Master 141dlf

[Frappinweemish]

Hello everyone,
This is my first post, i have been reading around for a while, and finally came across this topic. I'm just starting out, have picked my front door and found this lock around the house. I have been trying to pick it for a long time, but no luck. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on picking this lock. I've tried light tension, but none of the pins seem to set. Sorry if i'm being a bother, but this is quite frustrating!

[Mad Mick]

Frap: You need to understand what is happening inside the lock. If you haven't already, read the MIT guide a couple of times and pay particular attention to the part pertaining to security pins. Do a search on here for spool pins, serrated pins, and also mushroom pins. This lock has spool pins...you need to visualise what happens when the spool pin 'false-sets'.

Since this lock is not constructed to be rekeyed, I suggest you get a deadbolt or a key_in_knob, and insert a spool pin into one of the stacks, or get a rekeyable padlock which is likely to have a spool or two, and work up from two pin stacks (one stack should contain a solid pin for proper plug alignment)

Regards.

[Frappinweemish]

Thank you Mick. I really appreciate the help.

[TOWCH]

If you're looking for rekeyable padlocks with spools and security pins check out Abus. In general they are rekeyable and I've never seen one that didn't have some sort of security pin. The bigger ones tend to be the rekeyable ones but be sure it's rekeyable before getting it. Check out the Abus website to learn which are which.

[Exodus5000]

Wow - having this post of mine ressurected really puts in perspective how much better of a lock-picker i've become. A lock of this calibre is childs play now, and I vividly remember how hard it was at first.

[Frappinweemish]

Hey thanks TOWCH. I had never heard of Abus before. I love this website, everyone on here is cool as hell and helpful. Exodus, any tips on this lock, or what you personally have done to become that lock picker that you are now, as opposed to before?

[TOWCH]

Reading this site helps, but lots of practice is what gives you mad skillz.

[Exodus5000]

In short TOWCH is right, practice is the only way, but I can be more specific.

The best way to learn how to pick locks is to just do it. I wasn't able to pick the master 141 (a slightly modified master 140) because it had a spool pin. What this did is messed up the picture in my head of how the lock was working on the inside. I didn't understand or know how to interpret the feedback I was getting, that confusion caused me to not be able to pick the lock. After I opened it the first time, my fingers understood what it took to open the lock and the picture in my head slowly became more clear.

The result was that now I can rapidly identify locks that have spool or mushroom pins and deal with the situation quickly without having to think about it a whole lot. You can't learn to do that by reading a book, the only way is to do it - a lot - and make your fingers learn how to cope with it.

It was the same story for when I was learning to pick brinks shrouded padlocks. All of the spool and serrated pins created a muddled picture in my head. I just kept doing the same thing, jumping to progresively more difficult locks and forcing myself to learn how it works in my mind. Completely saturating yourself with a lock until you learn how it works, and how to open it is the best way in my opinion, and the absolute moral of this story is that you can't learn how to become a proficient lock-picker without visualizing the lock in your mind!

Oh sure I spent a lot of time complaining on LP101 about the current lock I couldn't open (hence this thread), and some people offered their condolences and some suggestions, but learning to pick a lock is really something you can only do yourself.
That's my take on it anyways,
Ex

[Frappinweemish]

Hey Exodus. Your suggestions inspired me, and just this morning, about 1 minute ago, after a while of trying to vizualize the lock in my head, i picked that sucka. Now i'm gonna try again and again and again. Haha, i'm so excited! Thanks

[Frappinweemish]

Two for two! Hell yeah!

[Frappinweemish]

Actually, make that three for three Is this supposed to get easier as you go along? It seems like i remember much better where the spool pins are, and how much tension to give. I can now say that i am quite obsessed with lockpicking.

[Exodus5000]

Congrats, keep up the good work. It was only last year that I made this thread, and I would say my skills as a lock-picker have increased about 20 times over since the making of this thread.

Have fun.

[Frappinweemish]

Thanks for all the help! By the way, Exodus, i love that game that you made, it's great.