More info for a beginner.

[Gordon Airporte]

A pick with a single bend at the tip is a hook and they're for manipulating pins one at a time (although you can do scrubby stuff with them if you want.) There are only a few kinds of hook. Some curve up sharply at the tip, some curve gradually over their entire length, some have flat tips, some are rounded...some have taller tips than others. That's about it.
Rakes are for moving more than one pin at a time and there are many different profiles. You'll have to experiment to see which work for you once you get your set.

[chrisbdaemonml]

I wasn't planning on being rough enough with it to make the paperclip break, I wasn't really even planning on being able to pick it, i just wanted to see if i could feel the pins. Didn't even have a tension wrench. My real lockpick set is on the way but its probably gonna be a week or so before it get here and patience is something I need to work on (and before you say that lockpicking requires lots of patience, i'm already aware of that)

You probably are not going to be able to pick a dead bolt with a paper clip. Have you read the MIT guide to lock picking and/or the LSI guide?

I'm not sure if you haven't read the other posts in this thread but I've read the MIT guide and the LSI guide so I think i have a pretty good grasp on the concepts behind it and stuff...

Also, if you have an ez set lock on your door replace it with something more secure.

It came with the house, and I live in a really really small town where no one locks their doors. Its a bad habit I know, but its just the way it is. Theres quite a few people I know that always leave their car keys in the ignition so maybe its just the atmosphere or something (I don't do that though, never will)

[locksportboy]

The reason you probably have not been able to insert the paper clip is because you are not pushing the first pin up a little to get it out of the way.

good point criminal hate but may be his pick is quiet thick not able to get in the key hole

[criminalhate]

I'm not sure if you haven't read the other posts in this thread but I've read the MIT guide and the LSI guide so I think i have a pretty good grasp on the concepts behind it and stuff...

Sorry I missed that =)


another thing that is better then a paper clip to use that is more accessible is a dentist pick (can get small pick sets like them at most hardware stores for a couple dollars). If you file down the tip and the shaft some you can usually fit them in the key way and have a better feel compared to a paper clip.

[chrisbdaemonml]

wow, that bug/error is getting really annoying

[digital_blue]

wow, that bug/error is getting really annoying

I'm sure it must have been a real struggle for BOTH of your posts....

[butterboy]

Your best bet is to wait for your set to get to you before you break something, I totaly understand what your going though because you want to get right into picking .
How about you fill in your profile so we know where you are and you might have some one close by to get together with and share the fun sport you've found.
If you have any ligitament questions just ask, these guys really know there stuff and theres little they cant answer .
If you cant wait try and make some real picks, not out of bobby pins of paper clips though , try hack saw blades , you can find out how here.
Have fun and good luck.

[chrisbdaemonml]

Alright, so I got my picks on thursday and that Kwikset lock is really easy. It took a couple days to get the hang of it but now I can pick it pretty quickly. what kind of lock is more difficult that will take me longer to pick?

Oh, and I have an interesting problem. I tried to take the cylinder out buy the plug i was using somehow caught a spring and stretched it way out. Where can I get a little package of springs? I know they come in repinning kits but I don't really want to spend $100 on a repinning kit to replace a spring.

[freakparade3]

Alright, so I got my picks on thursday and that Kwikset lock is really easy. It took a couple days to get the hang of it but now I can pick it pretty quickly. what kind of lock is more difficult that will take me longer to pick?

Oh, and I have an interesting problem. I tried to take the cylinder out buy the plug i was using somehow caught a spring and stretched it way out. Where can I get a little package of springs? I know they come in repinning kits but I don't really want to spend $100 on a repinning kit to replace a spring.

Get yourself a Schlage deadbolt. They are quiye a bit harder to pick than Kwikset but still not impossible. As for the springs go to www.clksupplies.com they sell packets of 100 for less than $2

[chrisbdaemonml]

hey, so I went to the CLK website and it has like 3 kinds of springs shlage springs, standard short springs and standard long.. I have no idea what kind i need

[chrisbdaemonml]

so.. can i get some help on finding out what kind of springs i need?

[Schuyler]

schlage or standard short should be fine. Might as well go schlage, it's as standard as you can get.

[chrisbdaemonml]

What makes a Schlage so much more difficult? Does it have security pins or something?

[Schuyler]

Better tolerances than most locks in it's class, and often security pins, though I personally have not run into them. (which is odd, because everyone else I know seems to have)

[freakparade3]

What makes a Schlage so much more difficult? Does it have security pins or something?

The keyway is also must tighter than a kwikset.