New Picker Excited

by **lostyou** » 3 Jan 2005 20:13

Hello all . I'm a new member from Colorado and I am 26 , I googled "how to pick locks" and now here I am .

I'v been very interested in this hobby for a long time and I am ready to get started . My previous hobby was RC Cars (Radio Control) , that was wearing out my "pockets" after a while . I'm sure this will be a lot cheaper . I love to do things with my hands ; build stuff , take stuff apart , ect ... thus , I thought this could be a really good starting point to try something that I'v always wanted to do . Thank you all for having me as a member and reading my first post ... I am VERY excited !! I just got done printing the "Matt Blaze : University of Pennsylvania" tut , so I'll be busy with that and buying my first set of tools . Thanks again for having me .

by **Wolf2486** » 3 Jan 2005 21:13

Welcome. Lock picking is a great hobby and I hope you enjoy it. Read the FAQ (on this site), the MIT Guide (site), and the howstuffworks.com guide. This should get you started. If you like making things then do a search for pyro's video on making picks. It is very good and very helpful.

by **Mr Ules** » 3 Jan 2005 21:19

welcome.
As a beginner I think you should go straight to making your picks out of feeler gauges. I suggest this material whenever someone asks about material. But, when you buy them, only use the feeler gauges which go from 0.500 to 0.800 mm in width. These are the strongest ones.

by **begginerlockpicker** » 3 Jan 2005 21:43

I think that is kinda thick for a pick..In my opinion I think you should use .20-.40...

Good Luck and Happy Picking :lol:

by **Grudge** » 4 Jan 2005 3:37

Welcome! Lock picking is exciting, nothing like the sound of that 'click' as the shackle springs open on a tough one.

One word of advice, don't rush your pick purchase too much. Look around here for info on picks sets and don't order from those 'spy' stores.

by **good_guy** » 4 Jan 2005 20:13

hey welcome to lockpicking. i didnt really read what you wrote but saw that you were knew and decided to welcome you. trust me, all your friends will come to you when they are in a situation with a lock, and when you open it they go crazy... to me its sort of a confidence booster. lock picking is probably the only hobby you cant "quit" because you will always need it.

by **longcanuck** » 4 Jan 2005 20:55

Greetings All:

I too am new to lock picking, already posted my introduction in the General/ FAQ's.

Started with a disused but relatively new Weiser deadbolt. I removed two pins stacks initially for practice. Added the pins back in as I got the hang of things. It took me about a week and I'm back to the full five pins and I picked first time in about two minutes. (unable to pick it since, think I'll come back to it in the morning). Very happy though .

I have a quick question though. I have read the postings regarding the use of WD-40 as a lubricant. In my line of work (firefighter) the locks I may be picking will probably be well used and gummed up a little already.
Wouldn't a shot of WD-40 in the lock loosen things up a bit ? It does lubricate somewhat and it also acts as a solvent loosening up all the buildup of whatever may be in the lock.

Just a thought.

Hope I am posting in the right area. If not let me know. My knuckles do drag a little from time to time but I do learn eventually.

by **jason** » 7 Jan 2005 18:14

There has been quite a bit about lock lubrication, I favour WD40 although I know that many in the US hate the stuff.

Powdered graphite just seems to get every where in the toolbox even with the lid on and kept in a ziplock bag.

I did look on the instructions on a replacement Yale cylinder (when I get really bored I read instruction sheets!) and Yale recommend WD40 as a lubricant.

If you're a fireman - just use an axe or the pneumatic cutting thingy

by **longcanuck** » 8 Jan 2005 11:32

My favourite entry tool is the 14 pound sledge that we have on our truck, given time, it will open just about anything, although closing whatever it is after is usually a bit of a problem. When time is of the essence, that is the way I go. There are times, however, when a little more finesse and less damage is called for. That is why I started researching lock picking. I have encountered many situations where the ability to pick a lock rather than bash it to bits would be preferrable.

As for the WD-40, it couldn't hurt, and would make the picking go a little easier I think.

by **hzatorsk** » 8 Jan 2005 11:50

jason wrote:There has been quite a bit about lock lubrication, I favour WD40 although I know that many in the US hate the stuff.

No... we don't hate it... we love fouling locks up with products that leave a residue... it is our only guarantee that the lock will continue to promote the collection of dust/dirt and result in a future callback to the same customer.

Any lock in bad enough shape to require WD-40 should be replaced once you get it open.

...imho...

by **jason** » 8 Jan 2005 15:42

well I've never had a callback for a seized lock, if the lock needs to be that heavily lubed to open it will get replaced anyway.

When it comes to lubing up, rather than spraying loads through that silly plastic straw - I put a squirt on one of my toolbox keys and run it in and out a couple of times - it also helps me to check that a pin hasn't stuck and kiddies haven't been playing with superglue

by **Luke** » 9 Jan 2005 8:09

Super glue is loads of fun to remove...

by **jason** » 9 Jan 2005 9:38

I use one of those little jewellers blowlamps, then the original key and then I hope and pray

by **raimundo** » 9 Jan 2005 10:51

I have found that the most seriously stuck cylinders are the ones where a top spring has broken and threaded itself past the top pin and into the space between the plug and the cylinder. these are very difficult cylinders to take apart even with a hammer and pin punch.

New Picker Excited

New Picker Excited

First five pin pick!

lock lube and firemans tools

the most stuck cylinders

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