It’s 2021 we need more vids like this where LPL just chills and has a real chance to explain. I like the 2-3min vids plenty but this is just what I needed thank you sir.
Yes now that he has covert instruments up and going we need more videos like this just bought some of his luck pics and I’m struggling through what would be some of the simplest locks for him would really love an end depth video on all the tools and the best way to use them in your opinion thanks
We need this exact type video for the new disc detainer lock. Anyone know if he or someone else has made a detailed breakdown for that? In all the videos I've seen, everything with the disc detainer pick is quickly glossed over.
Yeah definitely good advice, I've been struggling for a while with picking, but his tensioning method was a game changer for me. Now I can pick my 5 pin master locks within just a few seconds with constant success.
Here I am looking at this in 2024 as I'm beginning my journey into locksmithing and I have to say the heavier tension tip has absolutely saved me! Thank you for what you do and please keep helping us improve our craft ❤️
Every beginner should watch this video. It's jammed packed with great info and improved my skills 100%. It is the only video that I found that really helps you under stand tension and how to relate it into your picking. Thanks for explaining it in such detail. Wish I would of found this video when I first started hobby lock picking. Really a must see
I just shared this with my guys, 'cause I'm not great with words to explain just how important the turning tool is, and that it's more important than the pick... because this is literally the best explanation I've ever heard on it. All of the most important points explained very well if not perfectly.
Beginner here, holy shit this is answering almost all of my questions. Very excited to continue this hobby. Picked my front door today third attempt, failed every other attempt though, so I decided to watch some videos! Gonna be using top of the keyway tension now, and I learned about oversetting (which was probably my issue), and I need to buy more locks, because I don't wanna wreck a lock I use. I'm glad I bought so many things, but I want more tension wrenches, LPL's are smaller than mine I think, and they look a lot easier to use.
I became a lawyer somewhat late in life and one of the best things I learned in law school was to be very clear and concise in my communications. Most people use big, fancy words to make themselves seem more sophisticated, but the best communicators keep it simple. LPL is a master at this and it really makes his videos stand out.
Yes! That is what I love about his channel. No waste, no BS, every word valuable. Doesn't pat himself on the back, just lets the work speak for its self.
Videos like this should NOT be considered overly long because the "short" videos are the hook while longer videos (this one has over a million views!) will be rightly popular AFTER viewers are introduced to the subject. LPL could do a six hour marathon and many of us (self certainly included) would happily watch it if not necessarily in one shot. The LPL audience is firmly established.
I just paid so much attention to tension I'll mention my invention, it's a tension retention extension. My intention is not dissension but ascension to the pension dimension where my penchant for prevention of contention ends with detention or suspension. also locks.
Wow. I'm in my first week of learning to pick and have been having major consistency issues mastering my first basic 4-pin lock (no security pins). One day I'll pick it 5-6 times in a 45 min practice session, the next I'll struggle to get 2 successful picks. Sometimes I feel like I can tell when the pins set, and sometimes it's a total mystery . . . until this video. Just took your advice and was able to FEEL EVERYTHING, which resulted in 5 successful picks in the space of about 4 minutes. I'm just about ready to move onto bigger and badder locks after a 15 minute video. Thanks so much!
Me too, went from LPL and McNally's FNG kit clear lock to a masterlock and was able to pick it one hour and not able to the next. Increased my tension and the masterlock can pop open within a minute and i have a video of it popping in 20 secs. Its a master No 3 btw
@Zyghqwyv ofc it's masterlock 😂. Well done tho fr. I'm learning how to pick and I could get the clear practice lock open in about 5 seconds however sometimes longer. Hoping to buy better locks to try
@@rimusen6364might be late on this but have you seen the practice lock on covert instruments? It's settable and stuff. Comes with a bunch of security pins you can set it up with. Lil on the pricey side though.
Same! I can pick the little trainer lock super easily now because I use a ton of tension and just ease off if nothing is moving when I push. Way easier. Also finding top of the keyway tension making me have a lot more room to push.
You can tangibly hear LPL's second thought about stringing the words "thickest, stiffest tool I have" together; the tiny hesitation afterwards is solid gold. As always, great video!
I don't have any locks to pick nor do I have a lockpicking set... that being said, I sure do appreciate watching an expert explain his craft which is so dear to his heart.
Man I wish LPL had more time to do videos like this and this length. I know he too has a life and family but man we sure could triple our learning quickly. Either way, thank you LPL for ALL you give us.
I really must thank you for this video. I've been a locksmith for just over two years now, and you just advanced my skills more in fifteen minutes than the senior locksmith in my shop has the entire time I've been there. seriously, It's a night and day difference how much faster I am now.
Very informative and it makes me realize I'm gonna be needing better tension tools when I look at the picture of that cheap China lock picking set I ordered
Just in case you haven't come across some good tension tools in the past year you can find a nice selection on Sparrows website. They also have really really reasonable prices
This is by far the most valuable lesson from you, and I play this bit over and over and over again. Please make more videos like this to help us understand how it works.
Funny, I was practicing on some cheap padlocks (I'm pretty new to lockpicking) and was doing the exact same thing you said: Really heavy tension, releasing a bit when I found the right pin. I thought I was not doing it "properly", but since light tension didn't work, I thought "Fuck it, this works for me and it makes sense". Then I watched this video. Glad to hear I'm not the only one skeptical about the light tension golden rule!
Sounds like you've reached the intermediate level, as you are no longer dogmatically relying on advice you get, and have enough of a grasp on the basics to be able to figure out what works the best for you. Keep up the good work :)
I think part of the reason people advise light tension is because beginners tend to use too much tension. That said, reality is much more complicated than just “use light tension,” so it isn’t really good advice.
Its funny you say that, I had to pick a super simple lock that was attached to a cooler at work because I didn't have my key (the locking policy makes bo damn sense to me, who wants to steal lettuce and tomatoes) and i just happened to have started watching this guy a month or so ago. I never watched his how to but just the typical "this lock is shit" type video. Well tried to figure it out myself today making the tools out of Bobby pins and just going off what I've seen him do and say. Ill be damned if I didn't do a lot of the stuff he said was the right way but think I was an idiot for doing it.
Think the cc works so well because you speak clearly and at a constant speed. Love watching you and BosnianBill's video's, recently bought a lockpick set from China to try my hand and I'm already looking to make some heavier tension tools.
