My work just bought me one of these
And I can’t figure out how to get locks open with it. I’ve tried getting some locks open for a while earlier and no dice. The instructions it came with aren’t very detailed. I looked up some online and will go try those out next. The instructions also say that it won’t work on locks with spool driver pins. I don’t know how to tell if the locks I’m trying to pick have that type of pin system.
If anyone knows anything it would be greatly appreciated.
Do you have a tension wrench?
The gun alone will not open a lock. You must also apply a gentle torque to the cylinder while you jiggle the tumblers up and down with the pick gun. Personally I hate pick guns. Take the pick out and do it manually or get a rake pick.
To find out if your locks do contain any anti-picking tumblers, just google the name of the lock.
And yeah, spool and serrated drivers make it very difficult to pick a lock because they tend to get hung up before you can establish a shear line. See figure 9.7 on this page.
You are doing this legally, right? I believe it’s a felony to use lock picks illegally. I think they are considered burglary tools if used illegally.
Unless you are a licienced locksmith just having a pick on your person is a felony. You can have them at your work if you work on locks. But you can get into trouble if you take them home.
It depends on the state. Most states (I’m in NY) consider it legally on the same level as a crowbar. It’s OK to have it and use it legally (at home or at work if you’re a locksmith) but it’s a cirme to have it if you are going to use it in a burglary. The key is intent.
IANAL by the way, but I used to be a locksmith.
See here for a state-by-state list.
Maybe I shouldn’t have answered the OP’s question but he said it was for work and I believed him. This is GQ. Maybe I’m too naive…
I also believe him. Now, though, I’m curious as to what line of work he’s in…
hh