I'm new, can I learn using improvised tools?

[ahazaq2]

Most of the books I've read* have recommended starting off using improvised tools, like safety pins and a pen clip for a tension wrench.

I'm just starting, is this smart, or what?




*Secrets of Lockpicking by Steve Hampton
* How to Open Locks with Improvised Tools by Hans Conkel


Both of those have gotten great reviews from amazon.

Also I'm trying to pick a master padlock with a fairly large keyway. I can get the first pin to bind almost all the time, and I'm just wondering now, how do you know if a pin has bound if you can't see it?

[op-sec]

You will know a pin has bound because you will feel it "stuck" vs having springiness. I usually insert my feeler pick all the way into the lock and count pins, feel their natural springiness from back to front before ever applying tension and starting to actually pick.

As for improvised Vs. pro tools, I use both. I made a feeler pick (short hook) and tension wrench from the ear pieces of a pair of wire glasses. They work great on locks they fit into but, I like my SouthOrd pick set too and it will fit into nearly everything I have tried.

[raimundo]

hand made tools can be very good, and the experience of making them will serve you for life. however improvised tools out of saftey pins and such will frustrate you and teach you bad habits, paper clips are simply not stiff enough to be dependable pix.
If you have files or a grinder, it would not be hard to produce a good halfdiamond or hook from a piece of streetsweeper bristle. theres not that much to cut away and the size of the metal stock is an ideal size for pick tips. before putting such a tool into a lock, it must be sanded smooth though. Once you get this tool you will be able to learn without the distraction of having to compensate for inadequate tools.

[dboeren]

You'll learn faster using proper tools because you can concentrate on what you're trying to do rather than on how to overcome the shortcomings of your makeshift tools. To start out with you only really need a couple of picks so it's really inexpensive. A short hook, a half diamond, and a tension wrench will get you going.

The Hans Conkel book is specifically about using improvised tools, so of course they are going to talk about using junk that's lying around. The Steve Hampton book is just fairly old. Back in 1987 you couldn't get your hands on proper lockpicks within just a few mouse clicks, so I expect that's why he assumes that you won't have easy access to the right tools for the job and would have to make due with whatever you can find.

[zsoutendijk]

i learned on a safety pin and a grinded allen wrench

then i got a slim line set...

now i make my own tools w/ hacksaws!

i would say that i RECOMMEND using improvised tools, sometimes you can feel the pressure need a little better to begin.

by the way, both those books are great info, but i prefer "secrets of lockpicking"

-Zack

[Trip Doctor]

I would recommend getting a basic set first. That'll teach you to get a nice feel of the locks (using paperclips and pins feels a bit different, and like Raimundo said, can teach you improperly and give you bad habits). If you start with paper clips and pins, you'll have a hard time picking when you actually use a 'real' pick.
I'd also recommend getting a basic set before starting to make your own picks. Once you start learning the basic feel of the lock with the picks, it will be easier for you to make your own, and you will know better what you want in a pick, and in turn, how to go about making your picks. It's kinda hard to experiment with making different picks and seeing how they work when you don't exactly know how they should work.. see what I'm sayin? Buying some commercial picks will give you a basis to compare to.

[grim]

You will know a pin has bound because you will feel it "stuck" vs having springiness.

if it's a padlock or free cylinder, you can also give it a little shake and hear the (bottom) pins rattling freely. this isn't a "graven-in-stone rule" but a rule of thumb.

[priz2086]

I learned using improvised tools, paperclips, safety pins, hairpins, making my own. I recently got a real pocket set of picks and they are like magic. All that time I spent using the subquality tools just make the experience with actual tools much better. Plus you have the knowlege of how to use the improvised tools in a jif. I usually carry a few hairpins around in my wallet just in case....