Please help - clockwise and counter clockwise picking

[tomo18]

A plug spinner is the obvious choice, but if you don't have one it is tough. You can substitute a spinner for your tension wrench, and a rubber band. Turn the plug nearly back to home, and put the wrench all the way into the keyway on the bottom. Then slam that wrench with a rubber band(or anything really) so the wrench turns the cylinder to the other side. Not the best solution, but it works.

Wow! It works like a charm.

I was searching for good plug spinners. Now that I know the trick with the rubber band, I'm starting to think that I don't need a plug spinner

After that encounter I sat down and learned to pick high quality, tight tolerance cylinder with a rake or a diamond pick.

I noticed that a lot of people use a rake or a diamond pick to pick the lock. I know the principles of raking, but never use it, because for me it seems like it's faster if I just use a standard hook pick. I probably need to work more on the raking technique.
I've never used diamond picks. I read that diamond picks are used if you need to apply more force on the pin to push it. Is that so or can it be also used like a standard hook pick?

[GWiens2001]

Is a half diamond for SPP or raking? The age-old question. The answer is 'yes'.

You can use them to rake the pins or to single pin pick them. Or rake them a little to set most of the pins, then use it as a hook to find the stragglers.

Once I progressed beyond bobby pin picks, I made a half diamond. Used a half diamond only for years. Then started using a hook as spool pins became more common, especially with high-low bittings.

When trying for speed, I start (and frequently finish) with one of Raimundo's Bogota pick sets, then finish off the lock with a hook. If picking just to keep my hands busy, I use a hook. From time to time, still use my old favorite, the half diamond.

You do not need to use more force to lift the pin... use less tension. A properly made hook will provide all the strength you need to pick. If your picks are bending, try using less force with the tension wrench.

Some pickers use more force to find the binding pin, then lighten tension to make it easier to set the pin without overlifting.

Good question. Hopefully others will chime in with their views.

Gordon

[Capt_Tom]

Yes! I managed to open it in the other direction!

I was spending approx. 15 minutes per day trying to open it. Each day I learned a little more. Yesterday I managed to open it for the first time in CCW direction and today I opened it multiple times in both CW and CCW directions. The lock has a completely different feel depending on the CW or CCW tension. Once I started to understand what's happening inside the lock, it opened. The binding order changed, but not in the exactly opposite order.

I'm looking forward to buying a quality plug spinner because it is difficult to open the lock in one direction, and really easy to open it in the other, so a plug spinner would help in such cases.

I recommend the A1. Ive tried just about all plug spinners and this one has the best success for me.

I also reccommend the A-1... When I suddenly became without, I settled for an HPC plug spinner. It works well, but I just like the feel of the A-1

[Capt_Tom]

Someone mentioned the key not wanting to turn but in one direction.... usually a pin problem... Maybe master pins in it ... or perhaps one of several locks rekeyed to Kwickset pins, and it was a Yale (or another brand) with a KW1 keyway... just enough difference to be too much or too little.