My first lock. Yesterday.

by **freakshow** » 15 Mar 2005 21:08

Ok, Thanks. I'm getting a bunch of locks mailed from where I used to live.

by **Geek142** » 16 Mar 2005 4:58

I started on Zenith Security Padlocks (Very Very Very VERY VERY easy to pick) I think it is ironic that the padlock Says "SECURITY" on the front in capital letters.

Later

by **maty68** » 16 Mar 2005 5:50

Hello all. I been picking for a couple months now. I have picked quite a few locks now, in fact NEARLY all the locks i have attempted. Except 1!. It's only an ERA door cylinder but i cant seem to pick it. Its a 5 pin tumbler lock and i have tried raking it, setting the pins 1 by 1, various tensions on the wrench, different picks etc. I have even stripped the cylinder down and had the plug and pins out to look for mushroom or spool drivers, but found only standard pins. What am i doing wrong. I know its probably an easy lock to pick but the best i can do is set 3 of the pins. Please someone help!!

by **master in training** » 16 Mar 2005 13:27

it could just be that you are having trouble adjusting to the pins and keyway of a different lock, you could try taking out a few pins so that it only has 2 pins left and pick it like that so that you can get used to it.

by **Guesss** » 16 Mar 2005 13:56

another possibility is that your wrench could be binding on the hull... or maybe try a hook pick (i am not sure whta you are using) i most always use a half diamond but i have found that i occasionally need to use a hook to get around some of the low pins.

just a few thoughts and don't forget to vary your tension that is the one that i forget a lot.

lots of skill to you

by **maty68** » 16 Mar 2005 14:03

Yes, i was considering reducing the pins in the lock to make picking easier, think i might have to do that.... Guess: can you expand a bit more on the wrench binding the hull theory?

by **Guesss** » 16 Mar 2005 14:32

sure.. when you look at the key way (i am not sure where you are putting in the wrench) but at the bottom (opposite the pins) there is the key way that turns and there is the casing around it. the wrench, if in the bottom of the lock, can bind up a little on the unmoveable part if you don't realize it then you aren't applying tention on the lock anymore so no more pins will bind.

some times when you figure this out you adjust the wrenchand loose all the set pins. it is important to have the right wrench for the job.. took me a while to learn this. Also if you can help it don't let the wrench rub on or agains the hull (the unmoveable part.. some times i don't always call everything right so that is why i put the descriptions in)

I hope that that helps and if not ask more questions and i will try and answer better

by **FSSARD** » 16 Mar 2005 16:03

good job freakshow!

by **maty68** » 16 Mar 2005 17:44

Spot on guesss...i think i've got it now

by **Guesss** » 16 Mar 2005 18:57

Just glad that i could help

by **maty68** » 16 Mar 2005 19:45

I also used master in training's advice and reduced the number of pins. When taking out the pins I found that the number 4 driver spring was distorted (must have have been caused by all the heavy raking of this lock when i first started to pick). I left 3 pins in the lock and i was able to pick it in seconds with the wrench in the top of the keyway. With the wrench in the bottom of the keyway i couldn't pick it at all, therefore as Guesss said i must have been binding against the hull (wrench in the top of the keyway for me from now on). I replaced spring number 4 and inserted the remaining pins so all 5 pins and springs were in place, with the wrench in the top of the keyway i was able to pick the lock in seconds!. So i wanna thank u guys for helping me achieve a feeling of superiority over this lock that was eluding me for more than 2 months.

by **master in training** » 16 Mar 2005 19:49

wow, thats a long time! well done! its a good feeling when you finally get that elusive lock!

im glad i could be of some help, if you cant afford a new lock and are totally familiar on picking this lock pin by pin, you can take the pins out and rekey it to the hardest configuration possible with the pins you have (lots of high/low pins).

by **maty68** » 16 Mar 2005 19:59

I think i'll do just that. I aint got a re-pinning kit but i got some more of those locks. i'll just strip them down to get the pins. I made a plug follower out of a stiff piece of cardboard rolled into a tube, so no springs flying around

by **master in training** » 16 Mar 2005 20:06

well done, its good to see people using their initiative!

you dont need a repinning kit, just swap the pins around so they go high-low-high-low to make it harder to pick. of course if its already like this you havent got a lot of options but to buy a new lock anyway, but there you go :lol:

by **maty68** » 16 Mar 2005 20:21

Of course, thats what i'll do , just re-sequence the order of the pins already in the lock. I came across a bicycle lock today its got a tubular lock. No idea how to start on that kind of lock. :cry:

My first lock. Yesterday.

era door cylinder

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