New to lockpicking and need some help

[eric_keranen]

I am new to lockpicking and have a homeade pick and a homeade tension wrench. My pick is from a filed down bicycle spoke. The tension wrench is a filed down allen wrench. I have a master lock #130 and cant seem to pick it. Could someone give me some advice about how to pick locks. The pick is in a shape similar to a short hook. Any help would be great!

[tmaxx258]

take some time to read this: http://www.capricorn.org/~akira/home/lockpick/

[Eyes_Only]

These suckers are kinda small so a nice fat hook pick may have a hard time fitting through. If you haven't already, try to make your pick small as possible without compromising its strength.

[eric_keranen]

I have read the mit guide but I still cant figure out how you can detect when a pin is set. I can push the pins all the way down nothing happens.
Anyone have some advice?

[elbarto]

I first started picking locks with the same tools you have made yourself, though I did not use the SPP method but rather tried to rake the lock open (i am currently trying to learn the art of Single Pin Picking).

I found when i started i was applying way to much tension, most of the padlocks I have picked only required very light tension and until i got the hang of how much tension to apply, I tried varying the tension (by kind of tapping my finger on the tension tool, but not actually releasing the tension the whole way). Seemed to work for me, maybe you will have some success also.

One thing I will suggest tho is making yourself a tension tool out of a wiper blade with a twist in the handle. I think they might call it a feater touch or something along those lines, if you do a search for home made tension tools you will find some good info. I use a SouthOrd tension tool and it makes a big difference.

Hope that helps

Elbarto

[questions]

i've found it to be alot easier to learn spp with a simple deadbolt like kwikset, weiser, schlage. Those little master locks i've just always just raked them open in seconds. I have a hard time single pin picking it

[acestor]

Go to a hardware store and buy a simple door pin tumbler lock such as a Kwikset. Try that (some padlocks because of the small keyway and strong spring can be difficult). If no success try this picking exercise:

viewtopic.php?t=10677

You might try buying a beginner commercial pick set; the right tools can do wonders.

Try lockpickshop.com, enter lp101 for a 10% discount

http://www.lockpickshop.com/MPXS-08.html

Is a nice set.

[eric_keranen]

I have tried raking the lock open for like 10 minutes and none of the pins even set. Is it the matter of having the the right picks? I can set the first pin but none of the others open. Am I doing something wrong?

[acestor]

You are raking with a filed down bicycle spoke. Make or buy yourself some decent picks.

[eric_keranen]

Yeh I am going to get some picks that actually work.