For me it was mostly the wraith I'd suffer from my parents if I was caught hanging out with a chick during my teen years... the fear they instilled into me... it's bad.
Superb video! The thought you've put into this topic in addition to the organized, concise, and articulate manner in which you deliver the information is unparalleled! Thank you.
I just bought my first lockpick set after watching a bunch of your videos, then found this one. I'm really glad I found this information before I ever tried to pick my first lock! I'll be developing good habits and paying attention to tension right from the get-go. Still useful in 2021, thank you very much!
LPL is one of the most technical and detailed on the ins and outs of lock mechanics and the picking process....well made informational videos show you the most in terms of important information, useful tips, precise explanation of what he's doing while picking, and even throws in the subtle details of each particular lock mechanism he is featuring. He really knows his stuff 🔒🗝️🔓🔑🔐
I'm only picking about two years now and any hard lock I ever picked, I always gave up on light tension and gave it some muscle (I basically got pissed off lol) But yeah, that's my first 'go to' now anytime I tackle a new lock! Thanks for the advice!
Thank you for making this video. I ran into problem tension and immediately realized that not all tensioning tools are the same. This fills in the blanks.
You are the first person I have come across to make me able to visualize what happens inside the lock. Counter rotations, spools, serrated pins. Your whole approach to tension and explaining what happens inside the pin, why you decrease and increase tension at different stages. I sat there looking at the wall, not the video and I could picture how the pins were moving. Thank you. You are an excellent teacher. No wonder I can binge watch your videos for hours.
I'm pretty much new to picking, at least to the point of getting serious about it. I've been on the fringe of the community for quite a while, learning some, but for the most part it was just a way to keep my every increasing arthritic hands busy. Recently I began watching you, Bosnianbill and the Lock Noob... the three of you have put a spark of fun back into the hobby for me and I just can't seem to get enough of it. Tensioning has been my nemesis, and I agree with you, that mastering it is perhaps the largest hurdle in mastering picking. This video has given me more insight into what I'm doing than most all others combined. Thanks for the clear view and I look forward to moving into my next level of understanding. I know for a fact that picking has been a big ally in my fight against arthritis and the more I can stay motivated, the better. Your commitment to this hobby is truly appreciated and pretty darn admirable. Thank you my friend ...
This is really a forgotten subject, but very valid and true when it comes to picking. The feedback from the tension tool is vital in understandng what you are up against and as a noob, I felt puzzled that very few pickers had anything to say about the tension and how they use it. I guess it is like you suggest, that they just don't realize what they are doing tensionwise in a picking session. Excellent video as always! Thanks.
Ive been following your instruction for just over a year and it is you approach to teaching so methodically and putting the need to know and the nice to know info in the right places. On a scale of 1 to 10 you have brought me to a level greater than five yet not quite 6. I am certain my attention to tension now will bedecisive in rating my skill level at 6 or 7. Thank you and God Bless All
Well, you need a good balance. I certainly carry many, many tension tools in my case. Finding the perfect tension is as important as finding the right shape pick.
@@lockpickinglawyer it would be very interesting to take a lock and time yourself picking it with various different tension tools to see the degree to which it makes a difference in the difficulty.
Your thoughts on tension helped me pick my first lock, while still watching your video. I have given this a try many times but haven't really understood what i was doing wrong untill now. Thanks mate 👍
This video definitely stands the test of time. I'm a newer picker and have been struggling a bit with overset and getting a feel for the pins with the CI lock pinned to a key I have (standard pins). Been using 30 thou, bottom of the keyway. I've picked it a few times, but it seems hit and miss, like I can't determine binding order. As soon as I switched to 50 thou, top of the keyway, I picked it in under 30. Feels so much better. Thanks @LockPickingLawyer !
I’ve just recently, within the last week, started my journey into lock picking and finding this video today just increased not only my speed of getting some locks open but my success rate by an enormous rate!! Thank you LPL, you are the man!
My personal experience so far has been that light tension is best if you're trying to rake open a lock, but heavy tension is best if you're single-pin picking. Don't know if you'll read this, LPL, but I'd definitely like some more content like this from you in the future!
Wow, just wow. Your educational videos are several orders of magnitude more effective at improving my skill than any other UA-camr. Thank you very much for these!
This is a very important subject that is not addressed by other picker videos. Especially notable is the top of the key way tension point, something that is avoided by most new comers to lock picking. I believe it is avoided as the very idea of inserting a rigid tool at the very point of the picking is contrary to the idea of seeing the keyway. I for many months would use those flexible tension tools to allow a clear view. However your comments are enlightening as regards the top of the keyway as being the best place and the rigidity of the tension tool being important. Very nice video, very informative and well presented, thanks.
Watched like 5 tutorials before this one and was only able to get my practice lock open once on accident, after watching this video I can now pick the lock in under a minute every time. Thank you so much.
You’re amazing. Your teaching methods not only clearly elucidates your points thus getting through to the learner, it also cultivates interest in anyone who just happened to be dropping by your channel. Please add more general tutorials like these. A master who can impart knowledge the way you do is rare. Thank you for your passion and for sharing
The locksmith lawyer is just making up shit! And you idiots believe everything he says like he's an expert! I'm a locksmith and I'll tell you picking locks can be very easy if it's a cheap lock like a Kwikset or very hard. It all depends on how the pins are aligned next to each other. Short pins next to tall pins is going to be very hard to pick. And tensioning is something you just pick up with time and doing a lot of lock picking. His idea of tension just doesn't fly because he doesn't know what he's talking about! Especially when he says he is using the tensioner tool at the top of the cylinder keyway. How in the world is he going to pick the number one chamber when he's got the tension tool is up right against the number one chamber pin!
As a first time lock picker your advice was the most valuable vis: I was cat sitting for familly when wind blew an upstairs bedroom window closed ! The ladder was long enough to shut the window, but short to allow entry. Why the bedoom door was locked with no keys outside I'll never know! To "cut a long story square ! " I spent an hour on you tube. Then with two pairs of pliers and with heat from a gass-hob I made the two necessary tools from two "boby" pins = ladies hair clips. I took a close look at your tensioners and made look-a-like to those on the extreem right , just adding some flat epoxy handles. At the round door knob I applied strong tension to a deeply instert tool, and set to work feeling for pins ! Within ten minitues I got the first bit of revolution and the with a bit of a scrapining sound the barrel fully rotated ! Many thanks to you and others on UA-cam.
