Weird problem..

[acidjam]

Hi everybody!

I'm pretty new, so I don't know if this is a rookie mistake, but I have a weird problem.
I have various padlocks, and have no problem to pick them at this point.Among these are Abus 65/50 and Abus 65/40, and if I got it right these two are relatively hard to pick.I also have a 3 piece set of Wolfdog padlocks.Cheap as hell, and same key to all of them.But suddenly two of them became unpickable.I mean, I've spent HOURS to try to figure this out, they both work fine with the key but when i try to pick them it's impossible!Can someone explain what may have happened?

[Bump]

Try lubricating them! Sometimes the pins get a bit stiff and won't set so easily.

[Exodus5000]

Elaborate a little bit. By "all of a sudden they become un-pickable" you mean that after being able to open them before - now you can't? Or do you mean that in a certain point in picking them they no longer respond to you picking, ie. they lock up and the pins wont budge.

If your problem is the former, then I would say you just need to keep practicing, those are pretty decent locks, especially for a noob.

If your problem is the latter, it sounds like you're hitting one of many spool pins that are in thoses locks, you need to learn how to pick security pins - specifically spool pins. Have a search around the site on how to do that.

[acidjam]

Elaborate a little bit. By "all of a sudden they become un-pickable" you mean that after being able to open them before - now you can't? Or do you mean that in a certain point in picking them they no longer respond to you picking, ie. they lock up and the pins wont budge.

If your problem is the former, then I would say you just need to keep practicing, those are pretty decent locks, especially for a noob.

If your problem is the latter, it sounds like you're hitting one of many spool pins that are in thoses locks, you need to learn how to pick security pins - specifically spool pins. Have a search around the site on how to do that.

Sorry that I didn't make myself clear.I have no problem picking these locks,and I pick one of the three identical Wolfdog's in seconds.But two of them won't open.With that I mean it seems like every pin is in position to open it, but for some reason it wont.I can't explain it better than that, and that's part what make it so frustrating.

But thanks for the advise everybody

[cjames73]

i agree with BUMP, lubricate them.
wolfdog are cheap locks and not made very well. i had brass swarf dropping out of mine when i bought it!

[Krypos]

Try lubricating them! Sometimes the pins get a bit stiff and won't set so easily.

while this is true about locks in use, normally, you wouldnt lube up locks you are trying to pick. especially if you are learning.

why?

because it throws off the feel of the pins and the entire process overall. it will be very easy to pick, and it wont do anything for you.

so i wouldnt lube up those locks, and as for your actual problem, i have the answer.

your problem is that you have become to used to those locks. you have figured out which pin sets here and there, and now, when you go to pick it, you have the mindset that you already KNOW what to do. this is that lock, so you know you do this. while in reality, you may be just a pin off or something.

the solution? take a break, start fresh, go and pick your locks like you have never picked them before and take your time, get back in the groove and dont overthink it.

if you are still having trouble, then take a break from picking either that lock, or locks in general for about a week, then come back to it and try again.

[acidjam]

Try lubricating them! Sometimes the pins get a bit stiff and won't set so easily.

while this is true about locks in use, normally, you wouldnt lube up locks you are trying to pick. especially if you are learning.

why?

because it throws off the feel of the pins and the entire process overall. it will be very easy to pick, and it wont do anything for you.

so i wouldnt lube up those locks, and as for your actual problem, i have the answer.

your problem is that you have become to used to those locks. you have figured out which pin sets here and there, and now, when you go to pick it, you have the mindset that you already KNOW what to do. this is that lock, so you know you do this. while in reality, you may be just a pin off or something.

the solution? take a break, start fresh, go and pick your locks like you have never picked them before and take your time, get back in the groove and dont overthink it.

if you are still having trouble, then take a break from picking either that lock, or locks in general for about a week, then come back to it and try again.

You're probably right.I'll leave them be and focus on some other locks for a while.Thanks to everybody for the input.

[raimundo]

take one of them smack it on a piece of pine or soft wood, it wont damage the lock but it will shake it well, one smack on each edge of the lock case should do it, if there is anything foreign that has gottnen in and is part of the problem this will loosen it. we hope