what lock should I buy for picking?

[south town ninja]

I have mastered the obvious kwiksets, picked a few basic schlages , realized i had an american brand padlock and have picked it with added serrated pins and an extra pin stack. so while i'm finishing up mastering the american lock, what should i purchase for my next challenge? what is the next degree of difficulty? the guys at my local locksmith shop assure me that if i can pick an american, then i have basically picked to my limit and that things more secure than this are unpickable. whatever. i just need to know what to buy so i can move up the skill ladder some more. thanks.

[GWiens2001]

Get a Commando Lock Company padlock. Decent locks, and a fun pick.

Gordon

[Jburgett2nd]

You could check out the Xpuzmag, it would defiantly be a challenge thats for sure, man I'd like to get my hands on one.

http://www.slashgear.com/xpuzmag-is-the ... -11354876/

[Big Jesse]

get into Schlages high security locks, then move to medeco, however, also keep practicing with american padlocks, and installing different security pins and harder key bittings.

Schlage locks...

Classic: No security feature installed
Primus: Finger pins/sidebar installed
Primus XP: Finger pin/sidebar installed, #7 Finger pin installed

Everest: Check pin installed
Everest Primus: Finger pins/sidebar installed
Everest Primus XP: #7 Finger pin installed

Everest: 29: Check pin installed
Everest: 29 Primus: Finger pins/sidebar installed
Everest 29 Primus XP: Finger pins/sidebar installed, #7 Finger pin installed

Medeco Locks...

Classic (side bar)
Biaxial (side bar)
M3 (side bar w/slider)

(ask someone else on here that is more familiar with medeco than me, im more into schlage high security stuff at the moment)

the fact is, there are DOZENS of high security locks, like Mul-T-Lock, and ASSA, that are COMMON locks you will see in america and uk. those high security chinese locks may be fun, but they just arnt practical to me in my opinion. i personaly get a kick out of picking locks i see here in austin texas, not from another country, but thats just me.

also, most locksmiths dont develop their picking skills beyond american, because they make more money drilling a lock, and selling you a new lock lol, and charging you for the removal and again for the installation, then again for the trip out there.

theres not as much money in picking than there is in replacing. think about that next time they say your skills are 'tapped out' after american locks lol. thats rubbish. (not to be disrespectful to any locksmiths here, thats just the mentality at the locksmith shop that i worked at.)

[Jburgett2nd]

also, most locksmiths dont develop their picking skills beyond american, because they make more money drilling a lock, and selling you a new lock lol, and charging you for the removal and again for the installation, then again for the trip out there.

theres not as much money in picking than there is in replacing. think about that next time they say your skills are 'tapped out' after american locks lol. thats rubbish. (not to be disrespectful to any locksmiths here, thats just the mentality at the locksmith shop that i worked at.)

I've talked to several "professional" locksmiths that just try to rake the lock a few times or use a snap gun and if they doesn't work they go for the drill. If your looking to get into the profession then you should perfect picking the most common locks used imo. It could give you a leg up on the competition, I think people would rather have to pay the price of a picking in a lockout situation than price of a new deadbolt. And those Scammer locksmiths go straight to the drill and then charge like 800$.

[UnlockingBoredom]

I've talked to several "professional" locksmiths that just try to rake the lock a few times or use a snap gun and if they doesn't work they go for the drill. If your looking to get into the profession then you should perfect picking the most common locks used imo. It could give you a leg up on the competition, I think people would rather have to pay the price of a picking in a lockout situation than price of a new deadbolt. And those Scammer locksmiths go straight to the drill and then charge like 800$.

WHAT? Wow, if I ever called a lock smith and he quoted me 800 for getting into my house, I would pick up a rock and toss it through the window and say "never mind!" LOL

[south town ninja]

WHAT? Wow, if I ever called a lock smith and he quoted me 800 for getting into my house, I would pick up a rock and toss it through the window and say "never mind!" LOL[/quote]


HAHAHHAHAAHHAAHAHHAAHA

[south town ninja]

get into Schlages high security locks, then move to medeco, however, also keep practicing with american padlocks, and installing different security pins and harder key bittings.

Schlage locks...

Classic: No security feature installed
Primus: Finger pins/sidebar installed
Primus XP: Finger pin/sidebar installed, #7 Finger pin installed

Everest: Check pin installed
Everest Primus: Finger pins/sidebar installed
Everest Primus XP: #7 Finger pin installed

Everest: 29: Check pin installed
Everest: 29 Primus: Finger pins/sidebar installed
Everest 29 Primus XP: Finger pins/sidebar installed, #7 Finger pin installed

Medeco Locks...

Classic (side bar)
Biaxial (side bar)
M3 (side bar w/slider)

(ask someone else on here that is more familiar with medeco than me, im more into schlage high security stuff at the moment)

the fact is, there are DOZENS of high security locks, like Mul-T-Lock, and ASSA, that are COMMON locks you will see in america and uk. those high security chinese locks may be fun, but they just arnt practical to me in my opinion. i personaly get a kick out of picking locks i see here in austin texas, not from another country, but thats just me.

also, most locksmiths dont develop their picking skills beyond american, because they make more money drilling a lock, and selling you a new lock lol, and charging you for the removal and again for the installation, then again for the trip out there.

theres not as much money in picking than there is in replacing. think about that next time they say your skills are 'tapped out' after american locks lol. thats rubbish. (not to be disrespectful to any locksmiths here, thats just the mentality at the locksmith shop that i worked at.)

ok, so i think i should go with schlage, but which one should i go with? i want one that is a sufficient step up, yet not beyond my range without an intermediate step. so which one would be TOO hard for me, in your opinion? or should i just go straight for the "Everest 29 Primus XP?" would that be too much? I understand that i would need to do some serious research on it in order to pick it. Thanks for the input/feedback, you are all great.