I’m literally watching your video on the toilet, and I’ve been trying to pick my first lock and when you said tension, it freaking opened. You’re the man
I'm a beginner at picking locks. And I haven't seen anyone else cover this topic in any of the lock picking tutorials I have watched. So this video was very helpful and I definitely suggest that other beginners take the time to watch it. Thank you LPL! 🙏
With a spool pin, it's kinda like driving a stick shift when your coming out of first gear. You wanna give it enough tension that you don't over set the pin, nor let other pins drop. It's finding the right balance all the way through till it sets. It's like when you have a deep false set, that's where you really need to balance letting off the tension as well as putting the right amount of pressure on the pick. I have one lock in particular that gets a really deep false set. The final pin in that particular lock that needs to be set is a spool pin. I use top of the key way on that lock cause it's set really deep. It also needs a lot of tension just to turn the damn thing. This lock is definitely a balancing act. At least a third of the time I'll have to loosen up the tension so much that the damn tensioner falls out. But if there was only one pin I could pick to pick, it would be spools. They're the most fun, At least for me.
Here I am working on picking this lock while trying to figure out if what you say about stick shifting cars is a metaphor or an analogy... I clearly need more hobbies. :)
I gotta say... every word in this video is gold. I started lockpicking not too long ago and have been practicing on 3 practice locks that I got and sometimes i'd get a successful pick and other time I couldnt get a pin above the shear line no matter how much I pushed it, simply paying attention to how much tension I was putting in made all the difference and made my successful attempts double or maybe even triple to the point I feel comfortable picking without looking at the transparent pin stack and treating it like a real lock (although practice locks are easier to pick than real locks but still...). The tips in this video were golden and helped a bunch, thx a lot 👍
I must say that I recognize there were some sad stress in your life on the day you created this video. Sad stress is one of my primary motivators. I also realized right now that, in the case of an apocalypse, many things would be locked, and that is the way you picked the lock to my heart.
@@OlavARod I am. It was just a lie so I could get into heaven after I died. As it turns out the bible was wrong about gays going to hell and God is actually LGBT friendly.
Freddie Mercury - yeah i understand. It makes sense when you say it :) (BTW to all the gay people out there: i think it’s okay to be gay and I think that you should continue.)
Using what I learned from this video helped me discern the difference between a pin that's binding and one that's set and instantly made me a better picker. I blew through all the locks I bought for practicing with ease. Simply the exact advice I needed.
Thanks for this very informative video-- Tension has been the major weak point in my learning process. You're right, there are scarcely any videos covering this very important topic
Thanks -- I hope this is helpful. It really is shocking that so few people have spoken on the topic -- it's so important and far more complex than picking.
Just started lockpicking yesterday and I was having a difficult time reaching the first pin and the 5th pin and I couldn't figure out why they were such a struggle for me. Well, I was placing my tension wrench at the bottom of the key way and it was simply in my way making it difficult for me to reach them. Just starting out that seemed like the logical place to go for me, glad I stumbled on this video to help me realize how silly I was being.
I watch your videos over and over. I have learned so much from your expertise… thank you for your hard work. You have done more to help this sport than anyone I know of. Cheers!
"my way of picking may not be the best" Dude I started picking 3 days ago and can now comfortably deal with spool pins by just watching and listening to you and your videos. I'm now trying to learn how to deal with false gates. You are an Absolute Monster. Thank You.
i agree. i use a fairly heavy tension as it gives me great feedback. when i first started, i over tensioned like most do, but then went way too light and was getting frustrated. my biggest problem i am finding is that i tend to underset some pins. then the others seem springy and i think i have overset something so i start over. is frustrating too. great video though. love it.
another question, sorry. so i watched it and actually did know that once you said it, but wouldn't an underset pin 'look' the same when doing that check? btw, yours and bosnianbills videos have taken my picking hobby from wanting to throw locks to actually spp'ing them pretty regularly. i even picked my ultimate adversary with 5 serrated pins when i couldn't even pick my master 3 a month ago. thanks.
New picker here. I watched a few videos and made the tools I use. The topic of tensioning really seems like it was glazed over, leaving me with the thought that while tension is needed to turn the core and trap the pins, there was little else it did to contribute to a successful pick. Lockpicking Lawyer, you have opened my eyes to the important role tension has in the pick. Thanks for your captivating video.
Just found this video in 2023 and I am so glad. I got the CI practice lock and have been fidgeting with it while working from home. Tension really is glossed over in most of the how-to videos I've found.
Harry,This is an awesome video. I have been using this as well as video #182. I'm mixing padlocks and mortise locks in random order and making good improvement. Very encouraging! Thanks!! Rob
I would love to see Bosnian Bill's opinion on tensioning, because judging by his videos he has an opposite approach to it. And thanks for the tips, very useful and completely different from the usual advices!
He definitely appears to favor lighter tension than me... but I firmly believe that as long as the lock opens, you are doing it "right." What I discuss in this video is simply what works best for me.
Bill has a few videos, I know one of them is titled something like “tension tools” and he discusses it several times in the “picking for beginners” (not certain if that’s the title) playlist and the course on the Lock-Lab.com site, talking about his approach and tension tools and how to make them and why etc... (Figured I’ll just throw a giant run on sentence in there to give the inter webs something to nitpick at ha!)
And as a Mechanical Engineer I agree with you on the best way for feedback to be felt or dispersed is with either solid foundation for pressure 100% transferred or spring type of pressure transfer so the spring absorbs the pressures applied to it
It looks like I need to invest in some more different tension tools . And I , too , have had some problems with some of these locks that you have talked about . Thanks for making this video . Some of the locks I just couldn't get open and of course , I don't charge my customers and thing ,not even a service charge . I know that some of the other locksmiths charge at least a service call charge even if they can't get the lock open . To me , that isn't a good thing to do . My customers really appreciate that and that is why they call me back for my locksmith services . Again , thanks for the video . It has helped me to learn something new in picking locks for my customers .
"it's about the thickest and stiffest tool that I have" lol notice he said "about", which ultimately means it is not the thickest and stiffest tool that he has.
This was really helpful, when i first started picking, I used light tension, and had a lot of trouble finding binds, but then i started using the higher tension with a bit of backoff, it worked soo much better!
I have never picked a lock and didn't really intended to try. Until I watched your videos. Your videos (Especially this one) and the explanations you give are fascinating. I learned so much about how a lock works and about their flaws. I also find the engineering that goes into these fascinating. Thanks for making such great content and sparking an interest in a subject I may not even have thought of before.
