Consistently inconsistent

[Korver15]

So I have been picking for a couple months now and I feel I have advanced amazingly in that time. I have been able to consistanly open a plethora of different locks, however I am increadibly slow at picking them. I can pick a American given enough time but I struggle to open to open easy novel locks in a remotely timely manor. And if the lock is used and dirty I usually have to take the thing apart and deep clean it to get it open (this is not ideal if I ever have to pick something actually locked). I just feel I missed some fundamental concept in picking. I have read for hours and have a couple picking books but I still feel like I'm missing the sure picking method. I know there is no "sure method" but I have seen many a person pick a novel lock in less than minutes. What are people's patterns of locating binding pins? Do you run your pick and feel a bump aka binding pin and what if that doesn't work? Or do you feel each pin. What about finding a "binding pin" but once you set it, it then feels springy. Is that just me accidently trying to pick the warding? I'd love to read others peoples ways of locating binding pins.

[FarmerFreak]

What are people's patterns of locating binding pins? Do you run your pick and feel a bump aka binding pin and what if that doesn't work

Sometimes.

Or do you feel each pin.

Yes

What about finding a "binding pin" but once you set it, it then feels springy.

Once a pin is set, it is springy.

How to pick all locks. Apply rotational tension, find the binding object, move it to a different position in which it isn't binding. Rinse and repeat. That's it.

Ok, more specific to your question about binding and springy pins. A non-binding non-set pin is springy with a full range of motion. A set pin is springy, but without the full range of motion. A binding pin is not springy.

[Korver15]

I know how to pick. That's not the problem.

If I could rephrase my question it would be how do I go about picking new locks faster.

[blue60]

just keep practising, speed will pickup with time

[FarmerFreak]

How to pick new locks faster? Practice practice and more practice. There is no substitute for more practice.

You may think you know how to pick right now. It took me years before I truely understood how to pick. Of course at the time I was being taught how to pick by people who didn't understand lockpicking to the same depth that I understand it now. Oddly the more I know, the simpler the explanation becomes.

What I'm really trying to get at is the need to not overthink something that isn't complicated. Binding/not binding, AKA springy.

[Korver15]

I just feel like I'm practicing in a hap hazard way. Kinda just jumping around till I feel a bump which could be a binding pin then push. There isn't any structure. Do most people systematically feel each pin to see if it is springy?

[FarmerFreak]

I don't know about most people. FYI, most people might not be very good at picking... Only those that have spent the time, lots of time, get good at picking.

If I can't find a pin by running my pick in or out along the bottoms of the pins. Then yes, I do check each pin. Starting with wherever my pick is, back/front doesn't matter, and I check each pin in order from back to front and or front to back. One pin at a time.

[Korver15]

Well I guess when I was referring to "most people" I was assuming the majority of the people actually commenting are better than I am . It seems that I do the same thing it just feels like I run into non feel springy issue. I have been having that often with some yale paracentric keyways I have been throwing some time at.

[UnlockingBoredom]

try turning the lock over so that the pins are at the bottom of the key way. That way when you set a pin it wont drop back down and give you a false springy feeling. If the pin is set, it will feel solid when touching it with your pick.

Before I pick a lock I run my pick over all the pins to count them, then I apply a light tension and touch every pin with just a little pressure to see if it is springy or binding. If I find a binding pin I still move on to the other pins to see if there are other binding pins (if not then I set the one binding pin, if there are more then 1 it probably means that I am applying too much tension and I let off a little and try again)

People do things differently from others because we are not all the same and we dont learn in the same way... I learned how to SPP Master locks AFTER I took a day to learn how to pick an American lock with serrated and spool pins. It took me learning very light pressure to actually be able to feel when the pins set.

Happy picking

[Korver15]

That is an interesting way to learn so you could pick Americans before master??

Your reply was simple but very enlightening! It was just the kind of information I was looking for . A method of lockpicking I can start improving on. yaay

[tomasfuk]

Ok, more specific to your question about binding and springy pins. A non-binding non-set pin is springy with a full range of motion. A set pin is springy, but without the full range of motion. A binding pin is not springy.

This is my experience too, regardless of cylinder orientation.
The key pin shape like this one is an explanation:

[UnlockingBoredom]

That is an interesting way to learn so you could pick Americans before master??

I could rake open a Master on the first try but SPP I was having difficulty because I was putting WAY too much tension (as do most newbees) It took learning light tension on an American lock to get me to lighten up on all locks. Every now and then I find myself using way too much tension again when I am tired and frustrated..

[knowspicker537]

Maybe get some better picks I like the slimline SLS-09 on southord they are like 2 bucks. They are really small and when I started using them I could definetely see an improvement in days. I felt like I had more space and could feel around for trouble pins with more freedom