Do you level security faster without it since it fortifies security by 40 points?

I ended up putting Skeleton Key away in a chest and going back to regular lockpicks, because my security skill seemed to stop leveling at all. The reason IMO is not the fortified skill level from Skeleton Key (or so I think), but the lack of chance to fail to lockpick a chest. You get skill experience each time you set a tumbler, with a low skill already set tumblers will fall down when you fail another tumbler, and you have to start all over, thus gaining more skill xp from one locked chest. Unless you're good and don't fail at all.

IMO the skeleton key is game breaking for thief characters, it dosn't make it fun at all because you can't fail... also it becomes harder to level security.

Interesting question. Because unlike most skill enhancements, it is added as an "ability" and not a "fortification". That means that your skill increases as though it really was 40 points higher. And the higher the skill the more experience you need to increase it.

With normal fortifications the skill increases at it's natural level and not the enhanced level.

So A trick you can use with the skeleton key is to raise tumblers until the lockpick skill bar almost fills up (just before the level increase). Then drop the skeleton key (in a chest or somewhere you can find it again of course). Then depending on the skill levels the next two tumblers you will give you two back to back skill increases.

Note also that the skill is based on how many tumblers you raise, not how many locks you pick. So for example with a hard lock you can raise 3 of the 4 tumblers then exit and repeat. So that way you can practice on just one lock for quite a while.

Yes. Get rid of it. Give it to you know who.

Nobody has asked the question behind your question. Do you want your security skill to go up faster?

I've always used security as a major because I can avoid it going up, and leveling me prematurely. The Skeleton Key and Open spells can keep my skill level pretty static, if I use Open spells on anything within my casting ability, and only use the Skeleton Key on locks I can't open any other way. Sneak and Marksman will get all the Agility levels I need, especially if I'm not raising majors too quickly.

I simply modded the skeleton key to remove the 40 point skill bonus. So the skill levels up normally, and I never have to worry about lockpicks.

So, I guess it was a smart thing I did when I dropped my skeleton key from my inventory while I was grinding security.

No, actually it wasn't smart. Please see my post 4 above.

I'll repeat and elaborate....

You can grind security with the Skeleton Key until the skill bar is almost full. Then you can drop it and often get two back to back increases with the next two tumblers you lift. Using that method is (1) easier because the tumblers move more slowly, and (2) may not use as many lockpicks, since most of the experience is obtained with the unbreakable skeleton key.

I guess that's true too. I dropped it because I thought the amount of exp needed to get to advanced would have been a lot more with the skeleton key, and I did break a lot of picks as well...

I level up my security easily with it. What you have to do is:

Use it normally and keep all lock picks you find. After a while make a quick save and drop the skeleton key on the floor. Use a lock pick. If after 3 or 4 times it says your security has increased, then reload and use the skeleton key for 3 or 4 more times. Then at the next lock, save and drop the skeleton key. Use the lock pick. As soon as it says Level increased stop, pick up the skeleton key on the floor and continue with it. You must preserve your lock picks and always make a quicksave before dropping the skeleton key. After a few time using it, once a while try, after your save, to open with lock picks and reload. Oh I forgot... When using lock picks, just click below on automatic... See, it's easy and I increase normally. I'm at level 50 (90) with the skeleton key and I continue to increase my security quickly, exactly like using only lock picks. Besides I never lost my key as I always make a quicksave before.