Tips For A Begginner?

[Dobbo049]

Hey
im pretty new to the hole idea of lockpicking, and was wondering if anyone could gimme any tips?

iv ordered a Bird lock which will hopefully help me learn how to feel each pin so i can lock it pin by pin. but so far i have only been picking one lock.

Scrubbing im ok at, i got bored cos i couldnt pick it pin by pin so i had ago at scrubbing it on hardly any tention and to my supprise the lock swung open, iv mannaged to do it quite a few times but if i try pick it pin by pin, its shear luck if i succed, not skill.

Im mostly having trouble with listening and feeling when the pins go into place, i cant tell the difference between a pin setting, to it poping back out, going the hole way in or just my hitting the pick on a different part of the lock. some clicks are quite loud, others very soft.

So hopefully this new lock will help a little in that area.

But can anyone gimme any tips? things i should look/listen/feel for?

thanks
stu

[linuxbz]

There is an excellent summary by Digital Blue of tutorials in this posting: http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=10715

Look especially at the Locksport Skills section.

[dougfarre]

When you set a pin, the plug might move a little, It should feel good.

[FFVison]

When you set a pin, you should definitely be able to feel it. You will probably feel it even moreso with your wrench hand than your picking hand. I would DEFINITELY work on SPP in place of raking/scrubbing because you will find it more rewarding. I personally would feel slighted if I could only rake/scrub open a lock and couldn't pick it. It took me probably about 3 or 4 hours at least to pick my first lock the first time and even then, I wasn't able to do it consistently. Perhaps you should try a variety of locks. On top of that, you should either get a rekeyable lock or something. If you only practice on the same locks over and over again, you will get better at picking THOSE locks in specific and not improve much at picking in general. When setting a pin, you will notice a popping feeling in the wrench as it turns the plug a little bit further than it was before. I wouldn't worry too much about sounds as I think that they just kind of get in the way to start off with. As for the feel, it's just something that you have to get used to the feel of. I also recommend getting a few padlocks to practice on as well. It's true that they can be more difficult to read than a deadbolt or KiK, but I think that it could be good to be able to pop one of these too. General consensus seems to be that a Master Number 1/3/5 is a good place to start for a padlock. These are the typical gray steel locks with the blue band around the bottom that you see everywhere. Padlocks are also nice because when that shackle pops up, it has a sort of thunk that it sends through your hand that is just delightful and very satisfying.

Let's see... additional advice.... Don't pick any locks in use as they might break and if you are locked out of somewhere because the lock was broken, that's a bad thing. That means you have to call the locksmith and have them install a new lock.

[FFVison]

When you set a pin, you should definitely be able to feel it. You will probably feel it even moreso with your wrench hand than your picking hand. I would DEFINITELY work on SPP in place of raking/scrubbing because you will find it more rewarding. I personally would feel slighted if I could only rake/scrub open a lock and couldn't pick it. It took me probably about 3 or 4 hours at least to pick my first lock the first time and even then, I wasn't able to do it consistently. Perhaps you should try a variety of locks. On top of that, you should either get a rekeyable lock or something. If you only practice on the same locks over and over again, you will get better at picking THOSE locks in specific and not improve much at picking in general. When setting a pin, you will notice a popping feeling in the wrench as it turns the plug a little bit further than it was before. I wouldn't worry too much about sounds as I think that they just kind of get in the way to start off with. As for the feel, it's just something that you have to get used to the feel of. I also recommend getting a few padlocks to practice on as well. It's true that they can be more difficult to read than a deadbolt or KiK, but I think that it could be good to be able to pop one of these too. General consensus seems to be that a Master Number 1/3/5 is a good place to start for a padlock. These are the typical gray steel locks with the blue band around the bottom that you see everywhere. Padlocks are also nice because when that shackle pops up, it has a sort of thunk that it sends through your hand that is just delightful and very satisfying.

Let's see... additional advice.... Don't pick any locks in use as they might break and if you are locked out of somewhere because the lock was broken, that's a bad thing. That means you have to call the locksmith and have them install a new lock.

[Dobbo049]

thanks guys, hopefully my bird lock should be here today or tomorrowso ill get practiceing on that. the only padlock we have is a master lock and im not supprised i cant pick that yet.

jst wondering what people prefered pin by pin tools are?
mine at the moment would be the half diamond. i was told the hook is the best but i couldnt get it in the lock cleanly without hitting all the other pins on the way in.

thanksfor the info
stu

[Dobbo049]

i got the bird lock today and i took it apart so i could try it with different pins to practice, i found 4 pins realy easy i can feel when each one goes in, its not just guess work, but when i put all 5 pins in, im lost :S i just cant do it any where near as easy, and the pins just dont seem to go in place :S

i was considering getting a cut away lock to help with the feel cos i think it may help to know when the pins have actually gone in? to get an idea of what its like
would you recomend getting one?

thanks
Stu

[Havoc]

The general consensus around here it would seem is that cutaways are a waste of money unless you make your own. Of course I haven't been here long enough to speak for anyone..or about anything, really, but the one method I seem to be doing fairly well with is a lock cylinder that I pulled out of a doorknob. Albeit with great difficulty because I bought a goofy lock.

But once you have a doorknob, look at the threads on dissaembling them and re-keying them to know how to take them apart and move the pins around.

Then you can practice with just the very heart of the puzzle in your hand, with any number of pins in any combination you like!

[Dobbo049]

i made a cut away from my Bird lock
its not good enough to see the pins but you can see when you have gone too far and it has helped alot!

another mistake i was doing was instead of pushing the pins i was pushing against the metal inbetween the pins, which was why i wasnt getting anywhere fast

thanks guy
stu