What to get

[BuckyOH]

Hello guys,

I have bought a set of lockpicks and gathered a few tools together. They're not a bad quality. I did polish em. I did order a set of sparrows tension wrenches and I want to make a few out of old windshield wipers. Also ordered a nice case from sparrows and some handles as the lockpicking was taking it's toll on my fingers
I got one of those acrylic see through locks with the set, which I unlocked pretty quickly. I then bought a cheap cilinder. Took me a bit longer, but also get that one.
I'm looking for the next step.
I'm currently looking at the revolver from sparrows, or a cut away lock with a reload kit. Do you guys have any tips on which would suit me best?
Do I need the cut away to learn to pick more difficult pins? Or would the revolver with 2 or 3 pins be a better option? I'd think the revolver would fulfill the same role as their progressive locks but all rolled into 1.

[Squelchtone]

wait, is your pick set the $10 dollar set from amazon with the clear padlock? those picks suck balls, seriously...if you're already looking at accessories on Sparrows get yourself a basic sparrows pick set, you will be amazed.

when I saw the title, I was hoping you hadnt gotten a pick set yet, we get a lot of new members who buy the el cheapo made in china set on amazon and then they come here asking for help with picking.

do you have a photo or link to the set you got? we can tell you if theyre ok or the really bad ones.

Squelchtone

[RDC-1]

I think the reply you got from Squelchtone missed the point, you were asking about the next step in in your choice of locks. I think the revolver would be a better choice> just my opinion.

Squelchtone some people purchase inexpensive tools to see if they like locksport and then graduate to a better quality set if they like it. He said he was happy with the picks he bought, you slam dunked his choice by saying they "suck balls" and did not answer his question regarding locks.

[Squelchtone]

I think the reply you got from Squelchtone missed the point, you were asking about the next step in in your choice of locks. I think the revolver would be a better choice> just my opinion.

Squelchtone some people purchase inexpensive tools to see if they like locksport and then graduate to a better quality set if they like it. He said he was happy with the picks he bought, you slam dunked his choice by saying they "suck balls" and did not answer his question regarding locks.

Well if they want advice on what locks to buy next, I'm not gonna say sure spend $50 on the revolver and learn to pick it with shi*ty picks. Would it not make more sense to teach people to get better picks so they have the best possible tools to become better pickers? and why get $10 dollar picks and then a $50 dollar gimmicky revolver? I mean it's neat and I've played with one but for $50 I could get all sorts of practice cylinders on ebay.

If you read some of my other posts you'll know that I don't accept the idea of "I don't know if I'm gonna be into picking, so lets just buy the cheapest possible worst quality pick set and see if I'm into it".. cmon now.. spending $6.99 on amazon for some terribly designed pick set out of metal that is going to bend or snap is not a good way to see if you like picking. I hate cheap people, and I guess I just dont understand why someone wouldn't spend $20 or $30 dollars on at least a basic Southord pick set vs getting crap for $10 or less. If someone is that poor or really doesn't know if they'll like picking, then don't bother getting into the hobby, or save up for another week and spend the $20 on something better. It's not like I'm saying he has to run out and buy Petersons for $150 in order to learn picking, but I wish that Amazon never started selling those cheap import picks with the clear padlock, that's gonna haunt this hobby for years to come.

I prefer to be blunt and honest than to coddle someone and point them in the wrong direction. and if someone comes here for advice, I'm going to give them the best advice possible to be a good picker, and yes, that may include a critique of their tool choices.

