How I got here.

[windexinator]

Hey, I'm DJ, nice forum you have here.
It was all by fate I swear. Our clothes dryer broke, and we're not getting a new one until sometime this weekend, and I needed to do laundry so for the first time in quite awhile I went to a laundrymat.

I was just sitting around outside waiting for my clothes to dry and I started talking to this guy who looked about 22 or something, and I eventually asked "What do you do?:

He pointed over to his locksmith van.

For some reason this all intrigued me, so from then on I kept asking questions about locksmithing while our clothes were drying. He opened up his van and showed me all the cool stuff involved. He had a key grinder back there, bump keys, a pick set... all kinds of cool stuff. He then referred me to the MIT guide to lockpicking, where tonight after much reading, patience and crude tools I picked my first lock. It's a 4-pin tumble lock on a small Brinks Lockbox. It took me about half an hour to open it the first time and then I kept picking it several times after that, unlocking faster each time.

So now, I'm kinda hooked on this for some reason. I love figuring things out that take alot of skill, so I started researching lockpicking and found this site.

So, I really want to take this up as a hobby or something, so can anyone help me out as far as getting a good first lockpick set? I've been reading several topics and have been hearing people complain about the cheapness of some sets, so if anyone wants to give me some direction that would be great.

-Thanks
DJ

[Omikron]

You're very fortunate to run into a locksmith that was open minded enough to include you a bit.

Welcome to the site!

[Krypos]

hey, welcome, ill start you off.

look for the NEW USERS START HERE thread. if you find this, it WILL save you a lot of time asking questions and a lot of hardship from all of the experienced users. trust me.

so look for that, it should be pretty easy to find. that thinger really will guide you through so much.

enjoy! and again, welcome.

[ericm115]

Buy some SouthOrd picks. I personally recommend:

buy two TW-02 from:
http://www.southord.com/catalog.asp?cat ... owstart=20
-When you get the TW-02, file the blade that goes in the lock on one of them to be narrower so it fits smaller locks.

SP-09 from:
http://www.southord.com/catalog.asp?cat ... owstart=70

SP-07, SP-08 from:
http://www.southord.com/catalog.asp?cat ... owstart=80

SLS-06, SLS-09 from:
http://www.southord.com/catalog.asp?cat ... wstart=100

SLS-02 from:
http://www.southord.com/catalog.asp?cat ... wstart=110

and MAAAYBE like an SLS-15... but you don't really need any rakes.

That's like $15 plus shipping. I have some Petersons and Rytans but I can pick all of my locks with that set I just described.

Some other members may suggest differently, but that's my recommendation and that's what I wish I'd started with. (If you have some extra money, you may want to upgrade each of those to the metal-handled version, but it's not a necessity.)


Good luck.

em

[LockNewbie21]

Peterson.. start with plastic or rubber handels.

They wont kill your hands.

And don;t listen to dampening of feel, you need to learn with little feel as possible, this will help you trust me..first buy a practice lock and petersons.

If you must by slim lines from SO.. there picks are ok but nothing will hold up to wear and tear like petersons.


Good luck bro

[illusion]

And don;t listen to dampening of feel, you need to learn with little feel as possible, this will help you trust me..first buy a practice lock and petersons.

So without using feel... How do you pick the lock? Sound is good, but I rarely find I have enough silence long enough to use it solely.

[Romstar]

Now there is a question Illusion.

How DO you pick a lock without feel? Using your magic third eye are you?

I'll be the first to admit that unhandled picks are murder on your fingers, but there isn't a single better tool to use when learning to pick locks.

Its sort of like learning the guitar. You don't cover the strings with rubber, you develop your fingers. Eventually it doesn't hurt anymore.

I have picked locks in the pitch dark and pouring rain about 100 yards from a busy highway. Let me tell you, at that point all you have left is your feeling. There is no sound, there is no sight. Its just you and this tiny little opening, five or six pins, and more water running down your back than you can remember from your last shower.

Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. If you can't feel the pins, you're going to be a very poorly skilled lock picker.

At this stage I have carpel tunnel syndrom and the skills I developed over the years have helped me cope with that problem while I am picking locks.

The two skills you need the most are feeling and visualization. Learn them, use them and trust them.

Romstar

[UWSDWF]

whoa long time no see

[Romstar]

whoa long time no see

The reports of my death have been somewhat exagerated.

Nice to see you too.

Romstar

[illusion]

I wasn't around when you were, but have read your posts and have been very impressed with the contributiion you have made to this forum.

It's great to see you back now - Let me personaly say I've missed your informative posts. Please don't anyone say I'm sucking up or anything - I'm just glad to see such a good LP101 member return.

As a side note - you can use fine grade sandpaper to polish the edges of the picks - If you do it right you'll have perfectly smotth edges that are a pleasure to use. If they are *really* cutting in, then loosen up your grip on your picks.

It'skinda like when you first drive and you'll probably grip the stearing wheel untill your knuckles go white. Later on you loosen up as you become more confident, and the same is true of picking. Just some thoughts.