I have never picked a lock, but the concept of being able to feel feedback from the tensioner makes complete sense to me, since being attuned to what your equipment is telling you is important in my trade of being a heavy equipment operator. It is also important when operating any motor vehicle, and actuating the trigger on a firearm.
this was exactly my expirience when i started picking. i used way to light tension, got some "advanced locks" open but the cheap ones were still "unpickable" for me lol. i wonder why.
Thank you lpl!!!! I just started my career as a locksmith and I literally blew through training simply because even though I've never picked a lock before I understood how to use the tools! I picked my first lock yesterday and had the door open in under 15 seconds!!!
Thank you...very informative and actually interesting the way you explain things. Most instruction from classes isn’t clear, where your to the point. Much appreciated!
Another great video! I was using the thinnest/weakest tension tool thinking it'd provide more feedback, can't wait to try this technique and hopefully improve my luck. Thank you LPL
The advice given in this video is game-changing! I was struggling with one lock for 2 days but as soon as I applied heavier tension I was able to open it at first try!
great explanations I've been trying to work with heavier tension you clarified some things I think I'm doing wrong can't wait to put your advice to work
Thank you for this video, i found my problem with my picking method. I followed the lightest tension method and was getting limited success. Now with your explanation of tensioning ive been opening my 5 pin brinks and master locks within 10-30 seconds constantly.
This was a huge help! When raking my Master No5, I found barely touching the tensioner sped things up. But I could barely feel or hear any feedback on SPP. Just did the crank-to-find, release just enough to set, and got way better feedback on SPP. Another thing I don't think gets explained well: I can feel the spring much better by actually lifting the pick rather than levering it. That's how I find the bound pin, then I lever it into place.
Great video thanks. Nice to know that you make use of the wrench in the bottom of the keyway to lever the pick against, as that's something I've found myself doing, and I wondered if this was good technique. Potential problems I've found with top of the keyway tension are that the wrench can make it harder to access the first pin, and if the wrench is touching the pin it might bind it or reduce feedback. The latter problem is of course avoided by not pushing the wrench in too far, but then some keyways don't have a lot of depth before the first pin.
I know everyone talks about Bosnianbill but his "How to beat Spool Pins" is perfect for people who want some more in depth teachings on tension. =] Great video by the way. :D
YES TENSION! It's hardly if ever discussed. I tend to only be able to pick one lock. The one that came with tools that's see through. The way I'm able to do it is to apply strict tension and after a while release to the point I hear clicking then immediately apply more tension. I've been looking for an explanation of tension application methods. The perfect video.
![[240] Abus 75IB/50 - Improvised Dimple Picking](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yX0Xd0UWGKo/mqdefault.jpg)
![[240] Abus 75IB/50 - Improvised Dimple Picking](/img/tr.png)
![[1516] Practice To Be An Unstoppable Picker!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZFf4QEhwWSc/mqdefault.jpg)
It’s 2021 we need more vids like this where LPL just chills and has a real chance to explain. I like the 2-3min vids plenty but this is just what I needed thank you sir.
Was literally going through his videos hoping for this exact video. Would LOVE more instructional videos, even if it’s just one a month or less
I'm sure you've noticed, but in case you haven't he's doing a series of explainer videos right now!
Yes now that he has covert instruments up and going we need more videos like this just bought some of his luck pics and I’m struggling through what would be some of the simplest locks for him would really love an end depth video on all the tools and the best way to use them in your opinion thanks
We need this exact type video for the new disc detainer lock. Anyone know if he or someone else has made a detailed breakdown for that? In all the videos I've seen, everything with the disc detainer pick is quickly glossed over.
eye opener for me!
Given the speed and ease with which you've opened many locks, I'll take this advice.
Yup along with any advice about locks. This guy is a lock picking prodegy.
Yt
Yeah definitely good advice, I've been struggling for a while with picking, but his tensioning method was a game changer for me. Now I can pick my 5 pin master locks within just a few seconds with constant success.
This man talks about locks with a passion I've not seen from anyone else. "Look at that tight, tight, TIGHT little dimple keyway~."
Don't forget the _thicc_ tension tool.
Yuuto Amakawa And stiffest...
Do you know about his wife's Beaver?
mmmmmmmm ooohhhh daddy, rake my tight little keyway.
@@CheshireFatorum thicc AND stiff
Here I am looking at this in 2024 as I'm beginning my journey into locksmithing and I have to say the heavier tension tip has absolutely saved me! Thank you for what you do and please keep helping us improve our craft ❤️
What holler you from in West Virginia?
Bluefield here
Every beginner should watch this video. It's jammed packed with great info and improved my skills 100%. It is the only video that I found that really helps you under stand tension and how to relate it into your picking. Thanks for explaining it in such detail. Wish I would of found this video when I first started hobby lock picking. Really a must see
Thanks. It's always good to hear when people find my videos helpful!
I just shared this with my guys, 'cause I'm not great with words to explain just how important the turning tool is, and that it's more important than the pick... because this is literally the best explanation I've ever heard on it. All of the most important points explained very well if not perfectly.
He's a great teacher.
Beginner here, holy shit this is answering almost all of my questions. Very excited to continue this hobby. Picked my front door today third attempt, failed every other attempt though, so I decided to watch some videos! Gonna be using top of the keyway tension now, and I learned about oversetting (which was probably my issue), and I need to buy more locks, because I don't wanna wreck a lock I use. I'm glad I bought so many things, but I want more tension wrenches, LPL's are smaller than mine I think, and they look a lot easier to use.
@@lockpickinglawyer do a video on how to escape from the cops after a succesfull picking~
A 15 minute video from you is like the equivalent of an hour long for any other youtuber,lol
sometimes I speed it up on the settings
I love how clear and straight to the point he is
I became a lawyer somewhat late in life and one of the best things I learned in law school was to be very clear and concise in my communications. Most people use big, fancy words to make themselves seem more sophisticated, but the best communicators keep it simple. LPL is a master at this and it really makes his videos stand out.
Yes! That is what I love about his channel. No waste, no BS, every word valuable. Doesn't pat himself on the back, just lets the work speak for its self.
@@jetlaw_1 too bad I can't find an auto mechanic to do the same.
