Any tips for picking an old Mills lock?

[702collector]

Trying to pick an old Mills lock on a poinsettia. Does anyone have any tips? Does it matter if you start in the front and work towards back or vice versa?

[shortrackskater]

Can you post a GOOD photo of the lock?
Starting point, at least for me, depends on the lock type.
I'm going to move this to "Other Reel Games."

[702collector]

This is all I have. I will try getting a better one later.

[shortrackskater]

It's appears to be a wiggle cut lock, or "snake key" is another name. Yes post the other picture when you can.
Have you pocked locks before?
I picked this type of lock a few months ago. I had to use 2 picks on each side along the torsion wrench/bar You need three hands to do this!
But you can do it with two. It took me a few hours... not all at once. I just spend time each day and finally got the "feel" for this. I'll wait for the other photo to confirm the lock and I'll try to put together some notes and photos of the picks I used, which were modified. You have to sort of create a pick "sandwich" to manipulate them on both sides.

[702collector]

Yes it is a snake key lock

[shortrackskater]

Ok here's my post from coinopcollectorforum. I hope it makes sense. Have you picked any locks in the past?


Finally a week ago I decided to try picking it. I've picked Yale locks, Corbin locks and a few "high security" locks but this was an entirely different ball game. I spent about an hour or so each night just fiddling with various picks, peeking in to see the pins, etc. I never made any progress but I actually was getting the feel of what was going on.
I modified a few picks and got a better feel of moving/manipulating the pins but I couldn't grab them the way I wanted.
Finally after three sessions of non productivity, the forth was the charm. This time I used a thin tension wrench as a pick, along with a snake pick and another tension wrench, to use as such. I had to "sandwich" the pins multiple times using the thin tension wrench and the pick, and then open the top to fit in the "real" tension wrench, without losing or changing the angle of the topmost pick. Otherwise I'd have to start over since the "up" pins would flip back up.
So this time I must have just got it right the first time. I sandwiched everything in (Three hands would have been nice!) and just created a wave motion with the two pick tools. About a minute later... the lock turned open! I don't believe this lock was ever modified either.