What kind of lock to start on.

[frostbyte]

Friday I picked up two schlage deadbolts, and no keys for $3 CDN from the local Salvation Army Thrift store. After shimming open the pair to bring their difficulty down to my level (thanks for the shim stock Romstar!) I've begun to have some success with them. I've set one up with 4 pins, and the other with 6. The latter has 4 of the pins the same length, and two only slightly longer. (The two deadbolts had been keyed the same.)

I have noticed a profound difference in the feel of picking the 4 locks I had already (two cheap dead-bolts, and two cheap padlocks) and these locks - much tighter keyway, not nearly so forgiving on the torque, and the feel of a set. I think I would have been better off starting with a 2 pin schlage and worked my way up rather than starting with the cheap locks and working my way up in quality.

Since I am working on introducing more people to lock-picking as a recreational activity (btw Romstar, found somebody else yesterday who wants to buy a set of picks.), I'm kind of wondering what other people's opinions are on this difference. Please let me know what you think.

[Hak]

Lol, it would be pretty funny if lock picking became a recreational activity. Just image, your city builds a big center where people can come and practice lock picking, buy/sell/trade sets, or just talk to fellow pickers.. heh sounds great, i would go there

[mbell]

Hak: Recreational lock picking already exisits (In Germany/Netherlands to an extent). Search for Toool & SSDev

[Hak]

Oh, hehe it dont exist where i live.

You mean in Germany/Netherlands they acutally have rec centers for lock picking?

[mcm757207]

Not really rec centers but there are groups that do organized lock picking there. It's starting to spring up in other parts of the world as well...

[Chucklz]

Ive led evening sessions among friends. It was pretty good to teach others. A few Master padlocks, some of my picks for everyone (Make sure you have enough to go around for at least 10 people, just in case you get someone who brings a friend or two). I usually add a few pizzas and soda/beer. Ive gotten a few people to actually take up the hobby.

[AlterEgo]

First thing I successfully picked was a five pin Ilco cylinder, then a Master No. 3. I'd say something like that is reasonable to start with. One of my friends got an easy wafer lock, I think, for people who are having trouble to play with, so that they don't lose confidence.

[TheGuyMIA]

dont buy the cheapest lock but keep it low but not to low

[Retrovertigo]

My advice... Secure your lock/cylinder in a vise . I have been picking locks for nearly 6 years now. First as a hobby and now professionally. I got very skilled at picking schlage cylinders (up to 7 pins easy) But now.. in the field I have found that I suck at picking locks that are installed. I am having to learn all over again. It's a totally different feel.

Also if you go to a lockshop in your local area you may be able to score some free lock cylinders. That's how got started. I worked in a lockshop for a couple of years. Lockshops recycle allot of brass. Locks they cannot pick fast enough, garbage the customers bring in, returns, etc... I have hundreds of schlage, Illco, LAB, cylinders that I practice on.

[Chucklz]

Dont tighten your vise too much, as it tends to deform your cylinder a bit and may make picking much different than it would be in a real installation.

[Retrovertigo]

aye thanks for adding that. If it's too tight you cannot pick it at all because it binds the pins.

[RangerF150]

There's a video available on the net called "hippies from hell" http://hippies.waag.org/project.php it's a big download .
It is about a bunch of computer hackers , but some of them are into lockpickin .

There is a scene in it with about 10 or so dude's sitting round a table havin a competition to pick a lock . Most of them got it in a couple of seconds .
That's what kinda got me into it

Lockpickin is just another thing to try crack !