Lock Picking 101 Forum
A community dedicated to the fun and ethical hobby of lock picking.
       

Lock Picking 101 Home
Login
Profile
Members
Forum Rules
Frequent Forum Questions
SEARCH
View New Posts
View Active Topics


Live Chat on Discord
LP101 Forum Chat
Keypicking Forum Chat
Reddit r/lockpicking Chat



Learn How to Pick Locks
FAQs & General Questions
Got Beginner Questions?
Pick-Fu [Intermediate Level]


Ask a Locksmith
This Old Lock
This Old Safe
What Lock Should I Buy?



Hardware
Locks
Lock Patents
Lock Picks
Lock Bumping
Lock Impressioning
Lock Pick Guns, Snappers
European Locks & Picks
The Machine Shop
The Open Source Lock
Handcuffs


Member Spotlight
Member Introductions
Member Lock Collections
Member Social Media


Off Topic
General Chatter
Other Puzzles


Locksmith Business Info
Training & Licensing
Running a Business
Keyways & Key Blanks
Key Machines
Master Keyed Systems
Closers and Crash Bars
Life Safety Compliance
Electronic Locks & Access
Locksmith Supplies
Locksmith Lounge


Buy Sell Trade
Buy - Sell - Trade
It came from Ebay!


Advanced Topics
Membership Information
Special Access Required:
High Security Locks
Vending Locks
Advanced Lock Pick Tools
Bypass Techniques
Safes & Safe Locks
Automotive Entry & Tools
Advanced Buy/Sell/Trade


Locksport Groups
Locksport Local
Chapter President's Office
Locksport Board Room
 

PLZZZ Help!!! I can Hardly ever pick a Master Lock

Picked all the easy locks and want to step up your game? Further your lock picking techniques, exchange pro tips, videos, lessons, and develop your skills here.

PLZZZ Help!!! I can Hardly ever pick a Master Lock

Postby csthomas » 5 Feb 2008 19:41

Hi, I've been lock picking for about 3 weeks, I can get most padlocks I come across. (Except for masters) Problem is most locks I see are Master locks therefore I can only pick 35% of the padlocks i come across...any advice will be immensly appreciated.
csthomas
 
Posts: 43
Joined: 31 Jan 2008 17:21
Location: North Eastren United States

Postby op-sec » 5 Feb 2008 21:46

Just stick with it. The Master locks I have (and I have a few) don't require much tension at all. If you've got a twist in your tension wrench like mine, you may be able to understand this next statement. Use *just* enough pressure on the tension wrench to make it flex. I'm talking about the minimum amount of deflection in the wrench. I pick by feel so, I just picked up my Master #930 and picked it watching the tension wrench (I don't usually even look at the lock at all)... That's the tension I used... Just enough to cause the wrench to flex ever so slightly... The #930 has five spool pins but, with that tension, I just picked it in about 20 seconds.

Using too much tension, you'll have more than one pin binding. Use too little and you either won't have any binding pins or you have to pay VERY close attention to the lock... Otherwise you won't notice when a pin sets. I may or may not be using too much tension. I can usually hear - very clearly - when a pin sets.

Maybe someone else will chime in and tell me I'm such a total n00b that I should just shut up. :D I'm sure there are lots of folks here who have m@d sk!llz way beyond mine. :oops:

No matter what, just stick with it. I actually find the master locks fairly easy to pick. I like them for that reason. They make me look like I know what I'm doing. :shock:
JohnOPSEC
op-sec
 
Posts: 169
Joined: 14 Jan 2008 9:56
Location: Somewhere in Southeast Asia most of the time...

Postby csthomas » 5 Feb 2008 21:55

Thx for help bro ill give it another try :D
csthomas
 
Posts: 43
Joined: 31 Jan 2008 17:21
Location: North Eastren United States

Re: PLZZZ Help!!! I can Hardly ever pick a Master Lock

Postby Squelchtone » 5 Feb 2008 23:13

csthomas wrote:Hi, I've been lock picking for about 3 weeks, I can get most padlocks I come across. (Except for masters) Problem is most locks I see are Master locks therefore I can only pick 35% of the padlocks i come across...any advice will be immensly appreciated.


How are you coming across these locks?

Squelchtone
Image
User avatar
Squelchtone
Site Admin
 
Posts: 11307
Joined: 11 May 2006 0:41
Location: right behind you.

