Things You'll Need:
- Lock pick kit
- Stool or chair
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Step 1
Provide yourself with a comfortable place to work. Because learning this skill takes some time and requires your focused attention, the proper tools and a comfortable, relaxed place to pick your first lock are essential. Practicing at a work bench, using a vice to hold your lock, works best for beginners, but you can also learn by locking yourself out of the house so you can practice on your own door. Since the average car door today can't be picked, practice on an older house or business door lock.
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Step 2
Begin picking the lock by inserting the pick tool that looks like a "J" with a slightly rounded end. This pick can be used on most house or commercial locks. Insert the tool towards the leg of the bulls-eye, which is where the lock pins are located. Put the tool all the way into the lock and apply pressure towards the hook end. As you pull the pick out towards you, you will feel the end of the tool dip. This is one pin. Move the pin up and down a couple of times to learn the feel and to make sure it's free. You should feel slight tension on the end of the tool. Do the same thing with the other pins. There should be five in all.
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Step 3
Install the short end of the tension tool inside the lock once you have finished testing the operation of the pins. Begin by applying pressure in both up and down directions. Which way does the lock move farthest? That's the direction you want to apply pressure.
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Step 4
Apply slight, even pressure to your tension tool, insert your pick and begin moving the pins, one at a time, against the springs until you feel a slight movement in the lock. Do this to each pin, occasionally releasing the pressure to allow the pins to reset, then do it again until you learn when and how much pressure is needed to align all the pins to release the lock so it will turn.
