curtain pick

[cass]

OK,ive now had my curtain pick for about 2wks and gone out and bought some different 5lvr locks ,legge d/l,union 2134 d/l &s/l,chubb3g114 d/l,and im having difficulty in picking these?
Im hearing the levers catching the stump to move and also feeling the amount of pressure im holding on the tension but NOTHING seems to be going right,thinking ive lifted them all and clunk they all fall back.is it the pressure on the tension bar or is it that im not really lifting the levers up at all.
ive taken the plate of and looked at how and why on certain locks youve got the spacers in between each lever,but im sure that doesnt affect the picking on each lever does it??
any advice !!


practice make perfect (meant too!)

[toomush2drink]

Take a good look at the locks inside, do you notice the anti pick notches on some of them ? Are you lifting the binding lever each time and picking this way ? Its the same theory as pin picking but you also have anti pick notches on the stump and levers to contend with. Not all locks have the same characteristics so stick to one and get used to it. You could also make a see through cover for the lock to begin with so you can learn what is happening visually with each noise and feeling as you pick them, once you can see it you should be able to see it in your head when you cant see it visually.
it is hard and im still struggling but got a few open but it takes stack and stacks of practice.

[Chris B]

Ok Cass,
The RB tool is well suited for the Union 2101/2201.
So practice only on this lock for now.
The easy way to pick this lock is... [sorry guys I cannot dislcose this on open forum, and Cass is a locksmith.....Cass see my pm]

regards from Chris B

[acl]

Cass, dont know wether youve bought new locks or not.If not drill a hole in the case so you can see what your doing thisll help a lot.If theyre new locks try and find some old cases .If you cant find any send me a pm with your address and ill send you some.
Regards Andy

[EvoRed]

Practise practise practise!

When I'm having problems I try to keep the tension on the bolt, even with my hand actually pressing the bolt in if I have to, and carefully lift the cover so I can see what stage I am at. Invariably anti pick notches are engaged, which are the problem. Try using the curtain pick on a Union 2101/2201, a lock with no anti picks, and you'll open it in a minute. You need to learn to recognise when anti picks are jumped into and to ease the tension off and try resetting that lever.

While starting on ERA Profit's I was jumping into all five false gates quite regularly. I realised that the high lift levers all had false gates in the upper half of the fence and the low lift levers vice-versa, so the high lift levers needed to be lifted a bit higher than I was doing to set them and the low levers required just a little lift, too far and you'll enter a false gate. I'm starting to get much better at these locks and can do most without low levers in 5-10 minutes at the moment.

You need to practise, try to realise where you're going wrong when you are struggling, even make perspex covers to see exactly what's happening if you have to. It's not easy and I'm a novice like yourself but as you spend more time on one particular lock, or locks with the same lever packs, you do get a greater understanding of what's happening inside the lock and it does get a bit easier.

Practise practise practise!

[pinky]

all good posts, cass start on union 2201 and 2101 locks or chubb 3u115 or yale security, they are all the same lock, no anti picks, get the feel on these locks.
then move to union 2134, 2234, chubb 3u114 and yale bs , you will find these an easier bs lock to pick, pick these to death, get to know the lever, the lock and the feeling from your pick.
then move on to era invincible.

either drill a hole in the case in front of the gate and see what you are doing, or fit a perspex front, a good aid but quickly learn to do this blind as on the door.

2 weeks is still early days, the rb pick will struggle on 114 locks, its a great tool, but it takes time and requires you developing an understanding of the lock and levers too.