Help with lock?

[p95ccw]

Hi my name is Sam. I have been trying to learn this hobby. I have been reading all the stickies for about a week. I have been practicing on this lock I had laying around the house It is about 4 months old but never used. I have been doing these exercises (http://littlepaul.com/stuff/lockpicking/mit-guide/chapter8.html) But
I keep pushing one of the pins to far and it is binding. Is this lock to small to start on? I am buying a number 3 today to practice on today based on other posts on this site. I have been searching the master lock site but I can not find this lock on their site, It was bought at Wal-Mart It came with 3 other identical locks Identically keyed. I have had a little success raking this lock but only like 1 out of 12 tries. I have been largely unsucsessful at trying to single pin pick this lock.

[Eyes_Only]

I forget what model number this lock is but I think this is the one with security pins in them. If I were you I would put this sucker down and go with the No. 3 padlock like you said. This lock is pretty tricky. I've picked one Medeco Biaxial and am working on a Mul-T-Lock right now and this particular padlock still gives me problems.

Here's a section from the MIT guide you were reading about security pins, http://www.gregmiller.net/locks/mitguid ... er9.html#9 . I personally recommend getting a Kwikset UltraMax deadbolt for practice on locks with these features because the tolerances are so sloppy that it is a great learning tool for beginners opposed to a better quality lock like a Schlage which also has spool pins in them. Good luck.

[Eyes_Only]

Oh crap, didn't see the quarter there for scale. Wrong lock I guess.

[jimmysmith]

About that little black master padlock.. I think its still a 4 pin...could be a 3...but doubt it. .... Its bypassable... use a small diomond pick...in the lock on the top, in the very back you can use your pick to pull the bolt out of the side of the shackle..
If trying to pick it... I would use the small off set half diomond pick. ...

[linty]

i started out with one of these locks as my first attempted pick.

found out when i got really frustrated and destroyed it that it does indeed contain spool pins.

[jimmysmith]

A lot of those little brass body locks seem to have security pins..

I agree it does have security pins....

When your picking it.....can you get the plug to turn about 10 dagrees.....and then it lock up again..?

[sintekstudios]

It looks so easy, cute little lock...........

That one is difficult, I've found much success with a similar sized master. It's the luggage lock with the all [b]brass[/b] body.

The positive with that lock is that you can fit it into a pick set.

I would recommend that you get another small lock and put both in your set so when your out and about you can work on that lock, but then when its been 15 minutes and still not open with SPPing, move back to the easier brass lock and get some confidence back...

anyways, it something I've done before.

hope that helps

[Trip Doctor]

If you want to practice picking this lock is probably too small to get much out of.

If you want to open it... a small shim perhaps? A sanded down hairpin might work (thinner and easier to sand down than a bobby pin, and a little wider depending on the pin). What I used to do -now I'm talking about those hairpins that pop in and out, from ) to ( - is break of the point where the two sides connect. Then brake off one of the sides and sand that down till its really thin. It'll be stronger then some peice from a pop can, so as long as you can fit that in the side it might pop it open.

Although... now that I think about it.. it might be hard finding a decent gap near the shackle on a lock that small.

[Shrub]

Forget the outdated MIT guide, it was never that good in its day and personally fall asleep everytime i tried to read it,

Instread get rid of that out dated piece of crap and click on my www button for a decent guide on picking that you will understand,

[JackNco]

heya. thats a master 140D
its a 4pin but as said it does has spool pins in it. but don't let u off they arnt that bad in these. use light tension and mack sure you are turning it the right way, unlike master no3 locks it wont turn both ways. (you want to go clockwise).

Once you have the tension right on this lock you ill get it open in a couple of minutes every time. If you are over lifting pins while picking it could be due to the picks you are using. slimline southOrd are best for this one.

and read the SLI guide linked by shrub. but the MIT guide never did me any harm.

[raimundo]

little locks require little picks, those big ones are not gonna help here. its time to start making picks and sanding them well.
The good news is that the smaller the picks the easier it is to make them as there is just less to shape and sand.
Start with something that is itself small, like a sweeperbristle, theres so much less mass wasting than if you start with a hacksaw blade.
another material would be drain snake.

[Matt-the-rat]

I went out and bought myself one of these after reading this thread. It has got 4 pins. It has got security pins but it is very easy with the correct tension. I can now open this lock in about 5 seconds but that is because I have now "learnt the lock". In my very first attempt I broke it in about 25 seconds using a shallow hook pick and a standard tension wrench.

[p95ccw]

Thanks for all the Feed back, Yes jimmySmith That is exactly what happens.

I got a master 380d This weekend they were out of #3s and #5s, but that thing is so sloppy it is very hard to get good feed back about the tension. Is the hole Master 3 line like this or did I just get a Bad one?

Thanks for the info Shrub I will get to work on that tutorial.