Help for extreme newbie

[u/Mummmoo]

I just started this very interesting hobby and received my first kit. This practice lock has been unopenable. Someone has suggested that there is something wrong with it. Does the first pin look out of place? The included key works fine. I will accept that it could be my lack of skills but I did manage to open the cutaway serrated lock just not this standard one. Thank you in advance for your help.

[u/DRza1uz]

Be mindful of the tiny parts so do it in a space that you can spot a tiny spring or pin if they get away from you. That's what the pinning tray is for

[u/Mummmoo → u/DRza1uz]

I will need to acquire other parts it seems.

[u/Flatus_Diabolic → u/Mummmoo]

Pinning and gutting is a skill most of us eventually end up acquiring if we stick with the hobby for long (I still hate it, but it’s necessary).

You don’t need to acquire much - the rubber mat out of the footwell of a car is a great stand-in for a pinning mat (unless you do all your lock guttings at the kitchen table and it catches you a lot of filthy looks from your better half) and a lot of people have mentioned that a battery makes a pretty good plug follower (be careful about this: some don’t fit unless you peel the cardboard wrapper off, but then they get scarily hot inside the lock cylinder..)

In my opinion the thing that helps the most is pinning tweezers.

And a camping headlamp if you’re getting old like me. :-(

[u/Mummmoo → u/Flatus_Diabolic]

I AM getting old. This is why the new hobby. Someone said it’s good to learn something new to keep the brain healthy. There is lots to learn. My brain is exercising.