Help!@

[coreyaus]

Ok, tension wrench grinded down from a allen wrench. Using a bobby pin to pick... I apply a little tenion, place the bobby pin inside and start to vibrate it up and down. After a while a try and turn it and it doesn't unlock, but when i release the pressure on the tension wrench I can hear the pins drop. Am i not getting them all? Or am i dealing with a hard lock to pick. I attached a video below.

--Please help!

[MacGnG1]

pictures of the lock? also i recommend getting real tools.

[coreyaus]

Well i know it can be done with a bobby pin, and I can feel the pins being set and everything. And again, when i release the tension I can hear them dropping. I don't know if you can hear in the video or not. Picture is attached.

[coreyaus]

my bad, attachments didn't work. adding links to photobucket.... 1 sec

[coreyaus]

vid: http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z425/coreyaus1/?action=view&current=photo3.jpg#!oZZ2QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1189.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz425%2Fcoreyaus1%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DIMG_0324.mp4

Pic: http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z425/coreyaus1/?action=view&current=photo3.jpg#!oZZ1QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1189.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz425%2Fcoreyaus1%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3Dphoto3.jpg

[MacGyver101]

First: set down the safety pin... you're only going to frustrate yourself, which isn't a good start to any new hobby. You might get lucky and open the occasional lock by just jamming in a straight safety pin and vibrating it up and down... but only if it has very poor tolerances or fairly easy pinning. Your Schlage deadbolt is a reasonable-quality lock: it's unlikely to open that way.

I think the best first step would be to check out a few of the beginner tutorials posted in the Pick-Fu forum for a good explanation of the fundamentals of lock operation and picking technique, and some of the templates posted in the Lockpicks forum for some good examples of lockpick designs.

Lockpicks are shaped to allow you to interact with one (or more) pins at a time, in order for you to be able to lift each one to its correct height; a straight wire won't give you the control you need, and the technique isn't hard... but it's more involved than just vibrate a wire up and down while turning. (You're correct that you're clearly causing a few pins to stick... but it's not likely that they're sticking at the correct height.)

One other bit of friendly advice for now (coming from the mistakes of many, many new lockpickers before you): I'd really recommend that you not practice on your front door lock. It's easy to accidentally get the lock into a state that might be difficult to recover from if you don't have a good visualization of how locks work. (A quick search for the several dozen posts of "Help! I just picked my front door lock... the plug rotated 180° and then jammed!" will show you one common problem.)

There are lots of great folks here who are willing to answer lots of questions, share lots of tips, and help introduce you to a great new hobby. Welcome to the site, and have a look around: there's lots of great info!

[Eyes_Only]

I would recommend reading through the MIT Guide to Lockpicking here, http://www.lysator.liu.se/mit-guide/mit-guide.html It's a very simple manual but very well written which helps to explain how lockpicking works. Also the guide from LockSport International could be helpful as well, http://locksport.com/index.php/discover ... l-i-guide/ It has more pictures than the MIT Guide which is nice.

And you're right, it is quite possible to pick a lock with a modified bobby pin but speaking from experience, it isn't easy. There are quite a few tool making guides and pick templates on this site that you might be able to use to make your own proper pick tools if you're handy. But if you prefer using re-made commercial tools, this is a good beginner set to start off with, http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-To ... S-05L.html

[dw.crucio.pie]

Are u sure that the pins are sliding smoothly or if ur applying too much force? cuz the pins cud just stop when not at the shear line

[deception]

It sounds like there's security pins in the lock.

Seriously though, get some real picks. The bobby pin might work for that lock, but it def won't on others.

[GeneT]

It sounds like there's security pins in the lock.

Seriously though, get some real picks. The bobby pin might work for that lock, but it def won't on others.

It could be anything - a pin or two not set, a pin or two over set. I wouldn't trust a hairpin to do it. If it's got security pins you can sometimes see the cylinder turn more than it would if it were just pins binding.

GsT

[LocksmithArmy]

coming from someone who has used a bobby pin to pick a lock...
dont start out picking with one man... come on, get some real tools

also... vibrating it up and down is not the best way to pick a lock... try feeling the pins and manipulating them with a purpose... find the binding one, raise it till it sets... move to the next binding pin...

real tools help get feedback so you can feel when a pin is set or not, allowing you to better feel when to stop lifting so you dont overlift the pin...

if you raise all the pins to the top and apply pressure... then release pressure you will likely hear some fall, did they set... no they were just held up abofe the sheerline... OVERSET...

do some research, read a bit...
check out locksmitharmy.com ive got a nice lil tutorial on there... and even a vid (on yt) of how to pick a lock with a bobby pin... but trust me, using real tools is the best way to learn.

not saying you Cant pick a lock as a beginner with a bobby pin... just that you dont learn as much, you wont get the FEEL of picking locks with crappy tools...

good luck bro

[Squelchtone]

Well i know it can be done with a bobby pin,

Then I guess you don't need our help, right?


Squelchtone

[Raymond]

There are none so blind as they that choose not to see.