Can the characteristics of a lock change?

[lockpickit]

I recently came across a 50mm padlock that was locked to the railing of a stairway. It had been there for a couple of months. No one claimed it and I was told that if I could get it off that I could have the lock. Well I managed to pick this particular lock and had gotten what I believed was another lock to practice my lock picking. Over the next few weeks I managed to pick this lock only a few more times. It was becoming increasingly frustrating to try and pick this lock. On one of the days I did manage to pick it about 6 times in row with no difficulty. I discovered that if I put my snake pick in the bottom of the plug that I could manipulate the lock open. I thought I had it made. Then all of sudden when I shoved my pick in I could no longer feel the locking mechanism that I had just manipulated 6 times previously to open this lock. It seemed to have vanished. It has been quite a few days now I can't pick this lock open anymore. So is it possible that this lock is defective in some way. I don't think that I will ever be able to pick this lock open again. Please help.

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[Raccoon]

Hi lockpickit. I can't read your post because the text is too big and requires special instrumentation (backwards binoculars) to view.

Having some backwards binoculars on hand, however, here's what I can suggest.

Check to see that the pins all still have good spring to them. It is possible you were too forceful in earlier attempts to open, and inadvertently over compressed the springs in some of the pin chambers, causing them to stick and come to rest above the sheer line.

Because you don't have the original key to the lock, it wont be possible to test if the lock is damaged unless you are able to pick it again. Just try try again and if you get it opened, consider disassembling it to take a closer look. There are many guides to doing this, but be careful or you could end up damaging the lock even more.

[raimundo]

one drop of 3 in one oil. worked in well with the picking