Pulling my hair out

[ShadowedOne]

So here's the short story. Friday night I bought a Kwikset double cynlinder. I took one of the sides apart and started putting pins back in one by one. I would put in a pin, pick the lock, and I continued until I had all five pins back in. By the end of the night I could pick both cylinders with all five pins in about 30 seconds each.

I wasn't able to practice much on Saturday, but the couple times I did try I was still able to pick both cylinders in the same amount of time.

Today (Sunday) no such luck. I have only been able to successfully pick one of the cylinders one time.

Any ideas of what I may be doing wrong? I think I may be putting too much tension on the wrench, but I don't know how to tell.

Thanks all!

[silent]

propablly to much tension rember keep it lite.

[MrB]

When you first picked the lock all those times, you were doing it from memory. You learned how to make all the right moves with the pick without really recognizing the feedback from the lock.

The next day you had forgotten all that, and suddenly found you weren't really feeling what the lock was doing.

It takes a lot of practice to really feel a lock and pick it properly.

You need much more than a day to learn the skill properly. Remember that locks are supposed to be difficult to open without the key. Otherwise, what's the point of fitting them to doors?

[ShadowedOne]

MrB....I believe you've got it. You are truly wise beyond your years. So it's back to try try again for me.

-R

[stick]

If you want to make it a little harder without buying a new lock, try mixing up the pins, so they no longer fit the key it came with. If you ever want the key to work again, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

[RangerF150]

There are day's when i can pick the world , and days when i could not open a crappy suitcase lock

I have a simple lock i go back to on them days !

It's the same with learning anything you have good days and bad one's.
With time and pratice the bad days become a thing of the past !

Good luck and have fun

[Varjeal]

Good job mentioning the confidence locks. They should really be a part of every 'picker's arsenal. I keep a handful of cylinders on my desk for that very purpose. As I'm sitting at the computer or on the couch I'll start with an easy filing cabinet lock or two, then move on to a prepared weiser, then Schlage, then tackle something more difficult like a couple of Sargent mortise cylinders, and if I manage to get beyond that on to something else.

It really helps to have some confidence and success before reaching for those high security locks.