newbie question, is credit card pick set cause of my trouble

[dixondoy80]

Hi everybody. I have been following this site for a while and I really like it. I have been messing with locks sence I was a kid and have a pretty good understanding of them but just recently began trying to pick them. I have picked two different brinks r70 and a master lock vline 40. Sometimes I get them right away and other times it might take 30 min. I am also getting my butt kicked by a Lows brand dead bolt its a Gate House brand. Anyways I'm using a lock pick kit I bought online that fits in you wallet like a credit card. It slides open and has the picks inside. Could this be my problem?

[Squelchtone]

Hi everybody. I have been following this site for a while and I really like it. I have been messing with locks sence I was a kid and have a pretty good understanding of them but just recently began trying to pick them. I have picked two different brinks r70 and a master lock vline 40. Sometimes I get them right away and other times it might take 30 min. I am also getting my butt kicked by a Lows brand dead bolt its a Gate House brand. Anyways I'm using a lock pick kit I bought online that fits in you wallet like a credit card. It slides open and has the picks inside. Could this be my problem?

being new is the problem. with practice will come confidence and you will open more and more locks. that plastic fake visa card lock pick set is ok as a trusty back up in your wallet if you already know what you're doing, but not great for learning. I recommend a basic Southord set for under $20 bucks. they sell 'blemish' ones on their site, usually nothing wrong with them.

keep practicing and congrats on the R70's those can be a pain.

Squelchtone

ps. i'm gonna fix your post title so it is better searchable by others starting out.

[dixondoy80]

Thanks for the fast reply and for the advice. Your awesome! I'll have to see about getting my some of those!

[Onz]

I recommend a basic Southord set for under $20 bucks. they sell 'blemish' ones on their site, usually nothing wrong with them.

+1 too Southord picks. If your wondering what blemished looks like on it picks, here is a photo. See thems dots?

[thenosepick]

depends on experience and the picks

[KPick]

+1 on what Squelchtone said. Experience does play a big role in process of opening a lock. You can gain the experience you want with the pick set you own.

[dixondoy80]

Thanks for all the info. I was hoping the cheep picks were holding me back. I'm thinking my hook is to short and interfering with the pins in the front while I was trying to reach the ones in the back. They are also kinda small and hard to hold onto. I found a set I really like that is like 40 bucks but I will have to wait awile before I can get them. Might as well get the ones I want the first time around.

[KPick]

Thanks for all the info. I was hoping the cheep picks were holding me back. I'm thinking my hook is to short and interfering with the pins in the front while I was trying to reach the ones in the back. They are also kinda small and hard to hold onto. I found a set I really like that is like 40 bucks but I will have to wait awile before I can get them. Might as well get the ones I want the first time around.

Cool what kind of set are you thinking of getting?

[dixondoy80]

SouthOrd Fourteen Piece Lock Pick Set - PXS-14

[KPick]

SouthOrd Fourteen Piece Lock Pick Set - PXS-14

Great set. I started out with something like that a couple of years back although they changed the style of picks they use to have in the set.

[dixondoy80]

I still haven't had the chance to get a good set of picks. In the last week I havent been able to open any of my locks. I don't know whats going on. I think the set I have is just to small and frustraing me.

[GWiens2001]

It is unlikely that the problem is too small a pick set. Most likely cause is too much tension on the wrench. The credit card pick sets also frequently have very thick necks on the picks, so if there is a pin that needs to be not moved, or moved very little, the neck of the pick may be lifting that pin while you are picking the pins behind it.

Gordon

[KPick]

Also, what kind of lock are you trying to get to open?

[dixondoy80]

Im trying to ssp pick a kwickset dead bolt that I have not been able to get at all. The ones I have gotton many times and just can't seem to get anymore is the brinks r70 and a master lock vline 40mm.

[Divinorum]

Im trying to ssp pick a kwickset dead bolt that I have not been able to get at all. The ones I have gotton many times and just can't seem to get anymore is the brinks r70 and a master lock vline 40mm.

Believe it or not I bought a new Kwikset deadbolt from the hardware store and it had 2 spool pins inside. Does the cylinder look like this? Have you picked spools before?