Picking a lock while looking at the key

[hung82000]

Is it just a weird disconnect that occurs in my mind, or is this common? I have a Schlage D-Series key in lever cylinder that I have picked a number of times. But for some reason when I have the key in front of me and I'm looking at it and trying to pick it by the cuts that I see on the key, it is impossible. If I then do something, and come back without the key, I can do it again. My mind tells me that having the key and knowing how far each pin should be raised should help, but not in practice. I have no explanation for this phenomenon, has anyone else experienced it?

[^kimba^]

I find if as much as get a glimce at the key, the lock is a dodle to pick. So much so, I used to ask customers if they could descripe the key at all, where the "big dips" where etc

[Kolisar]

I had the same problem. I finally determined that, although the key does show you how far to move the pins, it is the point of view that threw me off. I find that I have better luck without looking at all, in fact the first keyed lock I opened (Master #3) I was not looking at and went totally by feel.

It is known that people have different main modes of thought, perception and learning. Some people are visually oriented, some audiably (sound) (definitions provided for readers for whom English is not their native language) oriented, some tactially (sense of touch) oriented, and some even olifactorialy (sense of smell) oriented (though this is rare). This fact can be taken advantage of by teachers (and hypnotists) to facilitate the "student's" learning. If you know how the "student" perception is oriented (they can have more than one but there is usually a dominant orientation), and you tailor your explainations (or demonstrations) accordingly, they will learn more quickly.

The main point here is that you, perhaps, may not be visually oriented and that the visual cues (the image of the key in your mind) may be interfering with your stronger inclination towards more tactile or auuditory input.

I apologize for the lenghty response (as all of my posts have been) but I will blame it on the "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime" proverb and my belief that just providing the "answer" does little good unless it is understood so it can be applied on other situations.

Regards,

Kolisar