Feeling the Pins better

[Asheron]

Hello,

I'm a programmer (admin at a programming forum so don't worry this won't break the intro self rules) who just got into picking locks

I'm still working on my first 5 pin deadbolt and have a question. While I was just doing two pins I was able to do it with a small screwdriver and could feel the pins relatively well. However, last night I made myself a pick. (the one like: _______) (curves up at the end)) and I find that now I'm mostly just scrubbing the lock open. I can't seem to feel the pins.

Does anyone have some tips on how I can get that feel back? As has been said in the technique forum raking doesn't give the same feeling of accomplishment and isn't as useful


Thanks,
Asheron

[Chucklz]

Practice. Thats the only way to learn what your fingers are feeling. And the raking (scrubbing is an odd term btw) method, well thats okay too. Picking can kind of be like Perl... There's more than one way to do it.

Now, what would be most helpful would be if you describe what you made your pick out of, and what you are doing for a tension wrench.

[plot]

get a kwikset deadbolt and take all but 2 pins out of it... then start feeling those two pins, work your way up. best way i've found to do it.

[Asheron]

I bought myself a kwikset deadbolt (pick resistant unfortunantly but that doesn't seem to matter much ) I'm at 3 but you think I should go back to 2 pins to feel them?

The Pick is from a hacksaw blade and the tension wrench is a tapered hex wrench (allen wrench they are also called).

[Chucklz]

Kwikset is NOT pick resistant, so dont worry about their advertising. Try picking the two pin version about 60-100 times. Then add a pin then do the 60-100 time thing again, then repeat and repeat.

[Asheron]

thank you one last question.


The pick that I have has a quite steep curve at the end. (I think one site called it a deep pick) Would a shallower curve help me at all?

[Guitar_J]

http://www.southord.com/catalog.asp?cat=locksmith&rowstart=90

second pick down is a short hook (Southord# MP-07) that is (at least IMHO) your "basic" pick..

if you go down the page a little more (4th pick down) you'll see a Small Diamond.. another fine pick. These are the two I use most often for picking.

I personally don't like the feel of a Long hook, it doesn't seem to offer as much manuverability as a short hook.

But it is really a matter of preference... However for a beginner (like you and me) I think that short hooks and small half diamonds work the best for picking.

just my .02

[Asheron]

thanks I'll make those two as soon as I can get to the grinder again