hi to everyone and i got some questions

[Cold_Turkey]

hello to all, im jess and this is my first time posting. i got some lock picks today and had a go at two locks i had laying around. fist was a cheap one i purchased awhile ago, easy to open. the other is a ABUS 55/50. i got it open in the first 5 min of trying. been at it for 4 hours now and nothing since. i'll be on it all night if it kills me. so my questions are. has anyone tried this lock? and is this an easy lock or is it just me.

lock picking is my addiction now!!!

[UWSDWF]

Welcome everybody,
For all thoes new to the site and lockpicking, LP101 is a great place to start.
Take a look at the new users section, first and don't be afraid to ask any questions just remember to try a search before posting.

If you're looking for locks to pick, buy some but, DO NOT PICK LOCKS YOU RELY ON
I repeat DO NOT PICK LOCKS YOU RELY ON, they can and will break, then your house/car/safe/chasity belt is vulnerable or unable to be opened (think: emergency situation).

Cheers,
UWSDWF

also Abus does have security pins...

[stilte]

ABUS locks are generally good quality locks with tight tolerances and security spool pins. So no, they probably won't be easy for you. If you want to pick ABUS, start with a rekeyable one so you can go from 1 pin and move up to 5 or 6.

[Cold_Turkey]

ok, i'll try that first. the thing that bugs me is that i picked it and now nothing. i will get some easier locks and get it down rite, than give my ABUS another go. THanks for the reply

[Kaotik]

Sounds like a little biginners luck...it happens. Just be patient and don't over work yourself, take a break and let your hands rest every few minutes or so and you will eventually get it.

[silvablade]

Hey cold_turkey, I'm pretty new at it myself and found myself in the same boat. I was picking locks fairly quickly (30sec-5min) for about 5-6 hours, then I couldn't pick them for the life of me. It got worse for a few days and I tried to learn what was happening in the lock. Then a few days ago it just started clicking. The brink locks I had been using are a breeze now, and I'm in the process of finding some harder locks. I think I can offer 3 bits of advice though:

1) After hours of picking a lock and not getting it, I was start to put way to much tension on the cylinder. Sit back, relax, and remember, LIGHT tension! Take the time to walk away and relax your muscles if neccessary.

2) There was a point where I was really not understanding what was happening in the lock, just kinda mindlessly picking it. When I started TRYING to figure out what was going on inside my skill became non-existant.

3) It turns out that each of my locks had security measures. It could be likely that a manufacturer like Abus has spool pins, etc. in the lock you are picking. Just keep at it with patience, or start with a simpler lock!

Jake

[Cold_Turkey]

good advice silvablade, if its one thing i do have its patience. im sure im going wrong with the tention. its been a while since i'v been excited about something and i'll tell ya this, lock picking is my addiction now.

[mrdan]

You know what made the difference for me? I put a very tiny (about 1/8th") bend at the other end of my tenion tool and I used that at the top of the keyway instead of the traditional bottom. I know it isn't new but I don't see it discussed much but I think it puts the tension in a different spot that helps the pins set better. I should get a set with different style tention tools. Give it a try. Couldn't hurt and you might find that it is different for you but it might work for you too.

[Cold_Turkey]

i was thinking about doing that. also when i release off the tension tool i hear all 5 pins pop back so it might work for me too.

[2octops]

You're using too much tension.

[Verhasst]

I've found that if it's taking a while to pick a lock, I have to be especially careful to not gradually apply more and more tension as I tire. This is even more of a problem where the access to the keyway necessitates an awkward wrench placement.

A locksmith friend of mine said that picking a Medeco requires roughly the same amount of finger pressure on the tension wrench as it would take to keep a sheet of paper on a table from blowing away.

Granted, other locks are far less sensitive in that regard, but certainly the right level of tension is paramount.

[PR wonderbread]

what is the key to these safty locks (i hear .. "light tention") and what is the difference between "spool" pins and normal ones, im just trying to get a grip on all of the diff. security measures before i get my self worked up again.

[Cold_Turkey]

the locksmith said he would cut down a lock for me so i can see the pins when i pick it. so im gonna get the same kind of lock but new to practice on. then pick the hell out of the other one i hope lol