Acquiring locks.

[Maxclose]

Hey guys, i just got a southford 14pc and i was wanting to learn the art of lockpicking, except i don't know where to get locks to start with, i went to my local bunnings (i live in qld, australia) and other than the fact i can't identify what locks to get.. I had NO idea what to get, so i bailed home.
where can i acquire a master lock #1 and/or #3, and whatever else is good to learn on, i can't seem to find any. or identify them for that matter.

Regards,
New guy on the block.

[raimundo]

look up the local brass recycler, sometimes what he buy for 25 cents a pound, he will resell for $50 cents a pound, he probably a metal recycler who has all kinds of aluminum and steel, but he knows his market, and clean stuff, meaning no mixed metals screwed riveted or pressed into the metal, gets him a higher price than things that have to be dissasembled and sorted for different metals, and locks have some steel parts like roll pins and such driven in. the recycler will sell this stuff to make money and not have to tear it apart.
similiarly the local junkyard for cars is a good source of both automotive locks and windshield wiper inserts.

best way to approach these people is to make friends before doing business. your business is not what the guy is used to so he has to like you first.

[bobhdus]

I get a lot of my locks from people I associate with. I take them whether they work or not. Combinations locks are fine as well. Most of them are free. We have thrift stores all over my city. I get them there as well, with or without keys. I am the locksmith in my Maintenance dept so, if I cannot pick a lock on a locker or storage unit within, a few minutes, my boss has me cut them. Usually the combination locks, if they have the serial # on the back, I can look up combo on my software. Yeah it's cheating, but you can put on a good show like you opened it with manipulation. If I have to cut a lock, I usually re-weld the shackle back together, practice on them until I get them open and then put a washer on them to show they were picked. After that I practice impressioning to make a working key for them. To me, this is the hardest thing to learn (at least for me). Ask around for locks that have no keys. You have better luck getting them for free. Later!

[Shyfted]

Ebay is your friend. I've bought so many cheap and new locks from ebay.