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
 

Mushroom pins?

Having read the FAQ's you are still unfulfilled and seek more enlightenment, so post your general lock picking questions here.
Forum rules
Do not post safe related questions in this sub forum! Post them in This Old Safe

The sub forum you are currently in is for asking Beginner Hobby Lock Picking questions only.

Mushroom pins?

Postby Shib » 22 Aug 2008 15:58

First off I am pretty new to lock picking, I have a prolock, dudly 40mm padlock, a masterlock no. 5 and I recently got a Garrison padlock. This lock isn't really well known and was pretty cheap so I bought it to give it a try. In the first 5 mins I had it I was able to pick it but now I have ran into a problem. When I start picking some of the pins, the plug with turn ever so slightly clockwise and then locks in place (feels like it is opening but then stop short).. I also can't pick anymore pins...

could this be the result of a security pin or a mushroom type pin?

Thanks guys :D
Shib
 
Posts: 20
Joined: 18 Mar 2008 15:21

Postby Urbex » 22 Aug 2008 16:25

Is the padlock new, or weathered?

Have you tried going over each pin again, assuming your picking each pin individually?

Security pins will usually give you some sort of negative feedback, wanting to turn the plug backwards. It may be some kind of imperfection, and one of the top pins may be catching on the plug.
Urbex
 
Posts: 105
Joined: 16 Feb 2008 0:30
Location: Eastern MA USA

Postby Shib » 22 Aug 2008 16:38

Urbex wrote:Is the padlock new, or weathered?

Have you tried going over each pin again, assuming your picking each pin individually?

Security pins will usually give you some sort of negative feedback, wanting to turn the plug backwards. It may be some kind of imperfection, and one of the top pins may be catching on the plug.


It is a brand new lock, perhaps.. if I use realllly light tension I can pick all 4 pins (I think its a 5 pin, not a 4 pin).. just can't get the last one
Shib
 
Posts: 20
Joined: 18 Mar 2008 15:21

Postby Urbex » 22 Aug 2008 16:49

Try picking the four pins and back off the tension for one click, then apply normal tension pressure. Pick the fifth pin, and then go back for the one you reset.

Lock can play funny games on you, sending your pick back and forth.
Urbex
 
Posts: 105
Joined: 16 Feb 2008 0:30
Location: Eastern MA USA

Postby Shib » 22 Aug 2008 17:06

ah ok I think I have got it.. I've gotten it twice now, just need to practice now I guess

Thanks :)
Shib
 
Posts: 20
Joined: 18 Mar 2008 15:21

Postby prag » 23 Aug 2008 10:22

Good to hear you got it. Most of the time its too much tension creating pressure points and the pins won't move. Easing the pressure or restarting usually helps the picking process.

Excellent reading material on this very topic in this site. Just check out the sticky on this topic. Has helped me allot.
IF life throws you lemons
MAKE LEMONADE
prag
 
Posts: 201
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 6:00
Location: South Africa

Postby DietBroccoli » 23 Aug 2008 17:05

Today I got a new pick set and wanted to try it out (i'm still kind of a noob) so i tried picking the door to my house (which i've done before) but this time i run into a recurring problem... it feels like i picked it and it turns, a lot, but the knob still wont turn and its still locked, i tried starting at the back and i ease up on the tension but i still get stuck.

what am i doing wrong?
Image

My gif is broken :( oh well, if you really wanna see it i guess you'll just have to follow the URL
DietBroccoli
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 22 Jul 2008 14:42

Postby Urbex » 23 Aug 2008 17:25

I highly advise against picking locks in use, if it breaks your going to have a problem. Go to the store and get yourself a practice lock, you can get yourself a cheap deadbolt for fifteen dollars.

The problem you may have is your tension wrench isn't capable of producing the turning force necessary to unlock the door. You can try inserting another wrench to distribute the load, or a small flat tip screwdriver.

Depending on how much the plug turns, you may have yourself a spool pin. Try pushing up on each pin again, and try to find one that gives you negative feedback (see above posts).

Of course, don't attempt those on a lock you rely on!
Urbex
 
Posts: 105
Joined: 16 Feb 2008 0:30
Location: Eastern MA USA

Postby TMIB » 23 Aug 2008 20:49

DietBroccoli wrote:...(i'm still kind of a noob) ...

what am i doing wrong?


You're picking a lock that is in use. Don't do that unless you are prepared to deal with the consequenses of breaking the lock.

As has been posted many times around this site, picking locks in use is generally a bad idea. If you end up breaking the lock and then being unable to lock or unlock it, it could make for a big problem.

You can pick up a cheap deadbolt set at Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, etc for not much money. Many of which are fairly simple to remove and rearrange pins in, so that you can get a lot of useful practice out of just one lock.

