Lever locks

[sfi72]

I've been thinking about trying to pick some lever locks recently. I have been picking pin tumbler and other such locks for a couple years now, but I have never really thought much about lever locks. If anyone has any advice on what locks are best to start on, and where i can buy them, that would be great.

[tuscarora]

I started on lever locks recently and eBay is a great place to get them. I bought my first one from B&Q, a 3-lever ERA for £15 and then on eBay I managed to get two 5-levers for £10 all-in. So if you want to buy them, go for eBay, a few quid will get you something to start with. I was impatient which is why I ended up spending so much getting one from B&Q!

That said, if you can find second hand locks that can be much cheaper - perhaps you should replace your back door lock with a new one, then your practice lock is sorta free?

The two 5-lever ones I have (a Chubb and a York) both have anti-pick notches and this makes them considerably more difficult so I'd say get yourself a cheapo 3-lever and a 5-lever and you'll have a couple of different levels of locks to work on.

It also turned out for me that both my 5-lever locks were curtained and the three lever one wasn't - again it's much easier to start out on locks without curtains. You also need different tools to deal with curtained and non-curtained locks, not so much of an issue if you make your own tools, but you'll have to drop some cash if you want to buy a curtain lock pick.

[sfi72]

Yeah, I've tried ebay, but its really hard to find lever locks on the US ebay, but on ebay.co.uk there are a ton, but alot of the sellers wont ship to US. The only ones on ebay are lever padlocks, and the occasional lever lock, that usually falls out of my price range or isn't a simple 3 or 5 lever lock.

[Engineer]

I was really suprised when I found out out lever locks are so unusual in the US. They are on perhaps half the houses in the UK?

The real killer is the postage to the US even when someone will send them over there. Unfortunatly I cannot think of any easy way round the postage problem, other than asking friends or relatives who might be commng over here to pick you some up from a shop? They are so common, that most hardware shops would have them.

They are good fun to operate in your hand (carefully,with the side off). You can really appreciate how they work that way.

[sfi72]

Ok, so I found a couple sellers who will ship to the US, now I seem to have another problem. I believe I should start with a basic pin in cam lever pick, however after checking the sites I usually look at for picks, I can't seem to find it. I would rather not buy one from dealextreme, most of their stuff is crappy quality, and the shipping takes forever.

[ridderhenck]

I make you a nice offer:I am willing to send a leverlock and my homemade tool

Try that and you will be satisfied

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=44746

[exspook]

what struck me when I was in America was that they called them LEVER locks (pronounced like leather) but with an american twang...rather endearing

said with the best hugh grant accent LOL

[TigerDragon]

what struck me when I was in America was that they called them LEVER locks (pronounced like leather) but with an american twang...rather endearing

said with the best hugh grant accent LOL

Where in America were you? I've never heard anyone pronounce it that way. I've always called them lever as rhymes with beaver or cleaver.

[sfi72]

what struck me when I was in America was that they called them LEVER locks (pronounced like leather) but with an american twang...rather endearing

said with the best hugh grant accent LOL

Where in America were you? I've never heard anyone pronounce it that way. I've always called them lever as rhymes with beaver or cleaver.

And I pronounce it lever as in clever or endeavor, with a 'short' e.

[raimundo]

Forget the Hugh Grant accent, give me the Liz Hurley accent, and I want to see some heavy breathing,

[huxleypig]

Ebay is good but what I do is look in skips of newly renovated buildings/offices. Or security/locksmith skips are good.

Might be a bit scummy and you won't have the key but this really doesn't matter if you're going to pick them anyway!

[exspook]

lever as in clever, I was in Birmingham alabama at a SAVTA convention and there was a good mix of Americans

it was interesting to say the least!!!

Dave

[rrkss]

Try home depot, I was able to buy a lever lock for cheap over there. Its called a Mortise lock if I remember.

[Rickthepick]

picking lever mortice locks is far more rewarding than pinned cylinders.

[prag]

Here is South Africa, mortice locks are commonly used. We commonly use 3,4,5 levers for outside doors and 2 levers for inside doors eg room or toilet doors.

For picks we use spring steel or I've heard of bicycle spokes.

Start off with all the levers removed and progress from 1 lever upward. Picking skills will improve with practice.

These are locks I really enjoy working on.