List of locks to practise on in the UK

[Quin]

I'll post more as I get them. Prices are from large chain stores so you can get them much cheaper shopping around.

Ross
About 4UKP and only has 3 pins. Very easy to pick. I keep going back to this when I get frustrated with a harder lock.

ERA
About 7UKP for the barrel. This was my next step up and mastered it after about 30 minutes. It's just as quick to pick as to rake (mostly quicker to pick)

Bird
Not sure on cost as it isn't my lock. This one is weird. I've only had it two days and the first day picked with ease but yesterday didn't pick it once. For me this was a good step up from Era

Yale
About 14UKP for barrel. With 2 mushrooms inside it and a very small gap to get any picks in this is a big challenge to pick. Reverse Raking is quite easy but actual picking is tough. A great lock to try when you're more advanced.

This is only my guide and others may find it different but I can only go with what I've found with the limited practise I've had.

[Quin]

Anyone tried Silca (from Italy) locks?

I've seen them on houses but I haven't found a shop that sells them yet

[akidosamuri]

hows about uk lever locks to pick?
yale, era, union?. any infromation on that.

PS try picking them with the barrel up-side down. similar to what the security door locks are arranged..

[lol-les-crochets]

UK Lever locks.
I'm training on a "easi-T" from Homebase for about £7.
It's a two levers and really good for training.
I've drilled through the metal housing so that I can see the levers. Good to start with lever locks. They're really easy to open to have a look on how they're working.
Now I've put a sticker over the hole. Even a 2 levers is quite difficult. Takes me at least a minute.

[awm]

About the Birds. I've bought two of these, pretty cheap. I got them down at a little DIY shop in the villiage I live in. 2.50 quid each. Probably decent for beginners because I could open both within 15m of trying.

There does seem to be something a little strange about these locks too. 2-3 pins in both locks are very tempermental. In both the 5th is a problem (the one farthest from you) the the others are acting strange on different pins.

Cheers,

Adrian

[possamai]

Have you ever tryed Tri-Circle padlocks from china?
Friggin' cheap but I have not been able to open them yet..
They are terrible to pick for a novice picker
So If you're just starting to pick locks, don't start with a tri-circle.
I prefer abus padlocks for practice..

[scifibuff]

Euro locks fitted to double glazed doors a quite good. Quite cheap for the basic ones. Can pick mine in about 30 secs.I have picked an RS padlock 5 pins difficult bit of a challenge. Trying to pick a 6 pin yale euro profile lock at moment not managed yet.Union 3 lever are good lever locks for practise.
Scifibuff

[Aristotle]

Some really usefull info,
whats the best way to tackle that yale lock i've got one on my front door and would be interested to no, ie how to pick the 2 mushrooms.
-
Aristotle

[toomush2drink]

do a search for spools as its been covered plenty oftimes already. You will find the search function is your best tool as a beginner and it will help you develop the patience required to pick locks

[oldlock]

Bird & Tri Circle

As you have discovered really crap stuff with loose tolerances can be more of a problem to pick than decent quality ....

Paul

[INMANATOR]

bird locks are a pain i think they are machined too rough so everything binds. tri circle needs very very light tension and alternitave raking and picking (well mine does any way) this lock provided me with hours of entertainment waiting for customers in my new shop

[Saberpick]

Im working from kwikset deadlocks, as they have 5 levers but you can easily remove as many as you like, so im working on 4 at the moment

[wtf|pickproof?]

Hmm, some thoughts from my edge of the world:

Rock (some cheapo padlocks I got in a 3-pack from supermarket when I started to pick locks) easy going with no security pins. Pick'em rake'em, shim'em, rap'em, I've done it all, and they opened everytime.

Winkhaus (standard 5-pin euro cylinder mounted on many doors in my area) High tolerances, never fond security pins in one of those. They have wide keyways, wide tolerances, little feedback, easy to rake, sometimes a bit tricky to pick.

EVVA (standard 5 pin euro-cylinder not the 3KS stuff) stuffed with spools (3-4 of 5 pins) which I recognized after is dissasembled one of those. (I didn't feel the spools and the were giving me no trouble) mostly restricted keyways, medicore difficulty. I broke 3 bokota rake-copies in EVVA locks. They seem to eat them . My trusty DIY deep curve hook opens them all.

EVVA Padlocks Ive got 3 of those for more than 2 years and never managed to open one of those. They are stuffed with spools and I don't even manage to get pins binding on a regular base.

ABUS well, I like them. They are the locks I enjoy most (atm). Nice spools which give great feedback, almoust perfect if you want to get used to security pins. I have picked mine 4 over 30 times each and it still gives me 2-20 minutes of joy to play with them. I've opened them with my bogota copies, my king/queen picks on ergo handles, with my hook, ....., but now I prefer my DIY deep curve hook to open tem.

GEGE Kabas little brother. I'd put those in the same league as EVVA. They tend to give better feedback thou.

KABA Never got one in my hands. If anyone has access to broken, or drilled KABA cylinders and is willing to share them please pm me (Yes, I know, wrong thread)

EVVA 3KS I own one and play around with it every now and then. I've no chance to pick it yet, but I think I can get some of the pins right. My Locksmith says they where impossible to pick, which I can't believe. There is enough space to manipulate the pins and some feedback. Well I guess Information regarding the 3KS is considered advanced,...

just my 0,02 €

[jamesphilhulk2]

i've got a master lock and a few crapy locks which don't even have a name on them. the master lock cost about £16.00 it's a laminated one and the others cost me £1 in my local dealer shops....Oh and i have a tri-circle lock with a wired looking hull (very wired texture)

[quicklocks]

Some really usefull info,
whats the best way to tackle that yale lock i've got one on my front door and would be interested to no, ie how to pick the 2 mushrooms.
-
Aristotle

check out my vid on the subject
viewtopic.php?t=8630
it may help you alittle