Picked my first lock the other day but I could NOT relock the lock. It was for a box I owned a long time ago and lost the key. I picked the lock, turned the handle and opened the box, closed the box and turned handle back the way it was but I could NOT return the lock to it's original position. Tried "re-picking" the lock but to no avail. Ideas??
Apologies.....super rookie at this and do not know what kind of lock it is. I guess it would be considered a small, cheap safe I used to use. It has digital keypad for punching in #'s (which I lost combo) and a small key lock for using a key. I got the cylinder to turn which allowed me to turn handle and open. When I closed box, turned handle to original position I realized I had to return the cylinder back to where it was and could not. Tried to pick the lock "back" to it's start position and couldn't. Any tips?
JBRONCFAN wrote:Apologies.....super rookie at this and do not know what kind of lock it is. I guess it would be considered a small, cheap safe I used to use. It has digital keypad for punching in #'s (which I lost combo) and a small key lock for using a key. I got the cylinder to turn which allowed me to turn handle and open. When I closed box, turned handle to original position I realized I had to return the cylinder back to where it was and could not. Tried to pick the lock "back" to it's start position and couldn't. Any tips?
yeah, this being on a safe, albeit a cheap electronic one, is still part of our "we dont discuss safes in the public forum, only in the Advanced members only area" rules, so we can't give you specific help with it, but as far as wafer locks go, and my bet is that it's a wafer lock,since you are new at this, 75% of what you did was pure luck, so keep trying and it will eventually turn back the other way, just remember that now the wafers are either on the top or bottom of the keyway, opposite of where they were when you started, and you have to also tension the plug in the other direction, so spend some time with the wrench in one way, then flip it and try the other way, and use your picks on the top and bottom of the keyway. If you need a video of how wafer locks work, there are some animations on youtube and the TOOOL.us website.
JBRONCFAN wrote:Why are they called wafer locks???
pin tumbler locks use cylindrical pins that move up and down.
wafer locks use metal plates called wafers that have a hole cut or stamped in the middle of them and they move up and down as well
Perhaps whoever named them wafer locks thought the metal plates looked like thin wafers..
Here's a couple wafers outside of the lock, you can see the tabs on the sides where the spring would press against, and the hole in the middle where the key slides through..
JBRONCFAN wrote:Looks like it would be easier to pick wafer locks.....yes?
Simple wafer locks on file cabinets, tool boxes, your consumer grade safe box, yes, but there are more complicated ones with more wafers and more parts to make it harder.
I think it might just be a matter of crud build up over time. Just wanted to be sure, it's just a matter of repicking the lock to turn the other way, yes???
JBRONCFAN wrote:I think it might just be a matter of crud build up over time. Just wanted to be sure, it's just a matter of repicking the lock to turn the other way, yes???
If you can pick it one way, then you can pick it back to start. and it's not just a build up of crud, its because you are a beginner and do not fully understand how locks work and don't have enough experience, skill, and confidence to pick them quickly and with repeat success.
upload a photo of a close of of this lock and put it on imgur or tinypic then Copy/Paste here so we can see this lock.
also upload a photo of your picks and wrenches so we can actually tell you if you are using the correct picks for that kind of lock.
In addition to Squelchtone's requests I would add is there a specific need to re-lock the handle for your box if you do not have a key for it? If you are looking for picking practice a simple pin tumbler padlock would be the way to go. If you are thinking about continuing to use your lock box by picking it open each time you need access that may lead to damage and failure of the lock itself. -Nick