Videos like this should NOT be considered overly long because the "short" videos are the hook while longer videos (this one has over a million views!) will be rightly popular AFTER viewers are introduced to the subject. LPL could do a six hour marathon and many of us (self certainly included) would happily watch it if not necessarily in one shot. The LPL audience is firmly established.
I just paid so much attention to tension I'll mention my invention, it's a tension retention extension. My intention is not dissension but ascension to the pension dimension where my penchant for prevention of contention ends with detention or suspension. also locks.
I enjoy his vids
Eminem needs to be a locksmith.
Very bojack horseman nicely done
*stands up and claps*
Wow. I'm in my first week of learning to pick and have been having major consistency issues mastering my first basic 4-pin lock (no security pins). One day I'll pick it 5-6 times in a 45 min practice session, the next I'll struggle to get 2 successful picks. Sometimes I feel like I can tell when the pins set, and sometimes it's a total mystery . . . until this video. Just took your advice and was able to FEEL EVERYTHING, which resulted in 5 successful picks in the space of about 4 minutes. I'm just about ready to move onto bigger and badder locks after a 15 minute video. Thanks so much!
Me too, went from LPL and McNally's FNG kit clear lock to a masterlock and was able to pick it one hour and not able to the next. Increased my tension and the masterlock can pop open within a minute and i have a video of it popping in 20 secs. Its a master No 3 btw
@Zyghqwyv ofc it's masterlock 😂. Well done tho fr. I'm learning how to pick and I could get the clear practice lock open in about 5 seconds however sometimes longer. Hoping to buy better locks to try
@@rimusen6364Hey man theyre supremely common
@@rimusen6364might be late on this but have you seen the practice lock on covert instruments? It's settable and stuff. Comes with a bunch of security pins you can set it up with. Lil on the pricey side though.
Same! I can pick the little trainer lock super easily now because I use a ton of tension and just ease off if nothing is moving when I push. Way easier.
Also finding top of the keyway tension making me have a lot more room to push.
You can tangibly hear LPL's second thought about stringing the words "thickest, stiffest tool I have" together; the tiny hesitation afterwards is solid gold.
As always, great video!
..... 02:02 .....
The tension of the moment.. XD
3:15 "Now, you also can't select a tool if you don't know where you're gonna put it"
"This is where you're gonna stick your pick" please continue this chain.
@@lit3plumber12 "Look at that tight tight tight little dimple keyway"
Lockpickinglawyer: I don’t understand why someone will use this tool.
Me: (throws away that tool)
Make a good toothpick if you don’t mind the metallic taste
LPL mayor slogan:
We Don't Pay Enough Attention To Tension
The Tension Is Too Damn High~~!
We don't pay enough Attension*
Custom printed T-shirt merch, "Pay Attention to Tension!"
AHHHH!!!!! THAT'S NOT TRUE!
"Tenser" said the tensor; Tension, apprehension, and dissention have begun.
“If you stuck with me this far...”
We’re not going anywhere!
AmenLPB (Lock Picking Brother)
Your careful manipulation of tension is something I noticed while watching your videos. This more in-depth description was very informative. Thanks.
I don't have any locks to pick nor do I have a lockpicking set... that being said, I sure do appreciate watching an expert explain his craft which is so dear to his heart.
Man I wish LPL had more time to do videos like this and this length. I know he too has a life and family but man we sure could triple our learning quickly. Either way, thank you LPL for ALL you give us.
I really must thank you for this video. I've been a locksmith for just over two years now, and you just advanced my skills more in fifteen minutes than the senior locksmith in my shop has the entire time I've been there.
seriously, It's a night and day difference how much faster I am now.
Very informative and it makes me realize I'm gonna be needing better tension tools when I look at the picture of that cheap China lock picking set I ordered
You can never get enough tension tools.
Just in case you haven't come across some good tension tools in the past year you can find a nice selection on Sparrows website. They also have really really reasonable prices
@@lockpickinglawyer can you recommend a starter lock pick set please.
Would I be able to turn it a feeler gauge into a tension tool
@@whisper4965 I have had the same question... thanks
I felt like such a badass when I lost the key to my postbox and picked it with a letter opener.
This is by far the most valuable lesson from you, and I play this bit over and over and over again. Please make more videos like this to help us understand how it works.
Funny, I was practicing on some cheap padlocks (I'm pretty new to lockpicking) and was doing the exact same thing you said: Really heavy tension, releasing a bit when I found the right pin. I thought I was not doing it "properly", but since light tension didn't work, I thought "Fuck it, this works for me and it makes sense". Then I watched this video. Glad to hear I'm not the only one skeptical about the light tension golden rule!
Sounds like you've reached the intermediate level, as you are no longer dogmatically relying on advice you get, and have enough of a grasp on the basics to be able to figure out what works the best for you. Keep up the good work :)
@@sethrenville798 Thanks! Unfortunately, I now live in a country where lockpicks are VERY illegal, so I haven't been able to practice in a while
I think part of the reason people advise light tension is because beginners tend to use too much tension. That said, reality is much more complicated than just “use light tension,” so it isn’t really good advice.
Samee.
Its funny you say that, I had to pick a super simple lock that was attached to a cooler at work because I didn't have my key (the locking policy makes bo damn sense to me, who wants to steal lettuce and tomatoes) and i just happened to have started watching this guy a month or so ago. I never watched his how to but just the typical "this lock is shit" type video. Well tried to figure it out myself today making the tools out of Bobby pins and just going off what I've seen him do and say. Ill be damned if I didn't do a lot of the stuff he said was the right way but think I was an idiot for doing it.
I like your speaking and voice, useful to learn English (and surprisingly subtitles work right with you), thanks
Thanks... never turned on the CC until you mentioned it. It's surprisingly accurate!
Think the cc works so well because you speak clearly and at a constant speed. Love watching you and BosnianBill's video's, recently bought a lockpick set from China to try my hand and I'm already looking to make some heavier tension tools.
@@lockpickinglawyer How does one turn on Closed Captioning?
@@citylockapolytechnikeyllcc7936 CC button next to the gear at the bottom of the video.
When Im not learning how to pick, I use his videos to fall asleep after a long and stressful day :)
His detailed description of where to use your tools was very informative. I wish my dad had gone into more detail during our talk.
who needs dad when you've got the internet.
