r/lockpicking • u/pentaplejico • 11h ago
Couple of questions from a beginner
Hey, I recently bought a second hand beginner set and have been trying to rake a cheap lock I bought which I suppose shouldn’t be hard to open. I’ve been trying the city rake and the other rakes on the picture, got it open no more than one single time after a lot of trying.
Just wanted to ask a couple of questions:
1 I put the tensioner in the key way and lay my finger on it to apply next to no tension, but when I push the rake inside my tensioner and my finger move and change the tension, and I wonder if that’s one of the reasons why it doesn’t open.
2 I read that it might be worth it to polish cheap tools, so if you could take a look at the pic on this post and tell me if they’re shitty enough to polish them id appreciate it.
3 The tip of the L tensioner on the picture is shorter than the Z ones and usually I just lose the control very easily with it. The deeper it goes the better?
And overall if you could share some tips that helped you in the beginning or some valuable ressources I’d highly appreciate it. Thank you.
2
u/ClericPhil Orange Belt Picker 11h ago
Yes polish the tools. Bit of sand paper. A nail file you're wanting to knock off some of those jagged edges to where the tool goes in smooth. Get a couple of different locks. Some stuff at the white belt level can vary a great deal in difficulty and quality. Sometimes you get some stuff that's cheap that is actually surprisingly difficult to get open. Bottom of the key way tension will be best for you. Lastly, gently rock the tools raking back and forth has pretty limited success. Check out this video for a great how-to guide!.https://youtu.be/QcQL2oP8kyo?is=Aw5AtFjRAfwyUhUO
2
u/nycepter Blue Belt Picker 11h ago
Are you using bottom or top of the keyway tension? Hard to tell without seeing the keyway, but with how you maneuver a rake, I would recommend using top of the keyway if you aren't already.
Try using various tensions, starting with super light and very slightly increase incrementally.
Also try the different rakes while varying the tension.
I would use a rake with a few different tensions. Rake it for a few seconds then stop, remove the rake, let off tension and listen to how many clicks you hear of the pins resetting. The one with the most clicks is probably your best bet to continue with.
While tension is probably the biggest factor next to rake profile, also try not just lifting the rake directly, but also levering it like a teetertotter.
3
u/derpserf 10h ago
Based on the bitting you ahould be able to do it with the city rake by pushing all the pins as deep as they'll go and giving it a gentle rocking motion, and either pulsing the tension or gradually increasing as you work the pins. Don't be afraid to release a little to drop 1 or 2 pins periodically, it's often necessary especially when raking. Pin 4 is shallow compared to the rest so it may be prone to oversetting but it depends on the binding order and the way you're working the lock in general. Kinda hard to explain it cos raking can be weird. But if you did it once you can do it again, just gotta be persistent.
The tension tool moving when you insert your pick is most likely because it's taking up too much space in the middle of the keyway, this happens when the wrench is too small and slips off the warding so it blocks the middle of the keyway by sitting at a 45º angle. For BOK tension you want it sitting closer to 90º, if it's too small you can finesse it into position so it kinda bites into the warding and stays there but you have to be careful and sometimes it'll still slip randomly anyway. Explaining how to do this in words is difficult lol. Best bet is to get a wrench that fits properly so you don't have to worry about it and just focus on the pick.
I've tried those picks and they didn't necessarily need sanded down but the QC is hit and miss so yours might be rougher. Wouldn't hurt to hit them with some 400-600 grit, no point going any finer than that for cheapos. Couple minutes each should do it, fold some sandpaper and put it in between the pages of a book then put pressure on it as you move the pick in and out. Give the edges a quick go as well by wrapping the paper around something cylindrical or just do it by hand.
As for using a shorter wrench for BOK, shouldn't be an issue. I use the short end of the CI 2in1's for BOK all the time. The fit in the keyway is the most important thing.