Master Padlocks are easy what about the rest...

[ShadowZone]

Started lockpicking back in high school...those file cabnet locks are a joke. But I just got into it again and I just have an allen wrench tensioner and I have a "Snake" shape commercial pick. I have been practicing on Master padlocks cause that is what I had to practice on (without sitting outside in the front yard picking my front door lock ). But here is the thing I can pick the Master padlocks in a matter of seconds almost everytime. But today I tried picking the lock to the back door of my garage ( Its just a Kwikset door knob lock ) and I couldn't do it...I sat there for about an hour, took a break, came back to it for about another hour and still couldn't do it. I mean I couldn't get it to move at all. I put the key in and turned it just to make sure I was turning it the right way and I was. It felt like I wasn't even setting 1 pin. I know that Kwikset locks are kinda the cheap "Wal-Mart" brand so I know they probably don't have some elaborate locking mechanism. I was just wondering if anyone else has had problems with Kwikset or if there is anything special you need to know about them.

Thanks for your help.

[Chucklz]

Kwickset locks are of generally poor materials/construction. Lots of pot metal, and very little brass, poor tolerances and a ton of "slop". Try lubricating your lock with a good silicon/teflon spray lube, such as Tri-Flo or similar. WD-40 is good at flushing the crud out of the lock, but not as a lubricant. Try a bit less tension than on the Master locks. Then give your key a gander, are there high cuts right next to low cuts? Or are all the cuts pretty much around the same height? If the cuts are at widely differing heights you may find the lock pretty dfficult with a raking technique.

[infamous1]

I have run into Kwiksets with mushroom pins. I am relatively sure the guy who sold me the lock did not insert his own mushroom pin into the lock. This is probably the cause of your problem.

[Darek84CJ]

Yea, the Kwikset "Ultra Max" security locks contain security pins.

[AcidMeister]

I find that for door knobs i have better results using a feeler pick than anything else, i really dont know why... But yes master locks are quite the joke.....

[CaptHook]

Well, lets be accurate. The laminated master padlocks they sell at most hardware stores and grocery store are a little easier than most. Master does make better quality locks. You might need to go into a locksmith shop to find them, but they ARE out there.
Chuck

[Chucklz]

Try hitting a Master #3 with a hammer. Then try hitting the brinks clone with a hammer. Masters may be easier to pick than the brinks, but are a lot more durable.

[Ice]

Padlocks in general aren't too bad, though I've had a lot less luck with the cheapest $1 padlocks. Door/deadbolt locks are much different than padlocks imho and take a different picking style. Just keep practicing...

[yungning]

not every Master Padlocks can be opened in seconds.

some of the Master Padlocks are harder to pick...

such as No. 930, it has 5 spool pins, take long time to open it to most of people.

try No. 140, not so easy to rake and get it open either (almost impossible, unless you are lucky)

[AcidMeister]

try No. 140, not so easy to rake and get it open either (
I have never tried the no 930, but i have the no. 140 and i dont think its that tough anymore...

[yungning]

no.140 is easy to pick if you know how to pick it pin by pin.

but it's hard to get it open by RAKING

[Mad Mick]

but it's hard to get it open by RAKING

I'll second that. Raking may get you a couple 'o' pins, but single pin picking or a combination of raking/single pin picking is the only way to get a reliable result .