Choosing the right pick - Padlock

[Spoogemonkey]

The padlock shown is a garden variety Chinese cheapo by the name of Chateau. I think I've figured out the right wrench, but unsure how to go about selecting the right pick.

I have the starter set recommended by this site, the MPXS-14. Can anyone tell me how to go about selecting a pick?

[Daggers]

find the ones that can fit into the lock first. And then Find one that you are good at pushing the pins with. I would go with either 9 or 6. The diamond i would use over the other one though. #8 is a broken key extractor i think so that wouldn't be used. 4 & 5 are for different types of locks. 1, 2, and 3 are rakes and you can use those but then you wouldn't feel as accomplished. #10 is too small for my taste so i would put that off to the side. Hope i helped!

[Phrop]

I think Daggers has summed it up well. I would start with 6 for 15 minutes or so and if unsuccessful move on to raking with 1, 2, and 3 just to get it open. Then go back to 6 later and try again and again until I could open it twice within 10 min or so.

I don't normally spend more than 20 minutes at a time with a lock, but I am still a novice working on basic tumbler locks.

[Spoogemonkey]

Thanks for your replies. Very good stuff.

[Daggers]

and remember, if you can't pick a lock and get a bit discouraged, always pick up another lock you know you can pick in 30 sec. For me, i seem to have trouble with my masterlock#3 (the bitting is the problem i think) but my masterlock#1 i can do in less than 10 sec everytime. I can also pick kwikset pretty consistantly in about 30 sec so that is a motivational lock for me too. Just go back to the basics and try to feel the individual components and increase skill by trying to identify binding pins, set pins, overset pins, and not making trying to open the lock your goal.