Any advice for a complete novice?

[Bonham]

Hi everyone,

I,m new around here and hope I,ve posted this in the right section,(apologies if not).
I,ve always been interested in lock picking,and to day I took delivery of my first lock pick set.Ok,it's not a state of the art one,just a simple 5 piece set,...cheap and cheerful just to get me started.

For most of the morning I have been trying my damnest to pick the lock on my shed.It,s a cheap brass padlock made in China.
I understand the use of the pressure lever tool and while holding this in place have inserted each picking tool in turn to basically try them.I can feel the sprung pins inside the lock as I poke and prod.
Question; When I have located a pin and moved it ,is it supposed to stay where I have moved it to,because I can feel it returning to its normal position,or is it the case that I need more pressure via the pressure lever tool to make the pin stay put?
My set comprises,a rake tool which is very small and shallow,a half diamond,and the other 3 are very similar with just a curved end.It may be the case that I don't have the correct tool for the job.

Any advice and pointers would be gratefully received.

Many thanks in anticipation

Bonham.

[Uncle Gut]

for single pin picking you need to find the order the pins bind in.
for example my master 140 padlock pins bind in this order 3-2-1-4
so i pick pin 3 and then 2 etc. but since you said its a cheap padlock
made in china.. i would just rake it open

[bouncer965]

Ok im a newbie too but i'll try to help. Insert the tension wrench and apply a minimum pressure to it in the direction that the lock opens.

Insert your pick (half Diamond you say) and feel each pin and see which one you can feel friction on. When you have located this pin, push it up gently and release to see whether you can still feel the spring pushing it back down.

If you cant feel the spring pushing it down then repeat for the next pin that is feeling friction.......and repeat till all pins are set.

The other way is to feel whats coming through on the tension wrench.......if you have a pin that is next to being set you can feel the tension wrench moving slightly in the opposite direction to which it being pushed to open. But remember that you dont need to put a lot of pressure on the tension wrench.....infact hardly any .

Hope this helps some.

[barbarian]

Those cheapo locks are not great for starting out on.

Your picks sound fine.

I would get a cheap deadbolt lock somewhere. Walmart or most hardware stores have them. Take the lock apart.

Put in only two pin stacks. (pins and their springs)

Practice.

Then go to three pin stacks and then practice again.

Keep adding stacks and practice. Try to feel the tip of the pick on each pin. Don't just dig around until it opens.
After you get all the pins in place and can open the lock, try using your other picks and see how they work.

Then re-pin the lock with the pins in a different order.

I don't like the padlocks for learning because they often have a small narrow keyway and there is no room to move your pick around.
Plus with a spring return to hold tension against, you don't get as nice a feel of the lock.
After you learn on a deadbolt, the padlock should be easy.

[bouncer965]

If you prefer to watch then click the link below for a video by Hallis.

[Uncle Gut]

may i suggest reading.. watching how to videos and just taking
in as much information as you can.. i love to read and learn things
before i just jump into something.. it really does make a difference.

[Bonham]

Many thanks for all your advice,...much appreciated.I have viewed many of the videos on Youtube and they DO make it seem easy don't they, and I know it all boils down to patience,perspiration and practice.

What really confuses me is the fact that I can feel each of the four pins inside my lock and can manage to push them all down one at a time,but,as soon as you let one go,it springs back into position and you,re back to square one....Grrrr.!!

Anyway,onwards and upwards.I,m still trying,and it looks like it,s going to be a long night.

Regards Bonham.

[bouncer965]

Many thanks for all your advice,...much appreciated.I have viewed many of the videos on Youtube and they DO make it seem easy don't they, and I know it all boils down to patience,perspiration and practice.

What really confuses me is the fact that I can feel each of the four pins inside my lock and can manage to push them all down one at a time,but,as soon as you let one go,it springs back into position and you,re back to square one....Grrrr.!!

Anyway,onwards and upwards.I,m still trying,and it looks like it,s going to be a long night.

Regards Bonham.

It'll come ...ive only been picking 3 weeks myself. But etting throught the locks quite rapidly now ......its just feeling whats going on inside the lock that makes them just pop open

[loki]

I suggest you take a break and do a little reading. Let you now probably blistered fingers rest. Then go back to the lock and tools.

What reading ? The MIT (as formerly known) Guide to Lockpicking. Very informative. Very good for newbies. And download it for free. google it.

Enjoy.

-- never pick a lock you don't have permision to open--

[jailersmith]

Yes. My advice is relax, it's a simple theory. Everyone's posts that responded are correct. Focus on the lifting of pins and turning tension, find a quiet place to practice. I've been opening locks for 35plus years. A friend has a chinese padlock and it is not as easy as... say a Master padlock #3. A lock you can take apart is an excellent choice. Just keep at it.

[Riff]

I think you are on the right track. Go here http://www.youtube.com/user/wizwazzle ...he's known as awol on here. Look up some his tutorial videos. That's a good place to start. Get you a master #3 with the bitting pretty level. You can see the key in the package. Just take your shorthook, go very slow. Put slight tension (it really doesnt take much) and find the binding order. You may have to adjust the tension until something binds. If you apply to much then everythng will be locked up and nothing will move......to little, and if you set a pin then a pin will not stay set. SO you have to find a happy medium. As far as cheapo locks, it works the same way. The tolerences are probably not going to be very good though. Which makes it harder to SPP (single pin pick). I'd just rake those suckers. Put some tension and rake with your half diamond. You can also rake a couple times and then work you pick up and down, in and out of the lock....Also, while you are doing this you can kinda bounce your tension.....literally with your tension hand kinda bounce (very slightly) the tension wrench. The bouncing alot of times will get some of those overset pins to fall.....but remember, light tension, and dont bounce like crazy...just a bit......if you stick with it, you will get the feeling of what I'm talking about. Hope this helps.
OH also if you want to get a good feel for spools go out and get you one of the locks I have pictured. I've found them to be the best to learn on. It's been a while since I've bought one but I think they are called brinks high security. From walmart. They are brinks brand for sure. They have 1 security pin in em...(I have a few) In every one the secrurity pin is the first pin in. You can very easily rake em one time and drop them into false....then go after the first pin....it will give you a good idea of what security pins feel like. Just remember after it drops into false, push up on that first pin with some force....not a whole lot...then you should feel you tension wrench pushing back on you....let up a bit on the tension and let it come back with your finger while you are pushing up on that first pin......all in one smooth motion....it should "snap" into place and the lock will open....Just try it... It should get your confidence up.......

Lock.jpg

[Grandpa]

I've been picking locks only 5 months so not far ahead of you. Take the advice of everyone so far and read MIT Guide. It covers everything you need to know for now. Definitely get an easy Master or two. It will build your confidence as well as the fun of picking any lock. Listen to these guys as they have been where you are.

[Bonham]

Great advice Chaps.Thanks for taking the time and effort to offer your opinions and expertise.I,m very grateful to you all.

Best regards Bonham.