Oops, I broke it. This ever happened to you?

[nezumi]

One rule people keep on posting is "never practice on locks you depend upon", which seems like good common sense. However, assuming we're not actually disassembling the lock, how much damage (and how easily can it happen) can be done to a lock through normal picking/bumping? Has this ever happened to anyone? I'll admit, I've only picked maybe a dozen locks (three of which were "in use", one as a lockout), and not once has the lock been less functional afterwards than it was before (again, assuming I dont' take it apart and shoot springs across the lunch room and forget where the pins all go).

So how much of this rule is common sense and how much is based in reality?

(I'm just waiting for someone to say 'I was practicing breaking the cylinder, and then my houselock wouldn't work normally again...')

Oh, as I was thinking about it, I thought of one exception. I picked a basic tubular lock for a computer lock. Because I was picking using my normal picks, NOT a tubular pick, as soon as I turned it 30 degrees, all the pins jumped back out. The lock was then locked again but with a new key pattern, so I couldn't just use the key to unlock it. I had to pick it again to open it. That was kinda funny, guess it was good that wasn't in use

[UWSDWF]

there are numerous things that can go wrong... the number one is turning the cylinder 180 degrees and the driver pins slamming in to the keyway... We don't dsay "don't pick locks you rely on" cause we wre trying to be mean, we say to try to prevent people from messing up a lock they need.
sound leik you found out the hard way oh well there have been many to find it out that way, myself being one of them

[raimundo]

it is possible to get a pick jammed immobile inside a lock, especially if the pick is not sanded. also, it is possible to drop thin master pins into the bottom of a keyway when that keyway is turned 180 degrees without a key filling the keyway.if this happens, you will not know which collumn the wafer came from even if you notice it and recover it. but mostly, if you have rough picks and you are sawing away inside a lock, you can wear off some of the pins. this will make it hard for the key to work later when you only want to use the lock.

[mh]

Oh, as I was thinking about it, I thought of one exception. I picked a basic tubular lock for a computer lock. Because I was picking using my normal picks, NOT a tubular pick, as soon as I turned it 30 degrees, all the pins jumped back out. The lock was then locked again but with a new key pattern, so I couldn't just use the key to unlock it. I had to pick it again to open it. That was kinda funny, guess it was good that wasn't in use

I guess that happens to most people who try that for the 1st time, like e.g. me
At that time, I simply modified the key with a file. That way I could insert it an remove it at any angle.
mh