Repeat picking driving me crazy

[docjon]

I suspect lots of experience will correct this but I find that I will go in and pick a lock successfully and then turn
around and try to do it again and nothing is working. When I am successful everything is so smooth and feels
exactly like it should. Well, you no what happens. I get cocky. When I go back to pick it again nothing is right.
I doubt it is the lock. Most likely I don't really have complete control over my tension hand or picking technique.
This does force me to slow down and try to feel each and every pin. Rather than rushing through it and and just
trying to open it....Frustrating at times but I am learning a lot from it. Jon

[smokingman]

Try putting your tension tool in the small part of the keyway ( usually the top if you are in the US ) and see if there is a difference.
Some times the tool will scrape the bottom of the plug and the friction will prevent it from turning without more force than usual and though it is picked, it won't turn.
Worth a try.

[KPick]

It sounds like you just need practice. With time, you can gauge the right tension naturally and pick the same lock many times.

If it is with a difficult lock, like for example an american brand lock, those are best picked with patience and with critical thinking.

[mechanical_nightmare]

I had this issue with several locks and solved it by practicing. It was so frustrating that part of me wanted to sling the lock across the room, and blow it apart with my shotgun I think practice will solve your problems. If you find yourself getting frustrated with a particular lock, take a break, and then return to picking the lock. Or, you can switch to picking a lock that is easy for you, to build confidence.

[DennisK]

One more thing I find helps at times like this is to slide just the tensioner in the keyway and just kind of turn it left and right a few times.I can't prove it,but I think that sometimes the pins get out of orientation a little after they are picked a few times.Won't take you but just a few moments to try.Also if you have a key to the lock,you might open it and lock it back to get the pins lined up.
Sometimes this seems to help my picking ability.