As tempting as it is to "try out" your house lock, as a fellow noob, let me encourage you not to do so.

Thanks,

--Tracy
TMIB
Supporter
Supporter
 
Posts: 58
Joined: 7 Aug 2007 17:25
Location: Lakewood, WA, USA

Postby DietBroccoli » 25 Aug 2008 1:47

meh, i guess. i'm not exactly sure how it'd break but i will take your word for it. it still intrigues me that it will turn but not unlock
Image

My gif is broken :( oh well, if you really wanna see it i guess you'll just have to follow the URL
DietBroccoli
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 22 Jul 2008 14:42

Postby TMIB » 25 Aug 2008 11:21

DietBroccoli wrote:meh, i guess. i'm not exactly sure how it'd break but i will take your word for it.




There's a number of ways a lock can be broken by picking. I won't go into all of them here, but suffice to say that it's easier to do than you might expect. I bet if you search around the forum a bit, you might see some of the posts where others have accidentally broken locks in use and come here for help.

DietBroccoli wrote:it still intrigues me that it will turn but not unlock


How far did yout turn the lock cylinder? You said the knob still won't turn; I'm assuming then that this is the lockset/doorknob, not the deadbolt?

Is it possible that you rotated the cylinder the wrong direction? If you're turning the cylinder the wrong way, it's just trying to lock an already locked door.

My suggestions to you would be to first off verify that the key still works fine in the lock (we had one person post here that had rotated the cylinder completely upside down and thus had the pins drop down into the bottom of the keyway) then leave it alone.

Next, go hit a hardware store and pick up a cheap deadbolt set. I posted one here a while back (viewtopic.php?p=259643) that has a removable clip that can be used to change the number and layout of the pins. I'm sure there are others like it if you don't have a Lowe's near you.

Then you can practice to your hearts content without any worries about potentially breaking a lock that you're using. It'll also give you a lot more useful practice, as you can reorder the pins, or even drop a set of spool pins in.

I'm still very much a beginner myself, but have learned a lot of valuable lessons from the more seasoned pros here.

--TMIB
TMIB
Supporter
Supporter
 
Posts: 58
Joined: 7 Aug 2007 17:25
Location: Lakewood, WA, USA

Postby aka.decoy » 26 Aug 2008 1:35

correct me if i'm wrong, but you could be experiencing a "false set". These can be exciting and discouraging at the same time. Here's a thread I've found briefly discussing how to deal with this situation:

viewtopic.php?p=276257
aka.decoy
 
Posts: 22
Joined: 16 Aug 2008 21:21
Location: Hawaii

Postby le.nutzman » 27 Aug 2008 8:50

For you NOOBS out there, picking locks in use not only will run the risk of potentially damaging the locks, but you're less likely to get any help here in the forums by any of the seasoned vets on the site as almost NOBODY here supports the picking of locks in use whether you own them or not and have exclusive permission to pick said lock in use.



DietBroccoli wrote:
meh, i guess. i'm not exactly sure how it'd break but i will take your word for it.


That tells me and possibly anyone else reading this post that you really DON'T know what you're doing with the tools you just received which, will lead to even less help in the long run. Whether you think you got it or not, you don't. You're testing your new found tools on a $30 residential lock that can probably be popped in under 20 seconds in most cases and your inexperience with what you're doing and the tools you're using are only helping that potential theif to cut that 20 seconds down even further.

So before you come off like you know what you're doing and tossing anyone else's guidance to the side like you already knew or it doesn't make a difference to you either way, realize that based on your own words, you SERIOUSLY don't know what you're doing.

If you want to figure out what you're doing, go to HD or Lowe's and pick up a re-pinnable dead bolt and go through DB's exercise listed as a sticky in the Forums and start the hobby of lockpicking with a bit more knowledge than just posting something to the effect that you're picking your front door lock.

You might be able to pick your front door lock and that's great, but it's not so great when you're doing it and an officer just happens to cruise by and sees you doing it, then you have to explain the whole "I live here" and once you get done with that, then you have to explain why you have lockpicks and why you're picking the door, and in some states, if you're not a bonafide practicing lockie and you have lockpicks, you're going to jail regardless.

Sorry if it sounds like i'm jumping on you, but I am. I've been on this site for a while, and I've read near every post available, and it's always the same thing. Why? Because 1: people don't listen, 2: people don't use the search feature and 3: people think that everyone should just give them the answer without having to go look for it first.

DON'T PICK LOCKS IN USE, DON'T PICK LOCKS YOU DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER TO PICK, YOU'RE LACK OF EXPERIENCE CAN AND WILL DAMAGE A LOCK.
Image
le.nutzman
 
Posts: 299
Joined: 19 Sep 2006 7:03
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska


Return to Got Questions? - Ask Beginner Hobby Lockpicking Questions Here

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests