To lockpick in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, follow these key steps for success:

• Have lockpicks in your inventory because they can break during attempts, especially on harder locks

• When you start the lockpicking minigame, you'll see several tumblers (springs) that you need to set at the top position to unlock. The number of tumblers depends on the lock's difficulty

• The main trick is to wait until a tumbler moves up very slowly before attempting to set it. If the tumbler moves too fast, do not try to set it, or you risk breaking your lockpick

• To set a tumbler, move the lockpick under it and press the action button (Space on PC, A on Xbox) right when the tumbler reaches the top slowly. Timing is crucial

• If you want more time, you can keep tapping the control to keep the tumbler bouncing up and down slowly without fully resetting, giving you a better chance to set it accurately

• If you fail, the lockpick breaks and some or all tumblers you set may reset depending on your Security skill level

• Practice patience and listen for audio cues like clicking sounds that change pitch when you are close to setting the tumbler correctly, though visual timing is usually more reliable

• Increasing your Security skill makes lockpicking easier, so leveling it up helps

• Alternatively, acquiring the Skeleton Key or using in-game exploits/spells to boost Security can make lockpicking trivial

In summary, the key to lockpicking in Oblivion is to patiently wait for each tumbler to move up slowly, then set it precisely at the top to avoid breaking lockpicks and successfully unlock the lock