thanks guys!

by **Lametatron** » 22 Apr 2005 22:10

I just wanted to thank you guys for all your help and the plethora of information on this site. Shortly after I got my Peterson picks in, I went to Home Depot and picked up a kwik-set "Pick-resistant" (bah) deadbolt and a Masterlock No 3. to practice on. On the way home, I managed to get a feel for the kwik-set and could get it down to 1 or so minutes, depending. Just today I started practicing on the masterlock, and am proud to say that I can do it consistently in about 2-4 minutes. I know I'm not as fast as most of you guys, but I feel like the masterlock is a pretty difficult lock to be able to do in 2 days, and I would just like to thank you guys for all your help. :lol:

by **master in training** » 22 Apr 2005 22:22

well done!

it sounds like you're doing really well, you've certainlyu progressed quickly and it sounds like you have a natural affinity for picking locks.

are you picking pin by pin or raking?

did you walk home picking the lock or do it in the car? either way picking in public isnt usually the best idea, you may find people blaming you for things going missing and theres a general misconception that only locksmiths and criminals pick locks, so be careful not to make it look like you've fallen into the criminal category :lol:

well done on your sucess though, it always feel geat to open a lock.

oh and welcome to the forums!

~ Master in Training ~

by **Lametatron** » 22 Apr 2005 22:29

I did it in the car ride home, while my cousin was driving me back to my dorm (it's college, I can't afford parking for a car), and I'm doing it pin by pin, from back to front. My feel for the pins is still a bit fuzzy, like sometimes they bind really badly, and sometimes, I think I have all the pins all the way up, but it doesn't unlock, so I lessen the tension a little bit and let the previous pin drop, and try again from there, and that usually helps. I think I'm having issues from tension now that I've typed it all out, but yeah, I'm doing it pin by pin. Now that I'm getting pretty good at the No 3 masterlock, what should I move to? Schlage? some other type of deadlock? ideas? comments?

by **master in training** » 22 Apr 2005 22:41

well it sounds like you're doing well, suprisingly so actually considering your technique, assuming you have once already, re-read the MIT guide since you're picking front to back, you should be picking in the order they bind in, this will probably help your "fuzziness" in feeling a bit as well.

when you say you release the tension then set the pin and the lock opens, this may partly be due to the fact that you're not picking quite right, but also that you're oversetting that particular pin, dont push it up quite so high and that should solve the problem.

you mention tension problems, a common mistake is to use too much tension, you only need the force required to turn the key, a way i found how much tension to use while i was still in the really early days was to put the tension wrench through the hole in the key and then press on the tension wrench while the key was in the lock to find out the force needed (it suprised me how little actually!). this may also help clear up the problems with "fuzziness" and oversetting pins (due to them being hard to press up them slipping suddenly and going too far).

hopefully you'll find this helpful, putting the wrench through the hole in the key was probably one of the best things i learnt, it helped me see just how much tension tension i was putting on that i didnt need!

as for things to move onto, make sure you can pick the locks you have no so much quickly and consistently and know everything that is happening inside the lock, visualise every movement. when you've done that, repin your kwikset so that it is as hard as you can make it (biggest changes in pin heights possible). then you can think about getting harder locks to work on, but im probably not the best person in the world to tell you what to buy next since im from the UK, but one tip would be to look at dumps, scrap metal dealers, locksmiths, door fitters, anyone who may change a lock and ask if you can have some old locks, even if they have no keys, some may not be beautiful, but they still work and will cost you a lot less than shops charge, you being in college this may be a handdy thing to know!

by **Lametatron** » 23 Apr 2005 0:04

ok, I tried that that tactic you said with turning the lock, and I needed WAY less tension than I was using, and now, I'm picking it in about 10 - 30 seconds, so I'm thinking I was either oversetting the pins, or overtensioning to the point that I could move some pins up, but other pins were locked. As for harder locks, would a schlage be out of my league, or if I try hard enough at them, could I get them?

by **master in training** » 23 Apr 2005 0:14

i've never even seen a schlage in my life, let alone picked one so i'll have to leave it to someone "across the pond" to help you there, sorry lametatron.

by **icarus987345** » 23 Apr 2005 8:15

i can help u there shlage lock are very very hard to pick but if ur good enough you can get it

i have one to practice on in my basement its really hard to do and by the way ive never picked a lock before it never works for me i dont know why it wont work its so annoying

Icky

by **digital_blue** » 23 Apr 2005 8:18

It's hard to say what will be out of your league, but I would say that a standard residential schlage would probably be fitting. They are a reasonably good lock, which you will notice has a different feel from picking a typical Kwikset. If anything, you'll probably learn more about picking by working on a lock with tighter tolerances. If you get totally stumped with the shlage, you could always set it aside and come back to it when your skills have improved.

Good luck, and happy picking!

db

thanks guys!

thanks guys!

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