Happy 2020! A lock a day keeps the doctor away

[femurat]

Day 280 of 366. This paracentric tip of the keyway and probably the key bittings made me struggle a lot more than expected. I decided to use a profile wrench that I made years ago. I put it in the bottom of the keyway so it was easier to reach some very short pins. At a certain point I also tried the hook, without success. In the end my usual pick got it open anyway.

Cheers

[edocdab]

That looks like a nice keyway indeed. I made a hd from another pick and have used it for quite a while. It feels different from my usual hook profiles (ssdev and southord standard mainly), but I do like a number of things about it and am improving my skills.

It's very interesting to feel the differences between profiles. E.g. the blunt tip deep hook of ssdev makes it hard to feel the tip of the pin precisely, while the pointy ssdev hook and a hd profile make that perfectly clear.

In my mind the ssdev thin tip deep hook in 15 thousands is amazing. But I still enjoy picking with very different profiles and check what that can teach me.

Femurat, thanks for advocating both the hd profile and the lesson that a single proper pick, used well, opens most locks.

[femurat]

I'm happy I inspired you to try a different pick. If you can appreciate those differences you're a more advanced picker than you may think.



Day 281 of 366. My usual stuff.

Cheers

[femurat]

Day 282 of 366.

Cheers

[femurat]

Day 283 of 366. I made a small window in this lock to help me understand serrations. It did help back in the day...

Cheers

[femurat]

Day 284 of 366. I used a hook for this unusual keyway.

Cheers

[edocdab]

Nice going on that window you cut out back then. It gives a perfect view. When I started picking a bit over a year ago, I made a cutaway out of a wink haus. That sure helped me

[femurat]

A cut away may help, but feels different than a normal lock. And there's the risk to ignore what you feel in favour of what you see. I'd avoid them for picking practice. But you got trough it well



Day 285 of 366.

Cheers

[edocdab]

Absolutely. Good to check if you don't understand what you're feeling anymore in the beginning. They are good for learning, not training. I cut only a very thin groove and I can't say the behaviour is much worse by it actually. But indeed learning, not training

[femurat]

Day 286 of 366. These were my very first training locks. I disassembled them and mounted three and four pins. I used them to learn to pick spools. Now they're going to a new home. Hopefully they'll still be useful.

Cheers

[edocdab]

Nice bit of personal history, those. They should be very usable to new pickers.

[femurat]

Yes. I hope he'll put those old cylinders to good use. Or at least that he gets those open.



Day 287 of 366.

Cheers

[femurat]

Day 288 of 366. Sometimes when I pick an "easy" lock I was not able to pick something more difficult or unusual. Others I was just lazy.

Cheers

[femurat]

Day 289 of 366. Now you know what lock I was not able to pick yesterday. Inspired by the recent video of LPL I dug out this BiLock and practiced, trying different picks.
And today, finally, we got an open. Now I can try again with only my favourite pick.

Cheers

[edocdab]

Very nice Femurat What's the idea of the strip of metal in between the picks?