(452) Finding the Right Tension for Lock Picking Beginners 

That akward moment when the "easy" lock in the video is the one on your front door.

So sorry to hear that you’ve retired, but very grateful for all your thousands of amazing videos, guides, reviews, and tutelage! Family first!

Thanks Bill! I just got into this hobby and while I could pick the decent lock on my front door with no problems when I bought a Master #3 I couldn't pick it! I felt like a total failure until I watched this video and realized I was giving the Master lock more respect than it deserved by using the same light tension I used on my front door. After watching this video I grabbed the Master lock and tensioned the hell out of it and within three seconds it popped. HUZZAH!

I think I may have found myself a new hobby.

My goodness you make this look so easy.

Hello I have just learned that you retired, I am very thankful for everything you have shared over the time I have been picking locks and will miss watching you take care

Some advice - I have been enjoying Bill's videos for some time now, read 2 lock picking books, been practicing with my beginner's set for several weeks and thought I was doing pretty good. I went to Bill's lock picking university and started the course - I learned in 30 minutes more than I learned in the past few months! Bill, you do a great job with both your videos and your course.

I've just started lock picking, and I'm overjoyed to have found B.B's stuff here. On RU-vid there's always one guy who's videos shine above all others, and Bill's that man. Thanks for such a great resource, the rest will be down to me..

Man, Bill just made such informative videos! This one in particular is essential to picking any lock! It's a shame to see he is not making content anymore 😢

Good retirement, Bill! I've learned so much with you, thanks.

I watched many videos, but these here are the most convincing ones. They explain precisely what is going on. So far I am very disappointed about my lock picking progress. I did realize that each lock has its personality, its preferred pick tool and sequence to push/bind the pins. As mentioned here I think that 80% of the work is done by the TENSION, and only 20% by the picking itself. And BOTH usually need very LITTLE force to work well. Most (as myself) torture the locks and pins to death, even wear down their diamond pickers while raking along. I read the 'picking bible' (German version), have labeled my excercise locks and keep a protocol which tool and method works best to open it. Repeatability is not that great so far, some open within seconds and later take 10min. Others like all my ABUS cylinders refuse to cooperate with me so far.. leave alone the acrylic training lock with its horrible DIMPLE mechanics.. WIth my failing eyesight I desperately need a new hobby, as model kits and wrist watches are now out of reach for me. Lockpicking is appealing as it needs rather few tools, little investment, has oodles of 'targets' to tinker with, can (even SHOULD!) be done with eyes closed, to fully focus on the feeling in the fingertips. It challenges one's patience, sensibility, accuracy and feeling for metal interactions. I hope I can eventually gain more capabilities. Thanks for your instructive videos, very well done!

I am actually using padlock picking to keep myself from drinking of an evening as we watch TV after dinner. Works better than my new Kindle Fire and slightly better than fly tying. Your videos are good for my health!

GREAT exlpination!!! You probably just jumped many new pickers ahead by months of trial and error. I definitely need to lighten up on my security pins a little. Thank you Bill!

You're a great teacher,Bill. I was practising on a Master lock and could not believe how loud the clicks were and how much feedback I was getting through a clumsy handmade tension tool. I'm a honest man, but the thrill I got from opening that lock was so distracting that I forgot what sequence I used! I've been a master plumber for 40 years. I know a pro when I see or hear one. You,sir, are a pro.

"Light tension is the key..." :)

Bill, you managed to explain it the best way I have seen so far. I'm not a great lockpicker but thanks to your video I realized some things that I only knew subconsciously. The various tension when appliing pressure to a single pin and realizing the moment of reaching shear line is probably the thing that took me the longest time to learn.

I'm very new to lock sport and I've watched loads of videos over this last week or so but this one so far has been the best description of how to get the correct tension. I will probably have to keep coming back to it and watching it again while I am practicing. Thanks Bosnianbill 👍👍🗝️👍👍

This was/ is probably the single most helpful and worthwhile videos I watched while picking up this skill.

Thanks! The heavy tension was my downfall, I've got my first lock picked now 😁👍

I'm very new to lock picking, have watched 100s of videos and this has been by far the most helpful. Thanks a mill !

I know I'm late to the party here, but as a beginner who has become expert with attacking the clear plastic lock, I have to say that this video seems to be helping me a lot. The only other two locks I have are an Abus Discus and a long shank American padlock with the cylinder similar or the same as the one in this video. I don't have a vise yet, nor do I have one of those flat tension wrenches, so I tend to press too hard on the tensioner I do have, and I forget to "lean" the pick over at the correct angle. Because of that I only seem to be able to get 2 or 3 pins to set before I screw it all up and have to start over. LoL. The point is, I'm making progress, and that's a pretty good thing for an old guy. Thanks for uploading this, some 5 or 6 years ago.

Thanx Bill. Im new to the art of lockpicking. Your video answered a lot of my questions that i was too embarrassed to ask. Keep up the awesome work!

Honestly this has been the most helpful video i've come across. Was able to pick the same lock twice in a row and help me understranding the lock "talking" to me.

Great information, this helped me with cheap locks. I could pick security pins but was having trouble with cheap kwikset. You really hammer the tension on them and then it's easy to pick them. Thanks again Bill!

I have to say, I got my first legit pick set. And when I got it, it was confusing because I used to do this on the street over 2 decades a go when I was a teenager. But now I pursue this as a hobby and needed to be reminded of all the picks. I love your videos, they are well informed and intellectual enough to make the point at hand. Thank You!

