Lock won't respond to tension

[lukebrougher591]

I'm pretty new to this, and I bought a couple kwikset locks, picked them all many times, now i moved onto my house locks. they are deadbolt locks but I dont know what the name of them are. The problem is is that when i apply tension the wrong way, the cylinder will move a bit, but when i apply tension the right way, it doesnt budge at all. and if i apply the smallest bit of tension on the bottom pins get stuck when i push the up, but when i let up the pressure they all fall down. any suggestions?

[Buzo]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "get stuck". Are you sure you're picking the pins to the shear line? Are you putting too much tension on the plug so they can't move to the shear line? Do you have a lock that has serrated bottom/top pins? There are many different things that could be happening, so without a little more detail we won't be able to accurately answer you problem.

[Squelchtone]

We suggest to all new pickers not to pick your own house locks.. What hobby lockpickers normally do is go to the hardware store or locksmith shop and we buy cylinders and padlocks to practice on so we don't have to use our front door locks as guinea pigs. If you're just learning, there is a chance to mess up the lock and since this is your house lock, it wouldn't be good if the lock failed and you were either locked in during a fire, or locked out while its raining =)

happy picking,
Squelchtone

[fawkesinator89]

If you are trying to pick the lock in right direction and you still having th issue with tention. I recomend wraping some light gauge guitar wire around the end of your tension tool. wrap just enough around that when you put it in the plug it holds tight in the plug whether you turn it clockwise or counterclockwise. This will allow you to have total control over the plug while picking. This way you can let counter rotation happen but still keep just enough pressure on it as to not let the top pins fall. Hope this helps!
If you go on youtube "kokomolock" uses this method alot on his channel while picking higher security locks.

[fawkesinator89]

But i also agree with what Squelchtone said as well.