Newbies first miserable attempts

[peejay52]

Hi guys,
I just want to say to all the newbies like me check out digital blues "beginners lockpicking guide"...
These guys really do know the ins and outs of all the skills we need to succeed...My first attempts the other night with a couple of padlocks and a "legge" rim lock were useless and at first I thought " this is too difficult" and nearly gave in before I started. But then I read the guide and found out some basic but very necessary techniques...First off strip down a lock to see what is actually happening inside and secondly reduce the tension....And I mean reduce it...I was almost twisting the core inside out )...After this guide I opened the padlock first time and have now managed to get up to 2 pins in the rim lock beaten every time. Tonight I will add the 3rd pin and progress...Sorry to bore you experienced guys but just wanted to say a big thank you from this old fart in the UK,
pete.

[SnowyBoy]

We all go through the same thing mate

It took me 5 hours to open an Abus padlock with spools..... once I got it, I could get it again under a minute single pin picking and under 10 seconds jiggling with a bogotta

Keep at it

[peejay52]

thanx for your encouragement snowy..i am now bitten and have just bought a mortise sashlock to open learn and pick

[SnowyBoy]

thanx for your encouragement snowy..i am now bitten and have just bought a mortise sashlock to open learn and pick

When you think you're ready for a cutaway lock, send me a message. I make loads of different types.

I say 'when you're ready' as sometimes learning on a cutaway can give you false confidence when it comes to picking, the best way is doing it blind when you are starting out.

Have fun

[Scott_93]

thanx for your encouragement snowy..i am now bitten and have just bought a mortise sashlock to open learn and pick

I wouldn't recommend trying a mortice lever lock to try to pick, I would instead recommend buying a "BIRD" rim cylinder lock which are commonly sold in "SECURITY" packaging and can be bought for under £5 from most local, cheap type DIY shops.

Scott.

[Azerith]

When i started, a year or 3 ago, i started with some $2 padlocks and a basic door lock (lock on both sides) so i could keep one together and take the other apart and repin it as per Blue's guide. Really really helped. Ive been out of the game for the past 2 and a bit years after a scare i had, but im getting back into it now bu sadly all my locks are in storage so im having to buy new ones. Starting from the beginning again though. Those basics of getting the fell for the pin under the spring, and when it binds are so important. There's such a wealth of knowledge in these forums.
Those $2 padlocks took me ages until i learned what i was feeling for. then they became a 15seccon job.

[peejay52]

thanks scott,
I got one of those cheapie rims and had a go. Havent managed to open it with spp yet but used a rake and got it first time.... However I am persevering as I want to learn the skill not hit and miss
thanks

[samroberts]

i remember when i first started out. £60 seemed like a lot for a pick set considering i got £2.50 a week , so i improvised my own. these included a hair pin (for the pik) bent over with a hammer against a brick, and another one twisted into an L for a tension wrench. it actually worked and i was well chuffed, so if any one has made improvised picks let me know

[LocksmithArmy]

i remember when i first started out. £60 seemed like a lot for a pick set considering i got £2.50 a week , so i improvised my own. these included a hair pin (for the pik) bent over with a hammer against a brick, and another one twisted into an L for a tension wrench. it actually worked and i was well chuffed, so if any one has made improvised picks let me know

check the "lockpicks - manual" section... just about everyone has made there own picks but the best of which will be posted there... you can get some great ideas from them

[hoggy]

I've just started out, and plan to go down the take the lock apart and remove most of the pins route.

Funny, last weekend I could pick a Master 6 pin padlock in a minute or two, but now I can't pick it at all. Just goes to show that to start off good practice is vital!

I used to help coach at my local archery club and used to see the same ups and downs in ability there. Once you start you don't have many bad habits, but soon the desire to hit the gold gets in the way and that gets in the way of wanting to shoot better. I think the same thing has happened to me with my padlocks, opening them became more important and exciting (let's face it - it's amazing when you start out) that honing my lock picking skills.

[gilduran]

I just received my first real pick set Tuesday and quickly went to work on whatever I could get my hands on.

First up was an inexpensive Master lock, the ones with the blue band around the bottom, and I thought I was doing real good by popping open in under a couple minutes. I thought to myself, "YEAH, that was easy!", until I took a look at the key and realized it was a fairly simple pin pattern. Progressively shallower pins from back (of cylinder) to front and I popped it open my tilting the pick up in the key way. Then I tried another padlock and the results were less that stellar.

I started taking my time and trying to pay attention to the tension of the pins as I moved the pick over them and have opened another padlock and two BEST cylinders, a 5 pin and a 7 pin. The 5 pin I even managed to actuate the core removal thingy the first time I tried to pick it, but have no idea how I did it. I've got about 10 more of those cores, all with different setups, to practice with now.

I think I'm gonna tear down a BEST cylinder and start using it for pin practice.

Samrobert - I've made improvised picks out of paper clips and hair pins and used the fish scaler on my Swiss army knife as a tensioner. Works great on simple locks, not so much on any type of real locks.

I just recently made a tensioner out of a coping saw blade 'cus I needed something a little longer to keep my hand from cramping.

[rx6006]

I started this hobby about two weeks ago; I'm currently on 3 pins with the "ultimate challenge practice lock", which I bought for its ease of repinning. It's been a gratifying experience thus far, though I'm sure I will feel differently when I try spool pins for the first time. It's been a great couple of weeks thus far; I'm looking forward to a long, happy locksporting career.

[Dentrox]

My friend taught me how, at first I was "raking" randomly scratching around until I got it. Started out with Stanleys and Yales, the feeling of opening a lock for the first time, truly enticing.

[johnny_bombastic]

My first lock took hours. One of my old roomates had a simple 5pin deadbolt on the door to his room. He bet me a bottle of whiskey that I couldn't pick it before he got back from christmas break. He did this by leaving the bottle in his room and locking it. Lol. Long story short, the rest of us drank it that night. hehehe

[Captainwtf]

I remember how happy I was when I finally opened my first lock. Simple 5 wafer lock from an ancient computer desk Got so excited I went to walmart and got a schlage lock to practice on, ouch! Two years later it's crazy to look back at that lock, and then look at the open Medeco's and Abloy's that litter my desk. Still, It's just a hobby of mine, At least until I get better at opening vehicles and impressioning(sp?). Make no mistake, without this site, I certainly wouldn't have ever gotten that Medeco open...