For me it was mostly the wraith I'd suffer from my parents if I was caught hanging out with a chick during my teen years... the fear they instilled into me... it's bad.
lpl: use heavy tension because it amplifies a small click across a room
theives who are trying to covertly pick locks: ok
Superb video! The thought you've put into this topic in addition to the organized, concise, and articulate manner in which you deliver the information is unparalleled! Thank you.
Thanks... Hope it helps you.
I just bought my first lockpick set after watching a bunch of your videos, then found this one. I'm really glad I found this information before I ever tried to pick my first lock! I'll be developing good habits and paying attention to tension right from the get-go. Still useful in 2021, thank you very much!
LPL is one of the most technical and detailed on the ins and outs of lock mechanics and the picking process....well made informational videos show you the most in terms of important information, useful tips, precise explanation of what he's doing while picking, and even throws in the subtle details of each particular lock mechanism he is featuring. He really knows his stuff 🔒🗝️🔓🔑🔐
You can just imagine a burglar outside the house with his phone propped up against the front door watching this how to video.
With earbuds
@@tufneckdragon Is this a reference to The Boondocks? (Hoping for yes...)
I'm only picking about two years now and any hard lock I ever picked, I always gave up on light tension and gave it some muscle (I basically got pissed off lol) But yeah, that's my first 'go to' now anytime I tackle a new lock! Thanks for the advice!
Excellent video. Thank you for the quality explanation of a very difficult thing to learn when picking.
Thanks!
Thank you for making this video. I ran into problem tension and immediately realized that not all tensioning tools are the same. This fills in the blanks.
You are the first person I have come across to make me able to visualize what happens inside the lock. Counter rotations, spools, serrated pins. Your whole approach to tension and explaining what happens inside the pin, why you decrease and increase tension at different stages. I sat there looking at the wall, not the video and I could picture how the pins were moving. Thank you. You are an excellent teacher. No wonder I can binge watch your videos for hours.
I'm pretty much new to picking, at least to the point of getting serious about it. I've been on the fringe of the community for quite a while, learning some, but for the most part it was just a way to keep my every increasing arthritic hands busy.
Recently I began watching you, Bosnianbill and the Lock Noob... the three of you have put a spark of fun back into the hobby for me and I just can't seem to get enough of it.
Tensioning has been my nemesis, and I agree with you, that mastering it is perhaps the largest hurdle in mastering picking. This video has given me more insight into what I'm doing than most all others combined.
Thanks for the clear view and I look forward to moving into my next level of understanding. I know for a fact that picking has been a big ally in my fight against arthritis and the more I can stay motivated, the better.
Your commitment to this hobby is truly appreciated and pretty darn admirable. Thank you my friend ...
This is really a forgotten subject, but very valid and true when it comes to picking. The feedback from the tension tool is vital in understandng what you are up against and as a noob, I felt puzzled that very few pickers had anything to say about the tension and how they use it. I guess it is like you suggest, that they just don't realize what they are doing tensionwise in a picking session. Excellent video as always! Thanks.
Ive been following your instruction for just over a year and it is you approach to teaching so methodically and putting the need to know and the nice to know info in the right places. On a scale of 1 to 10 you have brought me to a level greater than five yet not quite 6. I am certain my attention to tension now will bedecisive in rating my skill level at 6 or 7. Thank you and God Bless All
Amazing that this video is still highly relevant in 2023! This guy was really ahead of his time.
As a beginner, it seems that it may be more important to add variety to tension tool selection before investing in an array of picks... Correct?
Well, you need a good balance. I certainly carry many, many tension tools in my case. Finding the perfect tension is as important as finding the right shape pick.
- JMTyttt - was that
@@lockpickinglawyer it would be very interesting to take a lock and time yourself picking it with various different tension tools to see the degree to which it makes a difference in the difficulty.
Keep your finger fixed or locked like when arm wrestling a much weaker opponent only letting them move your arm unless you allow it.
Your thoughts on tension helped me pick my first lock, while still watching your video. I have given this a try many times but haven't really understood what i was doing wrong untill now. Thanks mate 👍
This video definitely stands the test of time. I'm a newer picker and have been struggling a bit with overset and getting a feel for the pins with the CI lock pinned to a key I have (standard pins). Been using 30 thou, bottom of the keyway. I've picked it a few times, but it seems hit and miss, like I can't determine binding order.
As soon as I switched to 50 thou, top of the keyway, I picked it in under 30. Feels so much better.
Thanks @LockPickingLawyer !
I’ve just recently, within the last week, started my journey into lock picking and finding this video today just increased not only my speed of getting some locks open but my success rate by an enormous rate!! Thank you LPL, you are the man!
Harry, you absolutely correct in your description of tension in this video! Great job Harry!!!
Thank you... glad to see I'm not the only one. :-)
YW Harry!
His name is Harry? Nice!
Harry Houdini.. OR Harry Upand pick this lock...
My personal experience so far has been that light tension is best if you're trying to rake open a lock, but heavy tension is best if you're single-pin picking.
Don't know if you'll read this, LPL, but I'd definitely like some more content like this from you in the future!
just watching this i understand why it took me like 30 mins to pick a master. great info!!!! love it! thank you
Wow, just wow. Your educational videos are several orders of magnitude more effective at improving my skill than any other UA-camr. Thank you very much for these!
This is a very important subject that is not addressed by other picker videos. Especially notable is the top of the key way tension point, something that is avoided by most new comers to lock picking. I believe it is avoided as the very idea of inserting a rigid tool at the very point of the picking is contrary to the idea of seeing the keyway. I for many months would use those flexible tension tools to allow a clear view. However your comments are enlightening as regards the top of the keyway as being the best place and the rigidity of the tension tool being important. Very nice video, very informative and well presented, thanks.
Thanks -- glad you found it useful.
"Pay more attention to tension" - LPL. I want that on a T-shirt
Watched like 5 tutorials before this one and was only able to get my practice lock open once on accident, after watching this video I can now pick the lock in under a minute every time. Thank you so much.
You’re amazing. Your teaching methods not only clearly elucidates your points thus getting through to the learner, it also cultivates interest in anyone who just happened to be dropping by your channel. Please add more general tutorials like these. A master who can impart knowledge the way you do is rare. Thank you for your passion and for sharing
The locksmith lawyer is just making up shit! And you idiots believe everything he says like he's an expert! I'm a locksmith and I'll tell you picking locks can be very easy if it's a cheap lock like a Kwikset or very hard. It all depends on how the pins are aligned next to each other. Short pins next to tall pins is going to be very hard to pick. And tensioning is something you just pick up with time and doing a lot of lock picking. His idea of tension just doesn't fly because he doesn't know what he's talking about! Especially when he says he is using the tensioner tool at the top of the cylinder keyway. How in the world is he going to pick the number one chamber when he's got the tension tool is up right against the number one chamber pin!
