WHY CANT I PICK LOCKS???!!!???!!!

[chrisispoop]

i'm looking for some motivation or for some help. so far i have picked 1 lock and its very easy but that doesnt count. i then have 1 Yale lock and one desk lock i dont know what type or brand and i cant pick either one. I've been picking the Yale one for 4 days not and i cant do it. its one of those external locks just to let you know.
Ive read the MIT guide and others but i cant figure it out. im trying for one pin pick at one at a time and not scrubbing. i cant do it!

UGHHHHH

[stick]

Yale is probably a bit hard for your second lock. Your desk lock is more than likely a wafer lock, and probably isn't too interesting to pick.

[thertel]

You need more patience, and more practice. Its normal at first to take some time to get locks open especially if you start on non-crap locks.

Thomas

[Grudge]

Look for a few more easy locks to start with to help build up your experience (I agree the Yale may be too tough). I recommend building up a 'library' of a few cheap padlocks/deadbolts/doorlocks to practice on.

Successful picking is all about experience, practice and patience. Every lock (even the easy ones) can teach you something (or at least help develop your 'feel').

[Peaky]

If the Yale lock is old or off a door, give it a good lubrication.

If you do a search on this site you should find out how to remove some of the pins from inside, start with 2 in it then keep adding the pins back in until you have them all in and are picking it consistantly.

The Yale is a lot harder to do than the desk lock so start with that first and try useing a snowball or snowman pick to rake it.

Once you have opened it by raking you will have more confidence and should be able to pick it individually if you want.

Try varying the tension you are useing as a constant tension doesnt allways work and if you have the incorrect tension to begin with a bounceing of the wrench should give you a better idea of what sort of pressure you should be useing.

[iworathong]

Yea when I started picking i got a kwickset from home depot for about $10 they also sell a combo door in knob and deadbolt set fer like $15 I think. I prefer these locks to practice on because you dont have to pull out the Plug to change the pins you just take the little metal covering off the "bible" or place where the pins are held then just put your finger over the first pin and dump the rest onto a shoebox or somthing with edges so the pins dont fly everywhere and replace the pin stacks and re-read the MIT guide. Its really great practice with looking at the pins and replacing em. Pick the single until you get it down then the 2 pins and just do this until you can pick em real fast then move on to 3. Just pick this till you got it down. If it seems way too easy just repin it with different stacks and such then contiune onto 4 and keep pickin till you can masterfully pick that lock then move onto the next hopefully another repinable but if not just keep tryin till you get that down and then try your yale and just pick all you can. This worked for me and I guess that it may not work for you but if its good enough for the MIT guide then its good enough for me. Sorry if this isnt clear enough. =)

happy picking

[begginerlockpicker]

try getting a more variety of locks such as locks from prices $2-$10 cheaper most of the time means easier. Master locks are good to start with beause they are very easy. The key is patience and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!!!!
Happy Picking

Kal

[begginerlockpicker]

try getting a more variety of locks such as locks from prices $2-$10 cheaper most of the time means easier. Master locks are good to start with beause they are very easy. The key is patience and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!!!!
Happy Picking

Kal

[Mr Ules]

Have you don't proper research on how locks work??
A better understanding of how the locks work really helps.

[TekWar]

Keep in mind that even the cheap locks can have mushroom or spool pins in them and make them impossible to pick for a noob. I just bought an ACE Hardware (Kwikset) deadblot for $8 that has spool pins.

Take a course in locksmithing from Foley-Belsaw or another mail-order school so you get a good idea of what you are really supposed to be doing. Learn all you can and practice, practice, practice!

TekWar

[toomush2drink]

And remember you do get locks that wont pick a certain way unless your very talented. By this i mean most people on here will have at least one lock that wouldnt pick by one pin picking but would open by raking or scrubbing, it can just happen. I have one yale that i cannot for the life of me open by setting individual pins but opens with a couple of rakes, yet ive opened stacks of yales by single pin picking but this one i just cant get. Anyone else had this too ?

[jason]

Yeah, Yales at times but I find that "Union" ovals can be a bit like that, some days one that opened in seconds just won't play the game.

[Jiffy]

who here would agree that sometimes oiling locks can just make the pins slippery? a couple of times i've tried opening however found it easier when not lubricated. (bear in mind that they werent rusted shut or anything extreme like that

[jason]

Oooooh oil in locks - you should see the replies I got when I suggested WD40!

I never knew about "Mazola Oil Parties" until I looked on this site!

[SFGOON]

As far as oil goes, if you put it in a lock that is being used it will attract grit and wear the lock down quickly, that's why locksmiths tend to prefer graphite. I've regretted every instance in which I tried to lube a lock for picking, it seems to make it much easier for set pins to slip back in the cylinder. That some locks pick almost instantly and other, cheaper locks just laugh at you when you insert your picks is a fact of life. My advice would be to get used to it.