Filing down warded picks?

[Teddy Picker]

When I first started picking (not that long ago) I went to the local hardware store and bought one of every lock they had for under $10. Among these was the Master 22. At the time I thought it might be a difficult-to-open lock because the key looked cool. Ironically, I now know it's actually a very easy-to-open lock, but it's the only one of my original locks I haven't been able to open yet because the locking mechanism is completely different from the other padlocks I bought: it's a warded padlock.

A few weeks ago I watched this and decided to buy the commercial warded lock picks he uses in the beginning. However, when I received them in the mail, no amount of trying would get them to work! It had seemed so easy in the video! I returned to the video and read the comments, where some people recommended taking about 1/8 inch off the end of the picks with a file.

I only paid $10 for the picks, but I'm still a little reluctant to take a file to them without making sure I'm not doing something wrong.

So my question is, does anyone else have these picks? Was it necessary to file off the end to get them to work?

[GWiens2001]

Look at the key for your lock, and compare it to the warded picks. Which one matches best?

Also, some warded locks have two latches, at two different heights in the lock.

Before trimming your picks, do they turn fully 90 degrees? If yes, do not trim them. If they do not, then trim a little at a time, from the sides of the picks, not from the end!

You might also have to lift the pick up a little bit, to just below the deepest ward, to engage the shackle release.

Good luck,

Gordon

[Teddy Picker]

I looked at the key for my lock, and it does indeed look like the end might be protruding too far, as the person suggested in that YouTube video. I also did some thinking, and based on my understanding of how a warded lock works, the protruding part on the end shouldn't matter, even if it did space things out properly for some particular lock (I'm not sure what lock the makers of the pick had in mind). If I were to remove the end completely, I should still be able to trip the lever by not quite inserting the key all the way. So it looks like filing down the end should work.

Now my problem is that my steel warded lock pick seems to be taking off parts of my cheapo file rather than vise-versa.

[GWiens2001]

Try using 220 grit sandpaper.

Gordon

[Teddy Picker]

I won't be able to make it to the hardware store until tomorrow. Do you think I could start off with a larger grit sandpaper to take off more to begin with, and then switch to a smaller grit later?

[GWiens2001]

Yes, i start with 220, then 320, 400 and 800. Then a t-shirt with a tiny but of toothpaste for a polishing compound. When done, it gleams like chrome.

Gordon

[Teddy Picker]

Okay, I'm still not having any luck, which is confusing, because I was under the impression that this was an easy lock to pick. The sandpaper worked beautifully, at least. I'll take some pictures and do some thinking.

[Raymond]

If I missed the answer to this question -, sorry. Did the pick turn and not do anything or would it not turn?

Some of the problem may be that the spacing on the pick does not match the springs in the lock. Or possibly the cross on the pick might be too wide to fit within the thickness of one of the padlock's laminates. Hold the pick against the outside of the padlock and see if the crosses line up exactly with the plates. The cross must be narrow enough to fit within a cutout the width of one plate. If the pick goes into the lock, it does not need the crosses shortened or the pick may be unable to move the springs out far enough.

If the pick will not turn at all, the crosses are hitting a plate ward. If it turns and does nothing the crosses are missing the springs.

Also, try pulling continiously on the shackle while turning the key several times. The tip cross may open one spring and have to be pulled back to hit the second.

[Teddy Picker]

There are four picks that fit the profile of the key. Two of them (the ones with one crossbar) turn and do nothing. The ones with two crossbars don't turn fully.

[smokingman]

If you haven't used these tools before, you may not realise that the spring you need to trip is not always at the top of the lock.
Start with your pick key at the top and go down toward the bottom one ward at a time
until you feel the spring trip.
If you are experienced with these tools then please disregard.
Hope this is helpful.

[LocksmithArmy]

I strongly reccomend filing the tips off the warded picks... it makes them more "universal"

there is no point in offseting them when some locks have the lever that close to the tip of the key... its purposfully making the tools not work...

[daniel22747]

An alternative to filling down your picks would be to get the government steel picks that lockpickshop has. They have a much shorter stub at the top than the southord picks do.

[YouLuckyFox]

I am considering purchasing some warded lock picks and thought this would be the best topic to add onto. I was informed that warded locks were so easy that you might as well use a paperclip or modification on a binder clamp handle; but even with this I have never had any luck on a warded lock except those that were basically novelty on a puzzle box--hence, I am considering purchasing a set to try better luck. Would the Master 22 be the best lock to start on? I ask this because I find the ideal lock to impression on seems to be some model of Schlage (UpForDebate). From what GWiens2001 said, there may be two latches--I can imagine it might be hard to use two paperclips to pick a warded lock.

[daniel22747]

Master 22 is a good warded padlock and I think it does have two latches.

I have not tried using paper clips on it but I would suspect that bigger paper clips would be better that really small flimsy ones.

[YouLuckyFox]

Thanks for the reply, Daniel22747, I have been looking forward to a reply. I have heard of modifying the profile of a binder clamp handle and will post an update if I get a good result. I will make the Master 22 the first lock I try.