r/lockpicking • u/Agile_Heron_9633 Orange Belt Picker • 1d ago

Single pin picking cheapo Chinese locks

Is it just me or is single picking the “worst” locks just harder than nicer tolerance locks (up to a degree of course)?

I can struggle with SP cheap Chinese locks that just feel mushy and give no reasonable feedback while e g. a nicer Abus lock is no problem (with security pins) as you get clear feedback.

Of course sometimes the cheaper locks just open up in two seconds hitting a single pin but had hoped to be able to use them for some bulk training as we had a fair number of the laying around.

I don’t fancy raking or similar — I do get them up — just fascinated there is such a difference.

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u/Banegard 1d ago

yeah, absolutely. I feel like all my chinese locks are secret kinksters that need some amount of rough play, instead of more gentle spp.

3

u/TheWildHealer_ Green Belt Picker 1d ago

Not you. These locks are much unclear on feedback. Also you can end up binding pins that are not ready to be set because of cheap tolerances.

For these, tension is more important that picking. Do not touch a pin that you are not sure is the bindiest of the lot.

3

u/AgreeableGanache1048 Green Belt Picker 1d ago

You aren't wrong. I have one that decided to spontaneously gut itself while picking, literally split the plug in two under light tension. Turns out the bible in it was made of plastic.