How much tension

[eaglefrq]

I'm new here and I've been trying to open a Master Lock #3 that everyone here says is a very easy lock to pick. I've been trying for a couple of days, but can't get it open.

I think I may have broken something in the lock because if I shake it, I can hear something rattling around that I don't remember hearing before.

I was really putting a lot of pressure on the tension while trying to single pick. I can get the 1st pin and it feels like the 3rd and 4th, but the 2nd won't stay up no matter how much tension I apply.

[Squelchtone]

Forcing it to turn isn't going to make it turn. insert the key and feel how much pressure it takes to turn the key, thats how much you should be putting on the tension wrench.

What are you using to try to pick it? home made tools? a real pick set? Also remember, the point isnt just to lift all the pins up. You have to lift them all up to a particular height which would match the height the real key would lift them up to.

Here's a video I made for every time this question comes up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x07dDVjsHM

The rattling you hear is the entire cylinder. Master No.3 does not use very high tolerances and the parts all rattle around. Thats normal, you probably didnt do anything wrong.

Enjoy and good luck,
Squelchtone

[eaglefrq]

Thanks for the information and video. I am using a set of Bogota picks and I have ordered some practice locks and another set of picks. I was putting enough pressure on the plug to snap a key off, I guess I'm glad my pick didn't break or bend.

Apparently, I need to read more. I understand there will be varying heights for the pins, but I thought if you raised them all then they would be above the shear line. Apparently, I was wrong about that.

I did try and put almost no pressure on the tension wrench, but I couldn't get any of the pins to stay up. It seemed like the only way the pins would stay up was to put a lot of pressure on the wrench.

[MrScruff]

Because the pins are varying heights the point where they meet, the point you're trying to take advantage of, will be at varying heights as well. In my experience, it's pretty rare that you can lift a pin stack as high as it can go and be able to turn the cylinder.

[eaglefrq]

Forcing it to turn isn't going to make it turn. insert the key and feel how much pressure it takes to turn the key, thats how much you should be putting on the tension wrench.

What are you using to try to pick it? home made tools? a real pick set? Also remember, the point isnt just to lift all the pins up. You have to lift them all up to a particular height which would match the height the real key would lift them up to.

Here's a video I made for every time this question comes up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x07dDVjsHM

The rattling you hear is the entire cylinder. Master No.3 does not use very high tolerances and the parts all rattle around. Thats normal, you probably didnt do anything wrong.

Enjoy and good luck,
Squelchtone

I tried what you said and watched your video and I opened the lock in about 15 seconds. My problem is, when I try the single pin method, unless I put a lot of tension on the wrench as soon as I move my pick from the first pin, it pops back down. What do you think I am doing something wrong?

[Dpruente]

if the pin you're working on doesn't want to set, move to the next pin, and the next, and so on until you find one that does. If none of them do, use a slightly higher tension and try again until you can get one to set, then before increasing tension anymore, go through all the pins carefully and find the next one that sets. You have to go according to the binding order, which is part of the manufacturing defect that makes locks vulnerable to pick attacks. once you have worked through this binding order and have set all of the pins, You will then be able to open the lock. It seems so simple, yet can be so difficult...

[eaglefrq]

if the pin you're working on doesn't want to set, move to the next pin, and the next, and so on until you find one that does. If none of them do, use a slightly higher tension and try again until you can get one to set, then before increasing tension anymore, go through all the pins carefully and find the next one that sets. You have to go according to the binding order, which is part of the manufacturing defect that makes locks vulnerable to pick attacks. once you have worked through this binding order and have set all of the pins, You will then be able to open the lock. It seems so simple, yet can be so difficult...

Very difficult at times. I'm one of those guys that doesn't RTFI and I want instant results. This is one of those hobbies that I am going to have to slow down and force myself to read and understand better. Thanks for the tips, I will continue to work on this. I just got a cutaway lock, so that might help me visualize what's happening better.

[gilduran]

The best method I've used for getting better at picking, is to just grab a few locks and sit in front of the TV and start picking. I like to try picking locks that I can pick easily, with different style picks and using TOK and BOK tension.

I've also found that when I take too long a break from picking, that it takes a while to get my hands and fingers re-conditioned for picking. I don't know if this happens for anyyone else, but when I was picking alot, I had a calis(sp) that had formed on the finger I rest my pick on. I didn't realize it at the time, but that calis(sp) was like an extra tool. Without it, I can't feel the pins set quite as well, and my finger tip starts to bug me after a while.