Picking a one pin lock

[godzirra]

Hey everyone! I'm a new lock picker and I'm having some problems.

I have a Black and Decker deadbolt that I bought from walmart. I've removed all but the first pin. The first thing I did was remove 4 of the five pin stacks and springs. The first pinstack and spring is untouched.

After removing the pins, I determined the rotation of the lock (Clockwise) and tested the tension on the first pin while I had no tension to rotate the plug.

After I thought I was familiar with it, I tried to pick my one pin lock. I think I succeeded in setting the first pin, since the key pin fell back down, but when i pushed it up with the peterson hook, it had no force to push it back down. It just fell down on its own when I removed the pick. Now I assumed at that point it should be able to turn and unlock, but it isn't turning, and it isn't unlocking.

Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong?

Thanks!
godzirra

[Romstar]

The driver is jammed at the shear line, and not above it in the shell.

Romstar

[godzirra]

How do I avoid that?

Oddly enough, I found out that if I just push the entire pin stack up above the shear line, they stick, making it incredibly easy to open this lock.

Any suggestions on a good lock for a beginner?

--godzirra

[maldotcom2]

Wouldnt recommend making a habit of pushing up the whole stack. Even if the pin stack feels 'stiff' it may need just the tiniest more push to clear the sheer line.

[godzirra]

I didn't assume that was a good way to pick locks. But can someone recommend a good lock to pick up for a beginner? I'm having trouble feeling or hearing the little click that signifies the driver pin being lifted above the sheer line, especially with the black and decker lock that seems to bind everytime at the sheer line, and not above it.

--godzirra

[Ezer]

The first lock I ever picked was a Defiant deadbolt from Home Depot. From what I've read on here, it's just Home Depot's version of a Kwikset deadbolt. It had no security pins and was very easy to pick. Mine was so bad, I didn't even have to take some pins out to get the feel of the lock. As I was picking it the first few times, the top pins kept getting stuck above the shear line and wouldn't come out 'till I took it apart and prodded them a few times.

After you get more used to picking, a fun lock I picked up is the Brinks Home Key Padlock from Walmart. It's made to be exceptionally easy to rekey. You don't have to mess with the top pins or springs at all, and it comes with a Kwikset key decoder and a bag of color coded pins.

Two things to note about the lock are that 4 of the 5 top pins are spools and it requires a lot of force to open once it's picked. To open it, I use a small tension wrench to set the pins. Then when the lock is picked, I remove the pick while keeping pressure on the wrench and use a screwdriver to actually turn the keyway.

[godzirra]

Well, we don't have any home depots near me, only lowes. I've tried finding a kwikset lock (Since I made sure to check the forums before I started and before asking questions =), but the only kwikset deadbolts I can find are "Kwikset Security" deadbolts. Are these good ones to start with?

--godzirra

[MrB]

Kwikset Security is in fact the bottom of the range minimum security lock. When people say "get a Kwikset" this is the one they mean. The best value would be a double cylinder deadbolt since you get two cylinders in the package.

The Kwikset Maximum Security has exactly the same cylinder as the Security, so it's not worth paying the extra on that one for picking practice. (The extra money goes into better resistance to brute force attacks.) The UltraMax lock is harder to pick and has a six pin cylinder with maybe some security pins.

You should note however that if you are going to buy a lock for practice, you can get cheaper than Lowes. Look in Target or even in any dollar store. Sometimes the cheaper locks have brass cylinders which are nicer than the pot metal ones in Kwiksets.

[Romstar]

Lightly place your tension wrench in the keyway. I normally put mine at the bottom, but you may prefer the top (top is required on more advanced keyways).

Place just enough tension on the wrench to gerntly turn the plug.

Insert your pick, and feel for the pin stack. While keeping even, gentle tension on the wrench, push the stack up until the plug turns.

Repeat this exercise over and over again until you begin to feel the distinct seperation of the pins as the plug turns.

This is the feeling you are looking for, and will need as you advance to more than a single stack.

When you start using 2, 3 and eventually five stacks, you are absolutely going to need to be able to tell when the driver has gone above the plug.

Bear in mind that as you advance the setting order will change based upon the construction of the lock in question.

With a single stack it doesn't matter. When you put the second stack in, you may have to raise the #2 stack first, and then go back to the #1 stack.

Once you get to 5 stacks, you may find your picking order to be: 5, 3, 2, 4 and then 1. It depends entirely on the pins, and the way the holes were drilled.

Use as little tension as is necessary at all times.

Romstar