As a first time lock picker your advice was the most valuable vis: I was cat sitting for familly when wind blew an upstairs bedroom window closed ! The ladder was long enough to shut the window, but short to allow entry. Why the bedoom door was locked with no keys outside I'll never know!
To "cut a long story square ! " I spent an hour on you tube. Then with two pairs of pliers and with heat from a gass-hob I made the two necessary tools from two "boby" pins = ladies hair clips. I took a close look at your tensioners and made look-a-like to those on the extreem right , just adding some flat epoxy handles.
At the round door knob I applied strong tension to a deeply instert tool, and set to work feeling for pins !
Within ten minitues I got the first bit of revolution and the with a bit of a scrapining sound the barrel fully rotated ! Many thanks to you and others on UA-cam.
When he talks about how thick and stiff his tool is, his deadpan delivery is amazing.
I’m literally watching your video on the toilet, and I’ve been trying to pick my first lock and when you said tension, it freaking opened. You’re the man
I'm a beginner at picking locks. And I haven't seen anyone else cover this topic in any of the lock picking tutorials I have watched. So this video was very helpful and I definitely suggest that other beginners take the time to watch it. Thank you LPL! 🙏
Imagine sleeping and waking up to someone at the door saying “#1 is binding, #2 is set...”
With a spool pin, it's kinda like driving a stick shift when your coming out of first gear. You wanna give it enough tension that you don't over set the pin, nor let other pins drop. It's finding the right balance all the way through till it sets. It's like when you have a deep false set, that's where you really need to balance letting off the tension as well as putting the right amount of pressure on the pick. I have one lock in particular that gets a really deep false set. The final pin in that particular lock that needs to be set is a spool pin. I use top of the key way on that lock cause it's set really deep. It also needs a lot of tension just to turn the damn thing. This lock is definitely a balancing act. At least a third of the time I'll have to loosen up the tension so much that the damn tensioner falls out. But if there was only one pin I could pick to pick, it would be spools. They're the most fun, At least for me.
Here I am working on picking this lock while trying to figure out if what you say about stick shifting cars is a metaphor or an analogy... I clearly need more hobbies. :)
@@raintheory3390 Technically it would be a simile since it contained "like." Sorry, I'm an ass lol.
I gotta say... every word in this video is gold. I started lockpicking not too long ago and have been practicing on 3 practice locks that I got and sometimes i'd get a successful pick and other time I couldnt get a pin above the shear line no matter how much I pushed it, simply paying attention to how much tension I was putting in made all the difference and made my successful attempts double or maybe even triple to the point I feel comfortable picking without looking at the transparent pin stack and treating it like a real lock (although practice locks are easier to pick than real locks but still...).
The tips in this video were golden and helped a bunch, thx a lot 👍
Infinitely easier rurning from the top... Progress platuead until watched this. Thanks!
I must say that I recognize there were some sad stress in your life on the day you created this video. Sad stress is one of my primary motivators.
I also realized right now that, in the case of an apocalypse, many things would be locked, and that is the way you picked the lock to my heart.
"Thicker and stiffer is better"?
*my wife is nodding*
dang your wife must be good at tensioning locks!
I thought you were gay
@@OlavARod I am. It was just a lie so I could get into heaven after I died.
As it turns out the bible was wrong about gays going to hell and God is actually LGBT friendly.
Freddie Mercury - yeah i understand. It makes sense when you say it :) (BTW to all the gay people out there: i think it’s okay to be gay and I think that you should continue.)
@@OlavARod I don't think they care if you think it's okay.
You are an excellent teacher. I could feel the lock and the movements without having anything in my hands.
This explanation is the greatest thing I've heard about the specifics of lock picking. As a beginner, these concepts are perfectly stated.
What an excellent tutorial. Wish I'd seen this when I started.
Thanks -- that's why I made it. It's the video I wish was around when I started!
10:43 The way you talk about how tight the "little dimple keyway" is should get this video a Mature Rating. Great video, btw.
Using what I learned from this video helped me discern the difference between a pin that's binding and one that's set and instantly made me a better picker. I blew through all the locks I bought for practicing with ease. Simply the exact advice I needed.
I rewatch this video every 3-4 months. It’s like a brief refresher corse for me and I always take something new from it.
Thanks LPL. 🙏
Thanks for this very informative video-- Tension has been the major weak point in my learning process. You're right, there are scarcely any videos covering this very important topic
Thanks -- I hope this is helpful. It really is shocking that so few people have spoken on the topic -- it's so important and far more complex than picking.
Just started lockpicking yesterday and I was having a difficult time reaching the first pin and the 5th pin and I couldn't figure out why they were such a struggle for me. Well, I was placing my tension wrench at the bottom of the key way and it was simply in my way making it difficult for me to reach them. Just starting out that seemed like the logical place to go for me, glad I stumbled on this video to help me realize how silly I was being.
I watch your videos over and over. I have learned so much from your expertise… thank you for your hard work. You have done more to help this sport than anyone I know of. Cheers!
"my way of picking may not be the best"
Dude I started picking 3 days ago and can now comfortably deal with spool pins by just watching and listening to you and your videos. I'm now trying to learn how to deal with false gates.
You are an Absolute Monster. Thank You.
Great video and very helpful, tension is something I struggle with and hopefully wont as much now, I just need to put in more practice.
Thanks. I hope the video is helpful.
i agree. i use a fairly heavy tension as it gives me great feedback. when i first started, i over tensioned like most do, but then went way too light and was getting frustrated. my biggest problem i am finding is that i tend to underset some pins. then the others seem springy and i think i have overset something so i start over. is frustrating too. great video though. love it.
Do you know how to check for oversets? Seems like that would serve you well. See my video 99. I discuss detecting overset pins.
will check it out. thank you.
another question, sorry. so i watched it and actually did know that once you said it, but wouldn't an underset pin 'look' the same when doing that check?
btw, yours and bosnianbills videos have taken my picking hobby from wanting to throw locks to actually spp'ing them pretty regularly. i even picked my ultimate adversary with 5 serrated pins when i couldn't even pick my master 3 a month ago. thanks.
