I am hopeless, please help.

[newguy101]

I am very interested in lock picking so I bought a set of picks and even a pick gun. They just got here. So far with the pick gun I opened a room door two times, both on accident. With the picks I can't even pick one pin. The guys who make picking videos make it look so easy, can anyone suggest anything?

[toomush2drink]

Ok do you have any understanding how the lock works as this is really the starting point. Checkout the faq section and read the mit guide. Search for both these topics and you will find lots of useful information along the way.

[newguy101]

Yes I have some basic understanding but I can't do much. Also another problem is that I have no idea when a pin is picked or not, the cylinder is too narrow to try to feel the resistance of the spring.

[RangerF150]

Then go get a cheap padlock, and work on that for a bit ....

Take your time, you only just started !

Have fun

[digital_blue]

Try re-reading the MIT guide. Also, if you're having that much trouble, try a different lock. You might just have one that is difficult, or perhaps difficult with your current style of picking. Move on to something else and try it again later.

db

[Guesss]

I think that before you start with the pick gun you need to start with picks. find an old lock or buy a cheap one and take it appeart. learn while doing that and then learn to pick one pin and two and so on... just a personal opinion but the only way to use guns or electronics is to know picking first and can't do that till you can pin by pin and then rake and then guns and electronics.

start with easy locks like kwiksets or something.

the best of luck to you.

[Geek142]

Hey Newguy

I was once like yourself and thought i was hopeless and i couldnt do it, the one thing to do at this point is to be positive and dont give up!

I first picked a Zenith Security padlock and i was so happy that it made me want to go out and get a harder one. When i was trying to get the harder one (A noname kind of brand) I was trying to act all experty and hope that it opens and thats before i realised Just pick the Darn lock so i kept at it and it opened. From there it was just practice practice read read ect you will get what i mean. I also went and brought some locks took them apart examined the peices figured out what they did then put the lock back together.

So the main point of my post is to never give up, if you get frustrated to the point that you want to take a hammer to it Just put your lock and tools down rest your fingers get a drink walk around or do something else and come back to it later which will make you feel more relaxed.

So goodluck and i hope you pick the lock with success

[digital_blue]

Hey newguy. This might help put your frustration in perspective.

Or suggest a good book for a noob like me who hasnt opened a lock and doesnt really know how to use tools

Well i have had sucess with all of them except the poor imatation of a queen pick which is too big,

This morning with my homemade hook i picked my first lockwood 234/45 by SPP so that kind of made me feel good

My diamond is a bit to big but i am going to fix that later, and i picked a zenith with my poorly made saw tooth rake but it can only get better with time and practice.

My half double ball is working well for me as a rake but i dont use it much because i prefer single pin picking.

I use my homemades for hobby picking well same with my southords but if i want to pick quickly i use my homemades because i can pick faster with them.

I think the growth in depth of knowledge is quite obvious. And this happened in a little less than a month and a half. So stick with it, and you will find this a very enjoyable hobby!

Sorry Geek for singling you out. I was just emphasizing your point.

db

[Geek142]

Yeah thats fine digital_blue that is a good point though looking at my old posts compared to my newer ones

Cya

[tastyfish]

Hey wow no flames... but I was hungry and wanted a BBQ

But have a look at this site to get a fairly good understanding of how a lock works. http://home.howstuffworks.com/lock-picking.htm and then, pratice! just like with anything else.

[Fasthands]

with only a few simple tools, you can open a lock.
may i suggest you leave master laminates alone, and get yourself a medeco.
the first type of lock i ever picked open.
insanely easy.

[omelet]

HAHAHAHA

not funny

[tastyfish]

Fasthands, you do know we cant see you rolling your eyes, sarcasm doesn't work over the net... and besides thats a really bad pun.

[SFGOON]

This is going to sound like I'm blowing you off, but really it's great advice. You need more practice, actually try picking the lock. The knowledge to do it needs to come from your hands. You can understand all the theory in the world but until you actually work on locks you won't get far. we're here to help you when you run into stumbling blocks, of course

[aviator151]

I think that before you start with the pick gun you need to start with picks.... [pick] pin by pin and then rake and then guns and electronics.

I think that is good advice for a newb guesss. When I started off, i wanted a quick and fast way to get a lock open so I was constantly raking everything. When that wouldn't work I'd get frustrated and either start trying to force things or give up. I soon realized that picking each pin gave me a better feel for the inner workings of the lock and I didn't get frustrated when it wouldn't open, I'd just put down my tools, watch some tv or read, then try it again later. Oh and the whole trying easier locks is good for figuring out what to do too.