Broken Heart :(

[WillBoss]

About 5 months ago I purchased a Southord c2010 lock pick set. On arrival of my picks I immediately went out and purchased a Yale cylinder lock so I could practice anywhere. I even brought the picks and lock on holiday with me. That was 5 months ago and I have still to pick the dam thing!

My brother in law came over one night and I showed him my lock picks and he was delighted as he never seen a lock pick before. I gave him the Yale lock and the git had it picked in a few minutes. I nearly got sick! I haven't a clue what I am doing wrong and its breaking my heart.

The lock I am trying to pick is a European Yale Cylinder lock see a picture of it here http://www.locks.ie/images/products/PAY029-30.jpg

[ady1989]

I will give you a few beginner tips, hopefully this will help. First of all, use LIGHT tension. A little less tension than it takes your finger to press a key on your keyboard. Second of all, don't expect the lock to open when you pick it. If you think this way, you can create a mental barrier which only leads to frustration and not being able to pick it. You can start finding the binding pin later on when you actually pick it a few times, but for now try this: give it light tension and start picking the pins from back to front, one by one. If that doesn't work try front to back. This helped me the first time I opened a lock: take a small but bright flashlight and point it inside the lock. Take a good look at all the pins and start picking them while looking at them. The visual helped me a lot and helped me imagine the lock and what I'm doing inside it later on, just by interpreting feedback given by the pick. Also try using your pick to rake the pins. Give it light tension and just move the pick along the pins pushing them in a bit, back and forth like you are trying to scrape layers from the pins. Try using different pressures on your tension wrench. Good luck, I hope you finally open it :p.

[Jaakko]

Short answer: http://locksport.com/LSIGuide/lsiguide.pdf

That explains everything you need to know for that lock to open, to make tools, to practice and how the lock operates.

[josh0094]

have you picked any other locks then that? this sort of same story happend with me, dont give up buddy!

[unbreakable]

Id say get an easier lock, Yales are pretty good quality, possibly with security pins in them. Your brother in law probabley just got luck

Then, take it apart and practice picking with 1 pin, 2, 3, etc.

[Servalite6354]

I learned from the MIT guide to lockpicking. It's pretty easy to find with a Google search. Read the whole thing.

[SFGOON]

All I can say, in all candor, is that sometimes that kind of sh*t happens. It's rare, but it happens. My sister in law can look at a lock and it opens, I always struggle with whatever I'm picking.

[WillBoss]

Thanks for all the advice. I guess he did get lucky but I am afraid to let him at it again in case he does it. If he did I would throw the entire thing away.

have you picked any other locks then that? this sort of same story happened with me, don't give up buddy!

I have picked a Yale padlock in a few seconds. I might try a less expensive cylinder lock and see how I get on.

What gets me is the first pin in the Yale cylinder lock. I cant get it to stay up, it's always popping down!

Short answer: http://locksport.com/LSIGuide/lsiguide.pdf

That explains everything you need to know for that lock to open, to make tools, to practice and how the lock operates.

I downloaded that. It's pretty cool! Thanks!

[Jaakko]

I learned from the MIT guide to lockpicking. It's pretty easy to find with a Google search. Read the whole thing.

That guide is kind of crap when you read the Locksport International Guide to Lock Picking. L.I. Guide has nice photos of things and it is far more shortly explained, thus easier to read and understand