New picker here. I watched a few videos and made the tools I use. The topic of tensioning really seems like it was glazed over, leaving me with the thought that while tension is needed to turn the core and trap the pins, there was little else it did to contribute to a successful pick. Lockpicking Lawyer, you have opened my eyes to the important role tension has in the pick. Thanks for your captivating video.
Just found this video in 2023 and I am so glad. I got the CI practice lock and have been fidgeting with it while working from home. Tension really is glossed over in most of the how-to videos I've found.
Harry,This is an awesome video. I have been using this as well as video #182. I'm mixing padlocks and mortise locks in random order and making good improvement. Very encouraging! Thanks!! Rob
Thanks -- I love hearing feedback like this. I'm glad they are helpful. good luck!
I would love to see Bosnian Bill's opinion on tensioning, because judging by his videos he has an opposite approach to it. And thanks for the tips, very useful and completely different from the usual advices!
He definitely appears to favor lighter tension than me... but I firmly believe that as long as the lock opens, you are doing it "right." What I discuss in this video is simply what works best for me.
Bill has a few videos, I know one of them is titled something like “tension tools” and he discusses it several times in the “picking for beginners” (not certain if that’s the title) playlist and the course on the Lock-Lab.com site, talking about his approach and tension tools and how to make them and why etc... (Figured I’ll just throw a giant run on sentence in there to give the inter webs something to nitpick at ha!)
I really like Bill’s videos and he got me into lock picking but I think LPL is better in terms of picking ability.
LPL is definitely a more adept picker than Bosnian Bill, but they’re both cool characters!
And as a Mechanical Engineer I agree with you on the best way for feedback to be felt or dispersed is with either solid foundation for pressure 100% transferred or spring type of pressure transfer so the spring absorbs the pressures applied to it
I've watched this video so many times over the last several years. It was invaluble when I was first starting out
Quite informative, an confirmed my suspicions. Keep up what you do & thanks for the book advice in another video.
Lockpick lawyer "some may disagree with my advice" me "that would make them wrong!"
I can't tell you how much time and frustration videos like this save me. Thanks so much for the clear explanation of your method.
It looks like I need to invest in some more different tension tools . And I , too , have had some problems with some of these locks that you have talked about . Thanks for making this video . Some of the locks I just couldn't get open and of course , I don't charge my customers and thing ,not even a service charge . I know that some of the other locksmiths charge at least a service call charge even if they can't get the lock open . To me , that isn't a good thing to do . My customers really appreciate that and that is why they call me back for my locksmith services . Again , thanks for the video . It has helped me to learn something new in picking locks for my customers .
"it's about the thickest and stiffest tool that I have" lol notice he said "about", which ultimately means it is not the thickest and stiffest tool that he has.
Sometimes, on April 1st, he broach the issue of "his tools".
This was really helpful, when i first started picking, I used light tension, and had a lot of trouble finding binds, but then i started using the higher tension with a bit of backoff, it worked soo much better!
I have never picked a lock and didn't really intended to try. Until I watched your videos. Your videos (Especially this one) and the explanations you give are fascinating. I learned so much about how a lock works and about their flaws. I also find the engineering that goes into these fascinating. Thanks for making such great content and sparking an interest in a subject I may not even have thought of before.
I have never picked a lock, but the concept of being able to feel feedback from the tensioner makes complete sense to me, since being attuned to what your equipment is telling you is important in my trade of being a heavy equipment operator. It is also important when operating any motor vehicle, and actuating the trigger on a firearm.
He is like an old school hacker hacking mechanical encryption
this was exactly my expirience when i started picking. i used way to light tension, got some "advanced locks" open but the cheap ones were still "unpickable" for me lol. i wonder why.
The advice out there on tension is pretty bad. My hope is that others are saved some of the frustrations that we went though in the learning process.
Thank you lpl!!!! I just started my career as a locksmith and I literally blew through training simply because even though I've never picked a lock before I understood how to use the tools! I picked my first lock yesterday and had the door open in under 15 seconds!!!
Thank you...very informative and actually interesting the way you explain things. Most instruction from classes isn’t clear, where your to the point. Much appreciated!
Another great video! I was using the thinnest/weakest tension tool thinking it'd provide more feedback, can't wait to try this technique and hopefully improve my luck. Thank you LPL
Thanks, and good luck.
I've watch your vids before and they are all quality but this is the one that earned you my sub ;)
+Jeremy John Shimmin Thanks!
The advice given in this video is game-changing! I was struggling with one lock for 2 days but as soon as I applied heavier tension I was able to open it at first try!
Your videos could never be too long - love every minute of your advice.
Agree Agree. I use heavy tension. The feed back is 10 times better. Quicker opening's. Plus iam heavy handed anyways. I enjoyed that one. Thanks...
Thanks -- glad you liked it.
great explanations I've been trying to work with heavier tension you clarified some things I think I'm doing wrong can't wait to put your advice to work
Thanks and good luck.
Thank you for this video, i found my problem with my picking method. I followed the lightest tension method and was getting limited success. Now with your explanation of tensioning ive been opening my 5 pin brinks and master locks within 10-30 seconds constantly.
This was a huge help! When raking my Master No5, I found barely touching the tensioner sped things up.
But I could barely feel or hear any feedback on SPP. Just did the crank-to-find, release just enough to set, and got way better feedback on SPP.
Another thing I don't think gets explained well: I can feel the spring much better by actually lifting the pick rather than levering it. That's how I find the bound pin, then I lever it into place.
Great video thanks. Nice to know that you make use of the wrench in the bottom of the keyway to lever the pick against, as that's something I've found myself doing, and I wondered if this was good technique.
Potential problems I've found with top of the keyway tension are that the wrench can make it harder to access the first pin, and if the wrench is touching the pin it might bind it or reduce feedback. The latter problem is of course avoided by not pushing the wrench in too far, but then some keyways don't have a lot of depth before the first pin.
I know everyone talks about Bosnianbill but his "How to beat Spool Pins" is perfect for people who want some more in depth teachings on tension. =]
Great video by the way. :D
YES TENSION! It's hardly if ever discussed. I tend to only be able to pick one lock. The one that came with tools that's see through. The way I'm able to do it is to apply strict tension and after a while release to the point I hear clicking then immediately apply more tension. I've been looking for an explanation of tension application methods. The perfect video.
A bright ray of light on a previously murky subject. Thanks a lot!