First, let's understand how a lock works. I'll only be describing the common pin-tumbler lock (usually referred to as a Yale lock, after its inventor in 1860). This is the type you possibly have on your entrance door, with a key featuring a series of mountains and valleys of various heights. While your key may fit into other locks, the height of those bumps determines whether or not it will roll.

Brass pins stop the lock cylinder from whirling and un-latching the door. Each pin is in two parts, that has to be aligned correctly for the cut in the pin to match the edge of the turning cylinder. If just one of those pins (most locks have got five) is too high or too low the pin will bind and hamper turning.

The correct key matches the cuts in the pins to fix everything in position. If you've ever seen an old lock, or an improperly cut key, you may have had to jiggle the key to make the lock to work. That's actually very much like the process of picking a Yale lock.

Actually, finding out how to pick a Yale lock you arbitrarily adjust the pins up and down until you get them to the proper height. But, if they move freely up and down it seems impossible that you'll suddenly find them all aligned at once. In case you did, you would not be sure if you didn't turn the lock then. So, the first step of picking a lock is to use some torque.

You turn the cylinder of the lock, winding it with a small screwdriver, thus the pins are squeezed against the chamber walls. Next, with friction the pins will not slide freely up and down, however can be moved by tapping smoothly with your lock pick. (an advanced lock pick would have a small steel spring added to help you 'twang' it and make a subtle tapping motion).

The torque should really hold that in position while you move to the second pin, and so on.

For modern Houdini picking a standard Yale lock is not too big a problem, hence many apartments and offices use more complicated locks (for instance Medeco brand). These involve exact pin rotation combined with height.

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