I've been in Malta Island for a short vacation with my GF and took many lock pictures. Still need to clean and organize them, then I'll post them here. In the meantime enjoy these souvenirs I bought at a small hardware store. They don't make locks but have many imported ones, mainly from Italy and England, but hawe also Abloy and other uncommon ones.
The first one I bought from the shop owner, that was very surprised by my lock collecting hobby, was the Abus diskus. I've read a lot about it and was expecting something much more difficult to pick. A nice one but nothing special.
Then I tried to pick the abus titalium... after 5 minutes I had to put it down and heat my hands with the other two padlocks.
FF means Fratelli Facchinetti. I've never heard of it but it's an Italian company http://www.facchinetti.it that makes many different locks. This padlock has two security pins, is key retaining and a ball bearing locks the shackle. It was the perfect lock to warm my fingers that were missing picking a lot.
The EGRET is a crappy chinese lock. I bought it because it's a very common brand I found on low security doors and panels around the island. I picked it quickly and without much satisfaction.
Then I went back to the titalium and picked it. It gives a strange feedback. I still don't understand it completely. Maybe the small keyway gives me little room to move my picks, but the pin sliding in a titanium chamber feels strange. I guess it's just a matter of time till we'll find this sensation common. Nice little and lightweight lock.
Cheers
