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Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Having read the FAQ's you are still unfulfilled and seek more enlightenment, so post your general lock picking questions here.
Forum rules
Do not post safe related questions in this sub forum! Post them in This Old Safe

The sub forum you are currently in is for asking Beginner Hobby Lock Picking questions only.

Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Roger0192 » 17 Jul 2016 22:22

I am new at lockpicking and I've been practicing on the master lock number 3 and number 7. After learning techniques and how locks work I was able to pick the locks continuously without struggle. (I don't have any tools and work with paper clips) I was able to pick and open the locks about 10-20 times a day everyday and has turned into a hobby for me. Unfortunately, I have a hard time picking the locks now for some reason. I'm not sure if it is due to buildup in the locks (The master lock number 7 is new, I purchased it a week ago) or if the locks were damaged from the picking. I've picked it for hours and I am becoming very frustrated since it will not open. Ive always thought that picking locks continuously would make them easier to pick due to the loosening of the pins. Please help, I find this skill to be useful one day... Thank you !
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Mighty » 18 Jul 2016 2:12

Do the keys still work? If so, I don't see a reason why they still couldn't be picked.

Unfortunately its hard to beat proper picks. Paperclips aren't meant to be tools, and I would worry that you are wearing the clips and causing buildup like you said. Are you using the same paperclips over and over? They may be becoming too malleable over time. Also, are you raking or single pin picking?

Make sure to check your tension. As you repeat the process, you may be increasing or decreasing your tension which would cause problems (freezing up all the pins with over-tensioning or getting no binding with under-tensioning.
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Shifty1 » 18 Jul 2016 10:09

You can find inexpensive picks outta China. Cheers
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby sisk » 18 Jul 2016 10:50

Ive always thought that picking locks continuously would make them easier to pick due to the loosening of the pins.


In my experience the opposite is true. As you cause wear on the locks it gets harder to bind the pins and thus harder to pick them. In addition brass shavings build up inside the lock and dampen any feedback you get from it. I've read multiple posts here talking about how locks that have been picked a lot seem harder to open than new locks, so I'm fairly certain that it's not just me.

The fact that you're using paperclips might be part of the problem too if you're using a different type of paperclip now than you have before. Are your current paperclips different from the ones you've seen success with before? If so, I'd get some of the ones you've used before and see if you're still having trouble.

Also, a set of decent quality picks can be had for around $25-$35, depending on where you get them. I'd strongly suggest making that investment if you're serious about this hobby. Being able to pick locks with paperclips is a useful skill to have, but doing it with proper picks is much, much easier. I can pick a Master with paperclips if I have to but I cringe at the idea of trying to pick anything with security pins or even just respectable tolerances with them.
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Roger0192 » 18 Jul 2016 12:16

Oh ok so it would be best if I get a lock pick set? Also, would picking locks with a set wear the locks out as well? Would it be best if I get a air dust cleaner to clean out buildup in locks? Thank you for the replies!
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Roger0192 » 18 Jul 2016 12:23

-Mighty-
I use mostly raking and sometimes practice single picking as well
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby sisk » 18 Jul 2016 13:30

Roger0192 wrote:Oh ok so it would be best if I get a lock pick set? Also, would picking locks with a set wear the locks out as well? Would it be best if I get a air dust cleaner to clean out buildup in locks? Thank you for the replies!


Using tools made for the job is always better than whatever you happen to improvise from what you have on hand. In that regard lock picking is no different than anything else.

Picking is hard on locks regardless of how you do it. Think of it this way: when you use a key the only significant wear is on the bottom of the key pins. When you pick you're also causing wear on the chambers the pins rest in and the pins themselves. And if you're in the habit of overlifting the pins you're causing increased wear on the springs as well. The more heavy handed you are with your tension the more wear you're going to cause. Locks aren't designed to have a pin pinched between the plug and the bible one at a time till they open. They're designed to have all the pins lifted to the correct height all at once without any pinching. No matter what you do repeatedly picking a lock is going to wear it out much faster than normal use, which is one (of many) reasons you should never pick a lock you rely on.

As far as the build up, there are a few good options. Probably the best (in my opinion - which will change if one of the real locksmiths around here corrects me) is Du Pont Dry Lube. It's an alcohol based solution that melts the grime out of the lock then leaves behind a dry lubricant. Failing that, hit it with WD-40 to drain out the grit, let it dry, then hit it with a little (emphasis on little - less is more) graphite to lube it up
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Roger0192 » 18 Jul 2016 13:44

Oh I see! I Relly like the method with the lube hmm I'm going to look more into that.. So the first product is used to easily open the lock while the second is if the first one fails? I've never heard of this. Thank you! I'm learning more and more...
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby sisk » 18 Jul 2016 13:58

They're both methods of cleaning and lubricating the lock. The Du Pont is a one step method, and while it's very good at lubricating the lock it's not quite as good in my experience at getting the gunk out as WD-40 is. WD-40 is not a lubricant, so after you use it you have to use something else to lubricate the lock. Graphite is the normal lubricant for locks, so I stick with what works there.
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Roger0192 » 19 Jul 2016 19:10

Thank you sisk for helping me
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby ltdbjd » 23 Jul 2016 0:05

I think you'll find that choices of lubricants are like @$:-, everybody has one.

My personal preference is electrical contact cleaner. Is blows out dirt and grime, washes away grease, and evaporates without leaving a residue. I like PTFE (Teflon) for lubrication. My favorite is Tri-Flow. However after moving to Wyoming (where it's always windy), I try and stick to a dry Teflon powder with an alcohol carrier.

There is a difference of opinion as to whether it's better to pick with a non-lubricated lock ("friction is your friend,") or a clean, lubricated lock." I prefer a clean lock.

Something I've learned the hard way (I'm kind of slow, I've learned this the hard way a lot of times), always inspect the lock and check the tumblers before attempting to pick. I've spent a lot of time trying to pick a lock with a broken or damaged spring, jammed pin, and the rubber tip of a bobby pin in the keyway (from the self-help people who lie about having tried to pick the lock before you got there).
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby GWiens2001 » 23 Jul 2016 10:24

ltdbjd wrote:There is a difference of opinion as to whether it's better to pick with a non-lubricated lock ("friction is your friend,") or a clean, lubricated lock." I prefer a clean lock.


Never heard that it is better to pick a non-lubricated lock. Lubrication makes picking easier. However, it is better to impression a non-lubricated lock. With impressioning, friction is your friend. ;)

Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Mattches » 24 Jul 2016 14:15

Roger0192 wrote:I am new at lockpicking and I've been practicing on the master lock number 3 and number 7. After learning techniques and how locks work I was able to pick the locks continuously without struggle. (I don't have any tools and work with paper clips) I was able to pick and open the locks about 10-20 times a day


Picking locks with paperclips is not easy; as a new lock picker, you should be proud! And at the same time, what a slap in the face to Master Lock.
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Roger0192 » 31 Jul 2016 16:27

Gosh I feel like I'm losing skill, i should get a set... I can no longer open the same lock with paper lips anymore.. Bummer.. Thank you everyone that helped me !
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Re: Lock is getting harder to pick, help please!

Postby Ian_425 » 5 Aug 2016 16:09

If you don't want to spend a lot of money, the small southord kit, it is like an 8 piece set or something. It isn't priced too bad, and has what you need to learn proper technique.
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