First Pick A Success?

[sublime progie]

my first lock took me about a minute and a half. i did alot of reading before i attempted as this is how i like to learn anything. I reald that it takes about 30 minutes to pick first locks. then even proffesionals take 5 mins to get a lock. i am surprised at how quick i got it.

[digital_blue]

There are a lot of things that can influence how long it takes to pick a lock. Here are some of them in no particular order:
- Skill of the picker
- Technique being used
- Quality of the lock
- Characteristics of the lock
- Pick being used
- State of mind of the picker
- Physical state of the picker (tired, wired, etc.)
- Phases of the moon
- Outfit that Oprah wore that day

etc.. etc.. etc...

You may find that you go back to the very same lock and can't get it for the life of you. Or you may find that the lock is just a very easy one. Or maybe it is only easy when matched with your particular style of picking.

The above situation was of particular frustration early on for me. I had been practicing picking on a variety of padlocks. I was having a tremendous defficulty with this one brass padlock (which at the time I didn't know enough to realize, but it has a couple spool pins in it). I had worked on it for probably 3 hours all told and only managed to get it about 3 times. Each time seemed totally random and unreproducable. I was having a coffee with a friend of mine who also enjoys picking, but not nearly to the extent that I did, even then. By all rights my technique and feel was far more developed than his. I tossed him the lock and said "Here, this things a monster. Have fun!" He popped the tension wrench in, took a small half diamond, and no more than 20 seconds later he popped the lock open. I gasped, but then said "Beginner's luck. Do it again if you want to impress me". This was the wrong thing to say because he did. And then again. And one more time. Ugh.

I've since figured out that at the time the one thing he had going for him on that lock was that he tended to use less tension than I did. I was more inclined to apply tension until I could physically feel the pins binding, whereas he was just applying an extremely light tension and raking his little heart out. In this case, his technique was better suited to that lock, but if you'd have given us 5 locks and said "You can't go home until all 5 are picked" I'd have been sitting at home with my feet on my coffee table while he was putting new bandages over the blisters and plodding on.

Anyway, just my thoughts once again....

db

[barnzy]

Yeah thats what i meant, I bought the lock into school and practiced it on my break times You no, just got it out and started fiddling with it. Because as you said, it would be illegal doing anything else but using my own lock

[Cman22]

lol, im back after months of not posting but id have to say that my first lock took about 20 seconds. it was a master no. 3 so it was really easy

[opstand]

Master # 160, just did it last night when I received my set of picks. I voted 1-2 hours, even though I don't know for sure how long it took. I was messing with it on and off throughout the evening. I finally sat down for about 30 minutes before I went to bed and figured it out. I have a Master #3 at home to play with tonight.

[n2oah]

My first time I tried to pick a lock was a horrible failure.
But then, a couple days later, I got one in about 5 minutes.

[tydirian]

The first real lock that I picked was the deadbolt on my backdoor. I just got a set of picks in and it was the closest one. I got it in < 30 sec. the first time. I got lucky though and it takes a lot longer now. But it was to late. I was hooked.

[MeRZHiN]

my first lock was the abus 55/40, took me about a day to complete, it suddenly popped open while i was watching tv

[sandbox]

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This is unbelieveable. I started this thread 2 years ago and it is still around! Wow. I have visited this site on and off over these two years (lost my other account) glad to see that it is still here. Crazyness.


Peter.


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[Datz]

it took me like 25 secs but only because it was a one pin tumbler it took me like 3 mins to pic a combo lock

[Warduluk]

taken me 6 days... found a master lock on the ground grabbed some hacksaw blades and made some of pyros picks. Worst experiance of my life... first lock ever and i snapped about 4 picks in it.... i guess making them ill leave to the factories.

[KAMELTOE]

Found a lock that my son had for his moped. It didnt have a key and I didnt have anything to do..so...I got a small nail clipper with a small file attached and with a hook. Then I got a small safety pin. I inserted the file with the hook pointed downwards (mind u I inserted the file all the way in). At this point I didnt add tension but I inserted the safety pin pushing down light and first and when I got it to the back of the lock while still pushing down I then turned and POP it opened within 5 mins.
Glad he never rode that moped in town that much.

[gabriel2001]

The first real lock that I picked was the deadbolt on my backdoor.

[Ashlon]

first lock picke using a pice of wire and a bent out of shape tweezer from a swiss army knife in about 1.5 mins a 2 tumbler POS lock about to start on the 5 tumbler Ace lock to see if I can get that one also

[Pisces1303]

I bought a 5-pin kwikset doorknob at the local hardware store. I was going to take out some of the pins and start with like 2 or 3, but realized I didn't know how. So then I figure I might as well give it a try, and I figured it out in what I guess was just over a minute. I was suprised at how little time it took. Now I can usually get the same lock in under 5 seconds .

I bought one too, but I can't get it to open :/. I picked just the tumbular part of the lock once but that was by itself... This is driving me ntus!