Guard lock, and a 4 pin Master Lock#3. Guess which one took me 3 days and lots of frustration to open. The loosest plugged padlock in the world Master lock#3. I think they are junk and very hard to feel the pins because the springs are so tight. Just keep practicing. When I was relaxed and in my bed was when I cracked the #3 for the first time.

[stilte]

Haha... glad to know I'm not alone!

Yeah yesterday was a really bad day for me. This afternoon, after 20 mins, the Master is finally lying at the foot of my bed, open and violated, begging for mercy. After that first time, I'm now opening it consistently again.

This is a lesson for me (and some others probably). From now on, I'm going to practice on a variety of locks daily instead of concentrating on just one. At least one euro, one rim, one oval, and one padlock everyday.