Safety pin vs quality pick set

[slozinsky]

I am new to lock-picking and my question is this, I have several locks that i have been working on and I am able to open both a master 140 and a master 7 very quickly with just a safety pin and a tension wrench (i have become proficient with just a safety pin as this is all i had to work with while i waited for my picks to arrive in the mail). Since i received my picks i have not been able to open either lock with any of them, i mostly use the short hook because it is the smallest and easiest to maneuver in the cylinder. I think that this is happening because the size of the pick is making the pins become unset as i bump into them while trying to set other pins, i believe the safety pin is small enough that it doesn't interfere with pins that have already been set. Does anyone have any insight into this problem? Maybe i need to use smaller picks for padlocks (the picks i am using are a basic 14 piece southord set)? Thanks in advance for any anyone might be able to give me.

[Safety0ff]

Personaly, the regular (non slimline ones) are too big for my liking. You might also need to sand them to remove the sharp edges.

[StabbyJoe]

It is common practice to sand, file and polish commercial picks along with removing sharp edges as mentioned above...

The other thing is how you interpret the feedback... A pick and a safety pin are quite different.

Also, if a pin is properly set, and you push it upward, because the plug has turned slightly as the driver rises above the shear line, the 'tunnel' along which that pin stack moves is now staggered in one place... because of that the key pin cannot pass the shear point and the driver pin cannot fall... unless you lessen your tension or something, the driver should not fall and unset the pin

I do recommend you get used to picking with actual picks now that you have them... it will make life a lot easier in future

[robotmaxtron]

It's another skill set, people who get very proficient with picking with homebrew items like paperclips and safety pins don't always just get the hang of commercial picks.

Continue practicing with the commercial picks, if you feel they are too big after a while then follow Safety0ff's advise and pick up some slimline picks.

[slozinsky]

Thanks for the advice, i am feeling that the picks may be too big inside the pad locks i am trying to open. The keyhole in the deadbolt on my apartment is much bigger and i have no problem opening it with the new picks. I will keep practicing.
Thanks again.

[le.nutzman]

Thanks for the advice, i am feeling that the picks may be too big inside the pad locks i am trying to open. The keyhole in the deadbolt on my apartment is much bigger and i have no problem opening it with the new picks. I will keep practicing.
Thanks again.

I think it's the user. Here's why:

You can pick a lock using a safety pin to simulate the actual picks that you've recently received. Now you have the appropriate tools to actually do the job and due to your lack of familiarity with the tools and the type of feedback they provide, you're misunderstanding what the tools are telling you and thusly, you aren't able to pick the lock.

Southord 14pc, Petersen Pick 5, doesn't make a lick of difference. I pick American 5200 padlocks with a variety of different picks ranging from bobby pins, safety pins, SO slimline, Petersen Reach and Slender gem. But I've been picking locks for a while and have a well diversified set of tools, all of which I am completely familiar with what the feed back feels like for each tool that I use.

Regarding your Masterlock 140, the SO slimline hook is more than adequate to defeat that lock. I have used that very same pick to defeat almost every lock i've came across. However, if you disagree, and by all means you're welcome to, use the half diamond.

If you want to see my diversified set, go to photobucket and look up my gallery/album, username is Helljack6.

Rule #1 across the forum boards:

NEVER pick locks that are in use, aren't your or that you don't have explicit permission to pick as you could in fact damage them.

The fact that you were walking around picking locks with safety pins only increases the potential of damaging a lock. Will it happen to you immediately, probably not, but picking the lock with a crowbar vs. picks designed to do the job will damage the lock alot faster, understand the comparison?

Sorry if this is coming off as brutal, but it's like me being asian and eatting with a fork for the first time saying, "Naw, I don't like this because I can't tell what I'm doing with it like I can with chopsticks." I have no clue what a fork is, how it was meant to be used or the properties behind it so for me to just dismiss it out of the blue because I can no longer eat the same foods that I could eat with chopsticks is crazy stupid.

[slozinsky]

le.nutzman.

Thanks for your insight into my problem, i would just like to reiterate what i said in my post.
1. my padlocks - as in im not walking around opening other peoples locks
2. my issue was more to do with that i felt the picks i am using are too big for the keyhole in the pad locks i am trying to open - i completely understand that there will be a significant difference between a safety pin, and a commercial pick. In your post you mention that you use slimline picks to defeat the same lock - this confirms what i suspected in that i may have better luck with a slimmer pick.

Cheers

[vitti]

if you've got a file or dremel tool with a grinding wheel you can make those picks into slimlines. Just file/grind down the shaft of the pick to about 3/32", just slightly less than 1/8". The tip of the pick isn't much different than the slims, it's mostly in the shaft.

[Kaotik]

slozinski, please don't take offence to the way le.nutzman made his statement regarding picking locks.

I'll re-reiterate this for you. You are a new member here and are also new to picking, we know that. But, you may have not yet acknowledged the fact that alot of members here do not condone the picking of locks in use for the potential damage that could occure, which in turn sends them back for more questions on how to fix the lock on there door that just broke.

He did not say you were walking around picking other peoples locks, he just said walking around picking locks.

For the problem you seem to be having, I feel it is more that your use to feeling the feedback with makeshift tools such as paperclips, hairpins ect. and not yet use to the feedback from the proper tools. When a picker starts out using other things to pick locks and later uses actual lockpicking tools, you would commonly expect the picks to react and feel like the makeshift tools, well that won't happen, you will need to start over from scratch with the picks and get a feel for them.

There is nothing wrong with the set you have, it's the way you interpret the feel of a different tool in your hand. A professional tool. So please be patient and keep practicing, you will be picking the practice locks you have in no time.

If and when you do get the right feel for using the proper tools then you can adjust and/or modify them to suit your specific needs. There are plenty of topics and information on this site to help you with that.

[slozinsky]

Thanks for the advice Kaotic, i appreciate all the feedback i have gotten on this problem.

No offense was taken by the previous post, i just felt my problem may have been misinterpreted.

Cheers

[slozinsky]

Kaotic,

What i am currently practicing on are several padlocks purchased from a hardware store, not door locks in use. I am just wondering what you meant by the following statement? I think there may be a misunderstanding.

"you may have not yet acknowledged the fact that alot of members here do not condone the picking of locks in use for the potential damage that could occure which in turn sends them back for more questions on how to fix the lock on there door that just broke."

Cheers

[Kaotik]

The keyhole in the deadbolt on my apartment is much bigger and i have no problem opening it with the new picks.

That's what I was speaking of, and also why le.nutzman made his comment.

[slozinsky]

Ah, my mistake.

Thanks

[Kaotik]

No problem.

Hope you get the feel for your new tools. Again, you will find all sorts of intersting tips, tricks and techniques in here to make your picks awesome.

[le.nutzman]

Thanks for the advice, i am feeling that the picks may be too big inside the pad locks i am trying to open. The keyhole in the deadbolt on my apartment is much bigger and i have no problem opening it with the new picks. I will keep practicing.
Thanks again.

I think this is what myself and Kaotik both were referring to. You directly relate to a deadbolt, in use on your apartment door, that you can pick open with the new tools. Since you are renting the apartment, you don't own that lock on the front door, therefore you are picking someone else's lock and should it break, you will be held responsible.

This is the point that I was trying to make, we do not condone the picking of LOCKS IN USE.