Why You Are Not Opening Locks
Lock Picking Tips for Beginners
So, you bought a lock picking set, watched a few videos on how to pick locks, and figured you'd be cracking open Medeco Biaxials like a magician by now. Instead, you're frustrated, your fingers hurt, and your success rate is somewhere south of zero.
Don’t worry—you’re not alone. And more importantly: you’re not broken. You’re just missing a few critical truths about lock picking for beginners.
Let’s break them down.
The Lock Dictates How You Pick It
This is rule number one, and it might be the most overlooked truth in all of lock picking. You don’t get to decide how a lock wants to be picked—the lock tells you.
Stop reaching for your favorite pick like it’s Excalibur. Some locks want a short hook. Some demand a longer one. Some just want you to leave them alone until you’ve learned to read what they’re telling you.
Instead of forcing your technique onto a lock, slow down. Feel it. Listen. Understand the feedback—what the lock is telling you. Try different tools from your lock picking set and ask: “What does this lock need?”
Tension Is Everything (So Mix It Up)
There’s no one amount of tension that fits all
Most new pickers fail because of tension. You’re probably using too much. Maybe too little. Or maybe you're just using the wrong tension tool altogether.
Be sure to experiment with both top of keyway tensioners (TOK) and bottom of keyway tensioners (BOK). And not just one of each—there are different thicknesses and lengths, and every one behaves a little differently. Sometimes just changing your tensioner makes a lock open like it’s saying thank you.
Think about how the tension tool is affecting the way you pick the lock. Is it a BOK tensioner—meaning the space in the keyway is somewhat restricted—but you can rest your pick on it and use it as a fulcrum? Are you using a TOK tensioner? Is it the right one? Are you sure the TOK tensioner isn’t pressing on the first pin, causing you to think it’s binding—or making it nearly impossible to pick?
If you're not getting results, mix it up. Try different tension tools. There’s a reason there are so many different types available.
Tension is subtle. It’s what separates guesswork from real technique. Most of us spend years dialing it in.
Remember: this isn't annoying—this is lock picking. Enjoy the process, and you’ll find yourself making more progress than ever.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Yes, I know. You feel like you’re getting nowhere. But you are—slowly, in ways you might not notice yet.
Years ago, I had guitar lessons. Of course, being 15 years old, I just wanted to rock. But my teacher kept giving me these finger-picking tunes I didn’t care about—and I never practiced them. One day during a lesson, he said, "Let's be honest, you don't practice, do you?" I admitted I didn’t. He picked up one of the sheets and had me play the intro. It was awful—no real tune or melody. And he timed me. It took a minute to stumble through just that one phrase.
Then he made me play it again. And again. Fifteen times in total. By the fifteenth time, it sounded like the tune. And it only took twenty seconds. The simple process of repetition had turned a load of seemingly disconnected notes into music—in minutes.
He said, “Do that for just an hour a day, and you'll have these tunes licked by next week.” And I never looked back.
My point is: while you may not feel like you're improving, you are. Especially when things don’t work out. Just keep reminding yourself: all lock pickers were where you are right now. No one could just do it.
Even a simple exercise like learning to tell the difference between a binding pin and a standard pin will do absolute wonders for your feel and finesse. This is how to learn lock picking—not through miracles, but through repetition and awareness.
For when you're ready to move onto security Pins, here's a set of Clear Practice Locks with one all standard pins, one all spool, and one all serrated. When repetition is the name of the game, these are just what you want.
Practice on Different Locks
If you’re only picking the same hardware store lock over and over, you’re just learning one song on an instrument with infinite possibilities.
Build a revolving tray of practice locks. Include cut-away locks, clear locks, padlocks, and a selection of different models. Avoid locks with security pins at first. If you feel counter-rotation—that sensation of your tensioner being pushed back the other way—put the lock aside for now. That’s a sign of security pins, and they're for later.
But a diverse tray of locks is essential. We dive deeper into this in our post, How to Pick Locks Like the Lock Picking Lawyer, and trust me—it makes a difference.
Being able to see the pins helps you understand what’s really happening inside the cylinder. It’s especially helpful when learning about overset pins, which can be maddening if you’re relying only on feel.
Cut-away and clear locks are also easier to pick. That’s good. Early wins are morale-boosting—and totally valid.
Use a Lock Picking Vice
Picking locks in your hand feels cool—but it’s not always practical, especially when you're learning.
Try using a lock pickers vice. It frees up your non-dominant hand, stabilizes the lock, and better replicates real-world conditions where locks are mounted in doors, drawers, or containers. You’ll develop transferable lock picking skills this way—and you’ll probably open more locks, too.
A vice isn’t essential, so don’t stress if it’s out of budget. But if the opportunity arises, I recommend getting one.
Watch the Pros (and Take a Break)
If you're hitting a wall, walk away. Seriously.
Frustration is the enemy of lock picking.
When you’re frustrated, your body tightens. Your picks go clumsy. Your shoulders rise, and your focus dissolves. At that point, you’re just reinforcing bad habits.
Step away from the locks.
Watch a few top pickers on YouTube. Remind yourself of what’s possible. Reset your brain. You’ll be amazed how often the lock that defeated you earlier just pops open when you come back fresh.
Here's a great YouTube channel, specifically his playlist of CROSS-SECTION LOCKS - a wealth of knowledge, and a fair amount of much needed humour too! I also recommend his SHORTS if you like a bit of lock picking fun!
Ask for Help (We’ve All Been There)
None of us could open locks in the beginning.
Trust me—it was the same for all of us.
But people are learning how to pick locks all the time. It’s a process, and it involves failure, confusion, and disappointment. That’s how you grow.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can reach out to our team of experienced lock pickers anytime—we’re here for you. Or jump into a few lock picking forums on Facebook or Reddit. These communities are packed with helpful, generous folks who remember what it’s like to be new.
They’re also great for trading locks, and sometimes even swapping tools. Just do your due diligence—speak to moderators, get a feel for the group. Like any community, there are a few bad actors, but overall I’ve found the lock picking scene to be incredibly trustworthy and welcoming.
Final Thoughts
You’re not bad at this. You’re learning a craft that rewards patience, precision, and persistence.
The ones who get good? They’re the ones who keep going.
So if you want to pick locks, the answer isn’t in magic tools or shortcuts. It’s in showing up, paying attention, trying new things, and taking care of your mindset.
You will open that lock. It just might not be today. And that’s okay.
If you have any questions or want help from our team, email us anytime at Hello@UKBumpKeys.com — we’re always happy to help.
You’ve got this.
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Chris Dangerfield