Can only rake 3-pinned lock in one direction?

[Inks]

Hi, everyone.

I'm just beginning with lock picking and I'm having trouble learning the raking technique. I have a set of 2, 3, and 5-pinned practice locks that I bought online. I'm trying to learn how to rake the 3-pinned one, but I can only do it in the clockwise direction. When I try to rake in the other direction the lock seems less solid somehow. When I rake clockwise I try to touch my tension wrench very lightly, but it's like it more fully is pressing against something so I can more easily feel the looseness of the lock and I adjust the tension very slightly until the lock opens. I can usually do it in under a minute this way, but when I try to rake in the counterclockwise direction it's almost like it's not pressing against anything as solid so it's difficult to get the right tension. I try pressing very lightly, even sometimes so lightly that I'm not pressing at all, but I can sit there for hours just raking again and again and the lock won't open.

I'm using a three-pronged rake that kind of goes up and down in a zig-zag. I try to tilt it up slightly after I insert it and then pull it out again, but it almost doesn't matter when I do it in the clockwise direction, yet counterclockwise I try pressing it up hard or not hard or just pulling it straight out and it doesn't make any difference, the lock is never opening. I've also found that if I press extra hard with the tension wrench and press extra hard with the rake I can sometimes get the lock to open, but I don't think I'm supposed to be pressing that hard and I'm worried I might damage the lock. I thought maybe the lock was defective, but I have a similar feeling when trying to rake in the counterclockwise direction on the 5-pinned lock from the same set, and the 2-pinned lock is kind of the same, although that one is much easier to get open. So I think the problem is my raking technique in the counterclockwise direction, not the locks themselves. I have other rakes I can try, but this is the one I've had the most success with.

The guide book I'm reading says to rake by inserting the rake to the back of the lock, tilting it upward slightly, and then pulling it out quickly, so that's what I'm trying. But it also says you may need to pull it in and out and I've seen videos on YouTube doing the same thing. In and out again and again works faster for me, but I can to the inserting and then pulling it out quickly method in the clockwise direction, But in counterclockwise I try it so many times that I just end up using the in and out really fast method, and nothing ends up happening.

Can anyone help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?

[Inks]

Additional information. This is the Practice Set A set that I bought from lockpickersmall. I believe it's a Kwikset lock that has been rekeyed to have only 3 pins at about the same level (the key is very flat) for practicing.

[Inks]

Anyone???

I'm still racking my head on this and I can't figure out why I can feel the pins in the clockwise direction but not counterclockwise.

Clockwise, I'm inserting the pick to the back of the lock, tilting it up slowly, and pulling it out slowly while using very light tension like I'm just touching the tension wrench. I can feel the hook of the pick get stuck and push up slightly and then I feel the lock loosen. But this isn't happening when I try to pick it counterclockwise, no matter how much tension I use. It seems like either the picks get stuck like when you're turning too hard, or they don't pick at all like when you're not using any tension. Picking clockwise came quickly enough, but I'm still stuck trying to pick counterclockwise.

[GWiens2001]

Just by chance - does the key turn in both directions?

Gordon