[billdeserthills]

I've talked to several "professional" locksmiths that just try to rake the lock a few times or use a snap gun and if they doesn't work they go for the drill. If your looking to get into the profession then you should perfect picking the most common locks used imo. It could give you a leg up on the competition, I think people would rather have to pay the price of a picking in a lockout situation than price of a new deadbolt. And those Scammer locksmiths go straight to the drill and then charge like 800$.

WHAT? Wow, if I ever called a lock smith and he quoted me 800 for getting into my house, I would pick up a rock and toss it through the window and say "never mind!" LOL

The reason the scammers get away with it, is they begin by quoting a very low number, over the phone. Then they jack
up the price, after the work is done. I can't figure out why anyone actually pays them, I would kick them off my property


The next schlage should be an Everest, then You would go with the Primus

[Divinorum]

I have mastered the obvious kwiksets, picked a few basic schlages , realized i had an american brand padlock and have picked it with added serrated pins and an extra pin stack. so while i'm finishing up mastering the american lock, what should i purchase for my next challenge? what is the next degree of difficulty? the guys at my local locksmith shop assure me that if i can pick an american, then i have basically picked to my limit and that things more secure than this are unpickable. whatever. i just need to know what to buy so i can move up the skill ladder some more. thanks.

Just adding my 2 cents to this. American Locks are good locks and can be challenging, but they are no where close to the limit of lock picking. Many locksmiths that have no concept or knowledge of lock sport think this is the case. They believe that picking high security locks like Medeco, Primus, Mul-T-Lock, ASSA etc is impossible. A simple google/youtube search quickly proves that what is thought to be impossible is quite possible after all.

As far as what lock to pick next.....honestly just commit to one of the more popular high security locks and go with it. They will all be challenging and no one can tell you what is going to be more/less challenging for you because they are not you! I personally went with Medeco as my first high security lock simply because that's what I had available. In the end turns out I'm better at picking Mul-T-Locks than Medeco and better at picking Medeco than Primus. Everyone progresses and adapts differently. I say pick one of the three and go with it. If you like the hobby, which it seems like you do, you will eventually learn to pick all 3 anyway. So don't stress the order just do it

[Robotnik]

In the defense of working locksmiths, picking a Medeco/Primus/MTL/ASSA Twin in the field is generally impractical. The time investment required for even the possibility of a successful blind pick of a high sec lock often makes drilling/bypassing the more attractive option.

There's definitely a lock or two that I can and have picked as a hobbyist that I'd drill if on the clock.

[VancouverSpecial71]

I have mastered the obvious kwiksets, picked a few basic schlages , realized i had an american brand padlock and have picked it with added serrated pins and an extra pin stack. so while i'm finishing up mastering the american lock, what should i purchase for my next challenge? what is the next degree of difficulty? the guys at my local locksmith shop assure me that if i can pick an american, then i have basically picked to my limit and that things more secure than this are unpickable. whatever. i just need to know what to buy so i can move up the skill ladder some more. thanks.

Best locks haven't been mentioned yet and can make for challenging picking, depending upon the keyway and number of pins and of course the bitting. Once you pick some standard Bests try some of the more narrow paracentric keyways or get one custom pinned with high-low-high-low custom bitting. Note, the most challenging Best locks will be 7-pins from one of the restricted WX keyways (WA through WY), some of which can be found on eBay if you look around a bit (often sellers have them if you ask).

Also start looking for locks with more difficult keyways - the narrower and more paracentric the better. Having to work around a tight corner will make things challenging in a hurry and will be sure to improve your picking.

In addition, look to buy a few of the better made brand of locks as they will have much tighter manufacturing tolerances, which generally translates into more difficult picking. In my experience, it can be more difficult to isolate the binding pin in a quality lock, even without security pins or difficult keyways. A couple ideas from easier to harder, I'm sure others can chime in here: WB, Sargent, Keymark, Assa (without sidebars).

Kind regards,
Sean

[Robotnik]

Yale paracentric keyways are a good next step as well. Pick up something with a Y2 (6 pin paracentric) for practice navigating something restrictive.

Schlage Everest was my personal next stop after mastering SC4 cylinders.

[nite0wl]

After the most common KW and SC keyway locks good next steps are Yale (Y1/Y2 keyway) for the complex keyway, Schlage Everest (slightly more difficult keyway than the usual SC1s but much higher quality builds for more difficult picking and feedback). Best SFICs are also good but might be better left until you have gotten comfortable with an Everest because the SFIC split shearline is very difficult.
An older Medeco (you can find Classic and BiAxial cylinders on EBay pretty cheaply) will keep you busy for a good long time once you have gotten past Yale and Everest cylinders.