Postby csthomas » 6 Feb 2008 0:33

I have about 20 locks around my house with no keys, most attached to things that do lock but its just annoying, and id rather not cut them...but if you can help me with advise...agian it'll be much appreciated
csthomas
 
Posts: 43
Joined: 31 Jan 2008 17:21
Location: North Eastren United States

model numbers

Postby raimundo » 6 Feb 2008 11:25

I think that when you say you have masterlocks, everyone is pictureing the model #3, if you could be more specific about the model number, that might help clear up some of the problems, you may have several models, there is a difference, some are brass and made in china, others may be laminiated and made in milwaukee, there are various keyways also. and newer master locks may have a special pin against bumping, there is a video of this on youtube, search master antibumping or similiar searchterms.
Wake up and smell the Kafka!!!
raimundo
 
Posts: 7130
Joined: 21 Apr 2004 9:02
Location: Minnneapolis

Postby csthomas » 6 Feb 2008 13:59

Good point, sorry about that. The modles here are #'s: 1,2,5,&311p
Thanks in advance
csthomas
 
Posts: 43
Joined: 31 Jan 2008 17:21
Location: North Eastren United States

Postby bumber » 6 Feb 2008 15:25

Maybe someone else will chime in and tell me I'm such a total n00b that I should just shut up. I'm sure there are lots of folks here who have m@d sk!llz way beyond mine.

Actually that sounds about right to me(your whole post :lol: ), although I dont know what tools he is using hopefully some picks...even bad home made picks are better than the bobby pin/paper clip route...but we'll see.
bumber
 
Posts: 763
Joined: 3 Apr 2007 21:20
Location: Florida

Postby csthomas » 6 Feb 2008 20:11

:lol: I'm using a half dimond pick from the southord pxs-17...really nice set.
csthomas
 
Posts: 43
Joined: 31 Jan 2008 17:21
Location: North Eastren United States

Postby op-sec » 6 Feb 2008 23:27

OK. I'm a total n00b but, I'm learning fast. :D I sliced through another 5-spool Master tonight. I did the #911 in 20 seconds. :o

I then proceeded to render the lock useless. :shock: I accidently rotated the plug clockwise (from the open position) instead of CCW and now it's stuck. Top pins are now entering the bottom of the keyway. Grrrr... I so loved this particular lock too!

Moral of this story? Always rotate the plug back to locked after you pull the hasp. Or at a minimum, don't close the hasp again until you have rotated the plug back. If the lock was still open, I could remove the plug and correct the situation.
JohnOPSEC
op-sec
 
Posts: 169
Joined: 14 Jan 2008 9:56
Location: Somewhere in Southeast Asia most of the time...

Postby LockNewbie21 » 6 Feb 2008 23:56

well the crappy masters like the laminated ones you can just snag the shackle clasps through the key way and not worry about picking.

The only thing that got me with the 991 is that rediculoud drill guard.. on a padlock with a hardended shackle. Even there boron alloys feel like chrome plated butter.

Anyway just keep practicing, if the locks are gummed up spray a bit of WD40 in there to get them moving good again.


LN21
[deadlink]http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/Locknewbie21/LockNewbie21Sig.jpg[/img]
LockNewbie21
 
Posts: 3625
Joined: 21 Feb 2006 2:26
Location: The Keystone State

Postby csthomas » 7 Feb 2008 1:21

THX all for help i got the 311p master with no problrm now...so keep it comin plz
csthomas
 
Posts: 43
Joined: 31 Jan 2008 17:21
Location: North Eastren United States

Postby MacGyver101 » 7 Feb 2008 10:52

op-sec wrote:I accidently rotated the plug clockwise (from the open position) instead of CCW and now it's stuck. Top pins are now entering the bottom of the keyway.


That's usually not hard to fix: try inserting the long handle of a tension wrench into the keyway and lifting all of the driver pins up at the same time while rotating the plug. Assuming that the drivers aren't so short that they've twisted in the keyway, you should be able to push them up and unbind the cylinder.
Image
User avatar
MacGyver101
Moderator Emeritus
 
Posts: 1560
Joined: 21 Jun 2006 14:40
Location: Toronto, Canada


Return to Pick-Fu [Intermediate Skill Level]

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests