Hi folks! I got shown the basics of lockpicking at a security conference and decided I want to know more. I got a set of 0.019” basics from Jimylongs and then bought the first lock I saw at CVS.

I felt like I was able to push some binding pins, but basically got nowhere until I jammed my pick in the very back left of the lock and it gave way. It was SO difficult compared to some of the 4-6 pin learning locks I tried at the con. It took me nearly 3 hours to get it open (with a rake!!). What do you guys think?

And just like that! Picked my first Master Lock (141) and got a way better sense of what I was doing. Watching videos and reading all of the recommended material has helped visualize everything. Had to make sure I could open it up 3 times consistently before I felt accomplished.

The 44 Delta wrath Paclocks were worth the wait. These are absolutely stunning. I couldn’t not pick it but now that I’ve got a few opens, it’s going to be a display piece.

Finalmente oggi é arrivata la mia serratura,
30 minuti senza risultati e poi ha girato!
Dopodiché la apro in modo costante in qualche minuto🙌😍
Comunque non riesco ancora bene a capire il feedback di questi strani perni (ho dimestichezza solo con spool standard) e ho paura degli overset
Qualche consiglio su come interpretare questi feedback? A volte mi sembra che tutti i perni siano elastici anche con una tensione medio-alta
Sono graditi suggerimenti 😉

Grabbed this a while back thinking a master lock with spools would be "gg ez". Turns out I was wrong, but not because the lock was actually difficult.

It was me. I made assumptions which led to a vicious cycle of frustration and overthinking. This thing made me rage quit multiple times and it was all my own fault.

Long story short, turns out sometimes you need to check your ego and respect the lock regardless of what you think you know or how good you think you are. If I just took my time and actually concentrated properly in the first place instead of thinking "master lock lol", then getting annoyed with it when it didn't behave as expected, this whole fiasco could have been avoided. It most likely would have opened the way I started out if I'd just taken my time and actually concentrated on the pins properly, and had a bit of patience 🤪

The rundown for anyone interested:

I tried picking this one like any other master lock at first, BOK tension with a .040 and JL short hook. Got a nice false set and kept losing it, assumed pin 6 was causing oversets (because I'd seen the key, mini lesson sometimes this does more harm than good). So I switched to my usual TOK with pins down configuration, using the wrench I made specifically for american padlocks. Didn't like the feedback but persisted. Tried a medium hook. Gave up. Tried BOK again, switching to the PN06 hook and a few different wrenches, thought maybe the core was binding up.

Decided maybe TOK pins up was the way to go. Tried an ergo turner, nope. Made a wrench similar to the JL ones which applied tension nicely but still no dice. Out of desperation I clamped it in the vice and used a regular prybar, still nothing. I tossed this lil guy to the side and came back to it randomly here and there, giving up out of annoyance relatively quickly each time.

Then today I decided to chill out, concentrate properly, and treat it with respect.

BOK with the short end of a .050, PN06 hook. Put the thought of oversetting out of my mind, stopped thinking about pin 6 altogether, decided to just focus on feedback and lighten up a bit. And most importantly, pick position and slowing down.

Got into false pretty quickly. Went light going against the CR and just let the pins do what they wanted. Literally back to front it was click click click open. Less than a minute.

Welp.

Sometimes you actually do need to concentrate on an "easy" lock... this is something I should know all too well by now but my attitude caused me more problems than the pins ever could. Don't be like me and keep this in mind at all times 🤣

I know this was long but if you're a new picker and struggling with a certain lock maybe this will give you some motivation or something. I've been picking locks for a long time and got my ass kicked by a master lock because I thought I was too good for it. Every day a school day apparently!

(This TED talk brought to you by me waiting on lunch)

Yesterday my first lockpicking kit arrived, and after about half an hour trying to open one of the 3 acrilic locks that came with it I finally managed to open it.

It was done via raking, not single picking (so I don't feel it like a full victory jet)

The sad part is that, a couple days ago I broke my left arm, so when I finally managed to open this little bugger I noticed my arm was hurting a bit, so I definitely should not be using it.

Do you have any advice on picking with one hand as a COMPLETE NOOB or should I just rest and wait until I can use my left again?

Also, any advice on single pick Picking those acrilic locks?

I got this starter kit 2 weeks ago and have been giving it my all. The lock on the left is the standard no security lock. I raked it open for the first time in just a couple minutes. But trying to actually pick it feels completely wrong.

