What was your first pick?

[fgarci03]

So, I'm going to share with you my first successfull picked lock.
You all should too. Both newbies and advanced who still remember which lock poped your cherry

This way you can re-live that moment, when the plug rotated for the first time. And the thrill it gave you!



So, when I got my first pick set, I immediatly started to try to pick locks around the house. Door locks, padlocks, everything.
With no success of course!

But I didn't care, I was THE MAN! I had a lockpick set, so I was awesome. So, that night, I took it with me to show a friend. I was at his door explaining the theory behind picking and he interrupted me: "Yeah, it's all cool stuff but I don't believe it's that easy".

Long story short, here it is:

The lock is not the same I picked, you can read how this idiot mistake ended here.

I have learned a valiable lesson on my first pick

[phrygianradar]

My first pick was a Master lock m530. I was just getting interested in locks and safes etc. so I decided I would take it apart (it is re-keyable) and see how it works. I unlocked it and then unscrewed it. After I took out the retaining screw everything fell out! When I put it back together I accidentally put the cylinder in on the wrong side of the screw. I found that out after re-locking it and realizing that I could no longer put the key in, as the keyway was now blocked by the metal bottom piece. I had to dremel the metal to be able to get the key in and unlock it so I could put it back together correctly. After that, I bought a cheap set of picks and learned how to pick it. When it finally popped, it was exhilarating! I have been hooked ever since.

[GWiens2001]

First lock - Master #3.

First pick - teardrop pick made from a bobby pin. (Hair pin)

First tension wrench - also made from a bobby pin.

Time frame - 30+ years ago.

A LOT of Master locks fell to those picks! Especially when I started drilling a small hole into a short wood dowel and glueing the pick into my fancy new handles! Did have to replace them regularly due to bending, though.

Gordon

[jehan60188]

actually just had my first pick last night.
fiddled around with a Brinks brand padlock i keep for locking up my bike.
5 pins, nothing too fancy.
BUT there's a certain pin that I apply to much pressure on, so I have to ease up on the tension wrench.
Took me about 50 minutes to give up and start raking; then another 20 minutes of raking before I finally got it to open.
Then I tried again, no raking, about 30 minutes.
I can get it open in less than 5 minutes now, so I think it's time to move on to more locks!

[fgarci03]

I want to see pictures

[phrygianradar]

I forgot; the first lock I picked for real, was when I was about ten. The cheesy little lock on my older sisters diary... After that I "manipulated" her safe/piggy bank (is nothing sacred?! ) and helped myself to a small portion of the coinage within.

I am ashamed of that behavior , but have repented and changed my ways. We have been able to enjoy a good relationship later in life.

[dicey]

A cheap laminated Burg padlock which I have never seen before. Normally Burg makes great locks. This one was branded with China and really cheap though.

[Valdo]

First pick was a very cheap euro cylinder I still have the photo :p
First Tension tool made with dentist tool, I never use em' the metal is too soft, very bad feedback,
Never made a pick for pin tumbler lock, I have made a hobbs pick for lever locks quite recently.

[Fagin von Lipwig]

I picked a Mountain Security deadbolt. I had ordered picks, but I couldn't wait for them to arrive. So I used two bobby pins.

[nick08037]

Well it was many years ago but I can still recall it fondly, it was the first time picking a lock in the wild, nothing much but a small cabinet lock on an abandoned Radionics alarm system control panel that needed some care in a commercial building. I was new to the business at the time and it was common practice to just force them open by whatever means, but that just didn't seem right.

[Comrade627]

One of the clear acrylic practice locks, followed by a brinks deadbolt.

[KPick]

My first pick. A deadbolt lock sort of a Defiant. I can't remember the brand because that was about 6 years ago.

[jf5264835]

My first lock was a really cheap lock on the door of a cart I owned. I didn't have my picks at the time and was explaining to a friend who was with me what I was doing and the basic thought process behind it. What was funny is, I was complaining because I could tell it was almost there and pulled my improvised pick out because I was giving up and bam! It turned open.


My Pick - A Jumbo Paper Clip

My Tension Wrench - Another Jumbo Paper Clip

[knowspicker537]

Defiant knob, though I tried for about 2 weeks to try and pick a kwikset smartkey, then I found this site and the thread on it and just started laughing haha

-knowspicker537

[LocksportSouth]

Master #3, a few months back. Not sure if it really counts though; up till now my picking technique has been what BosnianBill eloquently refers to as B**chpicking - randomly stabbing at the lock with a hook until it pops open with sheep luck. Done that a few times to a successful open but never really feels satisfying. Still waiting for a "Eureka" moment, hopefully when I start getting better at actually feeling the pins and getting the hang of tension.

Honestly I get more pleasure out of using my Southord tubular lock pick to pick the lock of my fire chest, because it really feels like I know what I'm doing with that, even if any dummy can do it.
Also, raked open the Euro cylinder on my front door a few weeks back (yes yes, I know, avoid locks in use ) - equal parts gratifying and terrifying!