Picking Woes...

[Imsaffor]

I'm fairly new at the lockpicking scene, and have been having some real trouble. I've been watching alot of videos, and read alot of guides including some of the ones posted in signatures on this forum.

I understand the functions of a lock. I've made sure that I understand how they work. And using the raking technique, I can get quite a few locks open. However, most padlocks seem to not open for me even using this method.

What I'm really wanting to learn though, is to pick each pin manually. Again, I've read the guides, watched the videos, and understand how it works, but, I can't seem to pick the lock still. I've tried very little tension. I've tried alot of tension. and theres only a few locks, mainly at my place of work, that I can get using this method. I can see the pins, and when I push them up, even with tension, I can feel the spring push it back down still. Some locks feel like they should be picked, yet don't pick.

I feel very passionate about learning this, so this kind of road block is really frustrating. What kind of tips and/or guides do you guys have that might be able to help me along? Or is it simply an issue of practicing and figuring out for myself what I'm doing wrong?

[Safety0ff]

I can see the pins, and when I push them up, even with tension, I can feel the spring push it back down still.

That's what a pin that's not binding will feel like, try to find the one that feels stuck and push it up. You should be able to feel when you've pushed it up far enough, there will also be an audible click. Once a pin is picked it will feel like "nothing" is the best way I can describe it, it won't have any spring tension. Once a pin stack is set ( or under set with spools) you might see the key pin staying up (if the keyway is upside down) and if it's one of the first pin you'll be able to move it up and down with the tip of the pick without any effort. If all the pins "feel like nothing" them go back to each one and push up lightly to see if the tension wrench tries to rotate in the opposite direct of your tension. In that case you've got spools, so go light on the tension and push up. Some pins may reset meaning you might have to change the order in which you set the pins. Remember even cheap locks might have security pins so don't let your guard down.

[Imsaffor]

One thing I haven't been certain about, some pins bieng down, does that stop other pins from going up? Some of the locks I've worked on seem like the first pin won't push up untill some of the ones farther back go up.

Is that most likely whats causing it not to bind properly?

[Safety0ff]

One thing I haven't been certain about, some pins bieng down, does that stop other pins from going up? Some of the locks I've worked on seem like the first pin won't push up untill some of the ones farther back go up.

Only the ultra cheap junk locks might bind all the pins at the same time. Most locks above the collosaly bad ones will bind in a certain order. For example: you might have to set the before last one before the first one binds, first one before the last one etc etc. If you understand that review the L.I guide to lockpicking or other introductory texts.

[Imsaffor]

LSI was one of the guides I had read before. But rereading it, I got a much better understanding of the "Binding" concept. Thanks, I was beginning to get too frustrated. This information should offer some hope.

[vitti]

It would probably really help you to go out an buy a cheap deadbolt lock to practice on. Get one that is rekeyable (the ultra cheap ones might not be).

Start by taking out some of the pins (there's a few good guides on doing that here too). I'd say start with 2 pins. Get the feel for it. Add another pin, practice on that, add another, practice on that, then add the final pin and practice on that (assuming you have a 5 pin lock which most residential locks are). It will help too if you periodically change the pins around (not in the order they came in) so you can pick a "different" lock without having to buy another one. If you want the lock to be functional with the key after changing the pins around you can easily tell where they originally were by taking the plug and pins out and putting the key in the plug, drop the pins in and see which ones go where by making sure each one is at the shear line. Hope that makes sense.

Personally I bought a lot of 3 double cylinder kwikset deadbolts on ebay for $20. I made one a single pin, one a two pin, one three pin, one four pin, and one five pin (had one left over). I mounted them to a board and used it for practice. I still use it and switch the pins around from time to time once I have mastered the current configuration.

If you've got the time and a little cash this could really help you. You can buy a double cylinder deadbolt (one that uses a key on both sides of the door so you get two locks in one package) for about $15 at most hardware stores.