I'm finding it hard figuring out where my pick is in relation to the pins. This cutaway lock only makes the pins visible which I think is good, I can still learn to get a feel of things even when I'm looking into the lock. In theory. But the lock feels inconsistent to me. Sometimes I can pick it front to back and get it first try. Sometimes the pins just don't stay up at all. Often when I lift up one pin, the ones before it also lift up. If I pick it from the back pin first, often all of the pins will just lift up at once and it will open. I feel like I've learned almost nothing from this first lock, but I move on to the spooled lock.

The spooled lock proves that I have no idea what I'm doing. Some pins just don't move an inch. And since I'm not confident in knowing that my pick is even lined up with the pin, I have no idea if what I'm pushing against is the pin or just the core. Sometimes I push up a pin and it goes all the way up. And worst of all is after setting the first couple pins, going for the back ones will always causing the earlier pins I set to fall back down. Probably because of what I observe in the first lock. The pick is pushing up on every pin before the one I'm trying to touch so they fall down.

Is it my equipment, or am I doing something fundementally wrong?

I have a technique question. When you single-pin pick, what point do you use to pivot your pick (i.e., what is your fulcrum)? That is, do you use the tip of your finger to pivot the pick up and down, rest your pick on the tensioner, or some other method? Thanks in advance.

I bought one of these for my gym locker and I think screwed up the reset to my own password. I bought another one because I needed it ASAP and it worked fine but now I have this need to figure out the combo. It is currently locked because the reset didn’t work and sitting on my table. I have watched videos of people hacking it, tried pulling on it and doing it by sound/feel, and tried a safety pin and watch tool to try to feel the pins drop. I can close my eyes and hack my good lock with the pull method but no luck with this one. I am stuck chances it could just be a bad lock? And advice would be appreciated.

#PACLOCK200KCLUB u/PACLOCK_USA

Just knocked this guy out while with the wife in ER (waiting for discharge. She’s okay.) There is a spool pin (pretty sure) that gave me some grief. I’ll have to film and gut another time for the belt.

Is it possible to set a new combo on these without knowing the old combo? I did a bypass on this salvage lock and was wanting to make it usable!

First off I’d like to say that unless anything changes I don’t plan on doing any submissions for belts as it’s not something I’m interested in. But I just wanted to share that I finally figured out my Ace 38mm brass padlock! I opened it by luck yesterday when I was trying it for about an hour, but I spent around 2 and a half hours going through every little variation till I finally figured it out. I know it’s only a green belt but before I went and took a long break from lockpicking a while ago I couldn’t even open a yellow belt with TOK tension so I take this as a big win. And if anyone else wants to share their little victories in the comments feel free to! Sorry for the random post btw it’s just about 2 a.m. where I am so I have no one to share this with.

Hi LP folks!

Hope you’re all doing well.

Just wondering if anyone in Asian region is selling this model? Buying

directly from the US is a bit pricey once you factor in shipping.

Appreciate any leads. Thanks in advance!

I spent so much time thinking about what it would be like to pick my first lock then my Jimy Longs intermediate picks came in the mail. I grabbed some small random lock from the junk drawer and got right to it. Definitely was harder than I imagined. I tried to visualize the components but it took a me a solid 10 minutes before I bust that thing open.

I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can and having fun along the way. This is just one of those hobbies I know will be hard to explain to my friends and family.

We are updating language under Rule 5 - Off Topic to better outline what is considered an off topic post.

r/lockpicking is a sub dedicated to hobbyist lockpicking and locksport and all posts should be related to those topics. While picking installed locks, emergency lockout advice, and other topics are covered under then own rules, Rule 5 is intended to cover other non-locksport posts. These include posts asking for opinions on if a lock was picked (e.g. I found this outside my door, is it a lockpick? Do these scratches mean someone tried to pick my lock?), and asking for security advice (I need a new door lock, what is hard to pick? How should I secure my bike? What's a good safe?).

Under the previous wording there was some confusion regarding posts asking for recommendations on locks to practice picking - these posts have always and will continue to be allowed. That said, it's a frequent question and searching the sub for previous answers before posting is recommended.

The first lock I picked is a Master lock #1 Commercial. I had fun doing it with a rake over and over. I will practicing single pin picking so I can understand it better until I can get a lock that is a little more difficult. Any reccomendations on the next lock I should try? I'm using Jimy Longs 0.019 Basics.

No idea what i'm doing, literally got this pickset and lock 30min ago. Lock is an Abus 54ti/30.

Any tips where to buy locks for cheap? I'm based in Finland so most used locks i see online are Abloy disc-detainer locks. Quick glance at the discord lock bazaar didn't help either.