Why Does Same Lock Seems Easy One Time And Hard The Next?

[roboman]

I bought a pair of masterlocks today at Wal-Mart. When I first got them I could usually get them picked in a half-minute or so. Now it seems I can only get them after a bit of work (1 minute or so+). Then later they seem easy again. What gives?

[NDE Manipulation]

It's all about you, my friend. The locks and picks are not changing, it is your perception, attention and feel, as well as your attention to the picking and what you are receiving.

[digital_blue]

It sounds to me as though you're learing to pick locks. I say this, because everybody experiences exactly what you're talking about when they're learning to pick locks. To a certain extent, it never goes away. Good for you. Keep at it and you'll work it out. I promise.

Happy picking!

db

[roboman]

Thanks .

I appreciate the advice, especially from you Digital Blue. You've helped me out the most so far.

Do you think I should keep picking the locks I have now until I'm very proficient at opening them or should I try to move up in difficulty already?

[vector40]

Both!

Explore new locks, and keep your current ones around. Don't "move," expand -- pick more, and continue picking the ones you've got now. That way you won't forget anything, and you won't get get dependent on a particular type of lock. Plus, you've got some nice ego-booster locks to perk you up when the bleeding Primus still won't crack

[digital_blue]

I agree about the ego boosters. You will need that to remind yourself that you do in fact know how to picks locks when you're stumped on a really tough one.

One thing I would caution you of. Once you've picked a lock several times consecutively you will start to memorize the "steps" involved in picking that lock. At that point, you stop using solid picking technique, and are simply allowing something kinda like muscle memory to take over. This will not help you develop the awareness and sensitivity that will allow you to pick other locks. You will merely become an expert at picking those particular locks. I wouldn't say throw them away. Just put them away, and go back to them after a while.

I'm glad I can help.

db

[vector40]

You can also repin them. I have a Kwikset here that increased exponentially in difficulty when I moved the pins around. Even if they don't get objectively "harder," they will get "different," which is mostly the point.

[raimundo]

You must sand your picks smooth, picking with rough picks causes scratches on the pins, scratches on the channels that the pins are in and pressure with the tensor will cause a groove to be eroded in the bottom of the keyway which will make your tensor bind the lock more rather than turn the plug. If your tensor gets stuck and does not move freely, you have a problem. Eventually, a lock picked by a beginner becomes very rough inside, and the bottom of the keyway becomes a tensor trap. Rough picks and heavy handling make a high security lock out of an ordinary lock. when the pins are scratched up, and rideing in a pin channel that is scratched and also loaded with chips from the scratches, it will be come hard.

[JoR]

I have about 6 or 7 different padlocks. I stopped picking for a while but started again yesterday. I couldn't pick any of the locks but after some practice it came back to me and today I can pick 'em all.

[Kodack]

I found when I was first starting that if I got in a situation where it popped easily then wouldn't open to save my life it was because I was un-consciously applying more tension and getting tense.

Then I started picking while doing something to keep the mind occupied like watching a movie. That helped my hands learn to pick and kept my mind from mucking things up.

[Geek142]

Hey

Some times your hands and feeling ajust to the lock and how to open it the fastest way possible, I have a lockwood 120/40 and i can pick it in about 5 seconds including getting my tools in the lock and all i do is slide to the back and pick the last pin and it opens, But that is probably just because its not a high-low configuration.

Cya

[synth]

yeah, i know what you mean.

i'm still pretty bad at picking. its weird.. when i come to most of my [simple] locks, i often pick them within seconds after a try or two, and then i can never seem to pick them again. however, after a long break, it's easy again. it doesnt feel like im changing my technique.. whatever. i guess i just need more practice.

[Vek]

It's because if all locks were easy all the time, it would be a boring hobby

And don't forget: The amount of time it takes to open a lock increases exponentially with the amount of people watching you. Or, at least, it does for me.

[Codeman]

I run into the same problem all the time because I'm still learning. I can pick pretty good but it's like I go stupid all of a sudden, then I get pissed, but then I figure it out. . Like someone said once on here, (can't remember who) don't concentrate so hard on picking a lock, because then you can't get the darn thing open. Seems like when you go at it in a "don't care" attitude, it works a lot better. Weird huh.

[lockedin]

And don't forget: The amount of time it takes to open a lock increases exponentially with the amount of people watching you. Or, at least, it does for me.

I agree, locks I open easily seem to take for ever in front of others too. I think this is a common problem.