Squelchtone

[BuckyOH]

I do have the el cheapo set
https://www.amazon.com/Removal-Hook-Pie ... k+pick+set
I'm not unhappy with it. It won't break under normal use. I was thinking of slowly upgrading with getting a few picks from sparrow or peterson. If I'd be looking into a set to upgrade, it'd be something like the sparrows kick start set, then later the expansion set. Or a southord set. Although the tuxedo set also looks nice. I live in Europe by the way. Rather upgrade pick by pick so I won't have even more tension wrenches. The tension wrench set from sparrows and the self built are pretty much my go to wrench set.
I'd probably be looking at this:
https://www.lockpickshop.nl/lockpick-set-maken/
But those sets are cheaper then getting them seperate
https://www.lockpickshop.nl/southord-14 ... k-set.html
Although if I'm spending 25 bucks, I'd rather spend an extra 10 and get the sparrows tuxedo set:
https://www.hettykat.nl/c-4245862/sparrows-pick-sets/
That is also where I'm gonna get the revolver or cutaway lock.
BUT, I'm basically OK with the set I got tbh.
Would you rather buy a sparrows beginner set (24,50) and upgrade with the expansion set later (19,00), or buy the tuxedo set (36,85), or buy the southord (30,00) set?

I was single picking that cilinder yesterday and I kind of missed being able to see what I do. That makes me lean towards a cutaway lock and the reload kit from sparrows. That way, I can repin it to whatever I'd like , with whatever pins I'd like, kind of have endless possibilities, and be able to see how I'm picking. Learn how to pick those more difficult pins by first looking at what happens when I pick and later covering the cutaway part and seeing if I can manage that way. Then later on upgrade to the revolver.

I see I can get a southord set for 25 bucks as well
https://lockpicks.nl/winkel/lockpick-se ... stuks-set/

[AngryHatter]

The set from Amazon is really cheap and not likely to last long. They will bend easily.
The handles will fatigue your hands.
Acrylic locks are very soft material which means they cease functioning quickly as you enlarge the cylinders for the stacks.

Get something with 6 or 7 pin stacks that you can repin as you like. Don't waste money on cutaway locks.
Unless that is all you'll ever try your hand at, in the real world you can't see inside the lock and have to learn from the movement of the tension wrench and the feedback from moving the pick through the stacks when a stack is set.

A member here, Mr Wizard offers a nice 7 stack lock; he includes a selections of regular pins, security pins etc. A good value.
"Mr Wizard's Super Max 7 Pin Practice Lock Kit - Spool & Serrated Drivers"

As to pick sets, I prefer Peterson. They last about 2 years before the tips wear, assuming you use them daily. I like the plastic handles as in the Government Set. I just can't justify the cost for the rubber handles.

Have you tried something akin to the pry bar? Top of the keyway makes it too easy for me. I consider them cheats. That's why I have several in varying thickness. I would never use a traditional wrench.

[PachalT]

I had that same set to start. Mine were really ‘grabby’ though so I sanded down the rough edges and they worked fine until I bought a nice sparrows set. To be honest I kinda like almost everything the sparrows has to offer. I bought their 4 lock progressive set and have been really happy with it, especially since it was fairly easy to repin them when I started to memorize each one. I also recently bought their ‘Revolver’ and have been loving it. Really easy to cary around and it has four chambers to pick. One with standard, one with spools, one with serrated, and one with mushroom pins. It’s chambered for 5 pins, all which can be easily repinned as well as it comes with a second key for when you want to move up to 6 pins. I do have one cutaway lock which I like because I can see what is happening with security pins in relation to the feedback that I am getting.

However what I do every week is stop by the lock smith in town and ask if he has any locks that have no keys and if I catch him before he gets rid of them, I walk home with a few free pad locks. Most of the time they are master locks which always seem to be super easy but really good for learning raking or zipping.

[BuckyOH]

As I'm pretty new to it, I'm gonna go with the cutaway and a reload kit. Maybe grab some picks while I'm at it. Then later get a revolver.
That sounds like a good route. I can cover the cutaway and pick blind when I'm up to it and I can repin the lock to whatever. 2,3,4,5,6 pins , standard, serrated, mushroom, checker, whatever.

[PachalT]

I am no expert picker so this opinion may be mute. But I think you made a great choice. Being able to see how the pins react as well as giving me visual understanding along side the feedback I am getting through my pick has been so helpful. I feel that a major part of picking is being able to visualize what's going on inside a closed chamber. Cutaways let you see what's going on so eventually you can deal with locks that you can't see theough