Intro: And what is the next step to improve?

[SinisterWeasel]

Hello,
I am new to picking and the forum. I bought my first picking set just over a week ago and a practice lock. I bought the lock off ebay and I think the seller is a member? It came with a note but I didn’t keep it so I may be wrong. Anyway it is a 5 pin lock with the side cut away to view the pins and has been very useful. It made it very easy to learn and I have spent quite a few hours with it and I can now crack it fairly easily with the pins covered. It has one smooth pin and four which I think are called ‘spool pins’(?) which are trickier (or certainly were to begin with). However I think I might only find this lock easy as I have seen exactly how the pins behave and know which are the spool pins. So I intend to buy a padlock or two and give it another go (banned from trying my own front door, unbelievable isn’t it).

But my question is, can you ever predict what pins you might expect? I know you can feel what’s happening through the wrench, so maybe it just comes through practice. But what does the average lock consist of (pin wise)? I have seen the cork-screw looking jobbies, are they only in high-security locks? How does one go about picking one? I am sure I can find the answer on the forum when I have had a chance to read through a bit.

Am I doing the right thing? I am not really interested in the easiest/quickest method like bumping as it doesn’t seem particularly fun. But I think I am now hooked and would like to master it, so what would a good challenge be? Should I try taking locks apart or just stick to picking different ones? What kind of locks can’t be picked?

Thanks

[r0005]

Shortly after I first started I found a local lock sport group that I met up with. They had a variety of locks that I was able to try. When I asked the same question you did someone handed me a Mul-T-Lock which gave me a good laugh.

See if there is a locksport community in your area and try to meet up with them. If not, buy different locks and practice or maybe even try to start your own locksport group if one doesn't exist.

[SinisterWeasel]

thanks, I had no idea such groups existed. I will have a search!

[camelgd]

The definition of an expert is someone who is well-grounded in the basics. Don't be too quick to move up the ladder- the locksmith corollary to the Peter Principle applies. A person picking locks will rise to the level that he is completely unprepared to deal with, and will frustrate the living snot out of him/herself till they drop back a little to a more suitable level for their skill. That said, try a little variety of residential locks from your local flea market or garage sales. They are the source of a fairly cheap picking education.
camelgd