I have an American Lock series 30 that had been giving me trouble with the security pins, and the advice from this video just gave me my first successful pick. Much appreciated!

I have to agree with that comment. Books to teach you something. but watching it happen explaining the process as almost a first person view has really helped me excel in learning. thank you

I have picked my American padlock inconsistently. One day I hope to master it. ;)

These are fantastic. I am using the sparrows teaching locks and those with your instructions are priceless.

I admire you Bill! Thanks for the instruction and inspiration!

hello friend thank you for you videos. ihave watched some recently and, I decided to buy a cheap lock and try it. well I have opened it 20 times and had it half an hour. it has reallygot me interested and now I need other lock cause its just a thrill to pop open a lock for the 1st time. Ijust wanted to thank you for introducing me to such a cool hobby

Awesome tutorial!! Iv always had a tough time determining what tension to use on what locks but this vid helped out alot!

That was very clear and very useful. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Best explanations ever!!! Love your Channel!!! You helped me sooo much...Thanks!!

Bill i would like to thank you for the video on how much tension to use on a lock it helped me out on the franklin garage door lock that i was trying to pick for a over a week now ; ) Thank you

It's so interesting how you can tell the pin your on. I'm still developing that feel.

This video his very helpful !!!!! Thanks for taking the time to help the beginning lock pickers !!!!!

Thanks, for all you've tought us!

Hard to verbalize, but you explained it very well. Thank you for the helpful video!

I always look at the discoloration of the fingertips and fingernails when someone is tensioning a lock... It gives me a bit of an idea of how much tension they are using so I know what to look for when I'm doing it.

I wish I had viewed this video much earlier in my picking experience. Thanks for an excellent video!

very informative! i didnt know the right amount to use but this helped so much. thank you!

Very nice video Bill! You're a Master, Sir!

Yet another great video! Thanks Bill :)

That was so informative Bill and a great help. Keep up all the great work. And I love that beautiful Wood handle Pick that used at the beginning. From Nicholas. :D

Just got my first lock open!!! woooo!!! thanks for the videos bosnianbill...!!! (It was a master lock i owned already) LOL

Great explaining tension Bill. Appreciate it man👍

Great explanation, thank you Bill.

Bill is definitely the"pin wisperer"

Thanks for this video. This helped me understand.

Great video! Definitely helped cut down on some locksport frustration... 👍

Thank you - this was extremely helpful !!!

You are a awesome teacher Mr.Bill

Thanks for a great lesson

Damn you and your magic Bill! Excellent demonstration as ever.

Awesome video Bill! THANKS

Brilliant video, well explained thank you.

amazing job and well executed thanks for da info

I’ve been trying to learn this for a while now But until this video I could only rake This video was suuuupeer helpful Thanks man

Ya gotta feel it. THAT'S why we practice with all sorts of locks!

Helped me pop open a lock I've been workin on for a while

Obrigado pelos videos .Sou chaveiro em Valparaiso de Goias Brasil e sempre aprendo com voce.

Your a great teacher.

I decided to learn lock picking because we have a small IT business and the amount of people who lose the key for their laptop Cambridge lock is amazing, hopefully when I've mater the art I can open them( for a fee of course lol ) and not have to carry a huge bolt cutter in the back of my car. Thanks Bill awesome stuff man just awesome

This video made the connection I was missing. I was picking left to right thinking that would work. Nope, find which one binds then find the next one and so on.

Thank you for these infos. This is really helpful.

Great video Bill, thank you.

Helped a ton, thank you!

Good explanation. Barely any tension on the core, then with your pick ensure "no pins are binding" . Increment slight tension until the "1st pin binds". That's the sweet spot to hold and set that pin and continue. Hope all is well Bill😁

Good video. Thanks!

So for shitty cheap locks heavy tension, high end locks barely any tension. Thanks this was super helpful

Your like the bob ross of lock picking

Awesome video Bill!

brilliant video helped me out thanks

amazing video, thank you

Amazing skillz!!!

Very very helpful Thanks bill

Just got my first real open (not an acrylic practice lock) while this was playing. Thanks!

that was a really good explaination for me thank you

*VERY* educational! Thank you.

That was wonderful, thank you.

I literally just started lock picking as a hobby Got my lock pick set in last night and bought a brinks 40mm brass padlock once I found the right tension on it I was able to get it open reliably in under a minute tension really is everything sometimes

ANOTHER TOP notch video! Thanks for posting!

Very helpful! Thank you

Wow dude you're pretty good! Thanks for the informative video!

Great video to understand..Thanks

Great vid !!

He made all those locks look like Kwiksets...

Awesome tutorial

Good stuff, thanks

Excellent tips!

good video will help me a lot thanks

excellent video. thank you :)

this man is a guru for real real 🎉

Very nice video. Damn, I started this little hobby just out of a whim, haven't succeeded so far, but if I don't.... those gaping lock holes are just laughing at me wherever I go :D, I have to learn it now!

Thanks BB! I'm new to TOK and was way too heavy handed. Blisters on my right index from fighting the pin stack. I find that a binding pin should still feel springy. Your picking game is in balance with the driver pin springs, your picking is slightly heavier pressure than the force of the spring and the tensioning should even be more delicate. Note that the springs are smaller than those in a typical ball pen.

Great tutorial Bill mate :o))))

We should call u proffesor bill bravo mate really helpfull video I surely learnt something out of that video

Finally a decent tention vid thanks b

Very informative.