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intermediate level practice padlocks

Having read the FAQ's you are still unfulfilled and seek more enlightenment, so post your general lock picking questions here.
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Do not post safe related questions in this sub forum! Post them in This Old Safe

The sub forum you are currently in is for asking Beginner Hobby Lock Picking questions only.

intermediate level practice padlocks

Postby 15289577 » 5 Feb 2004 3:09

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum, and have only been picking for a couple of weeks.

I started with a couple generic brand padlocks that I bought at Wal-Mart and am now pretty good at picking them. Just today I bought a No. 3 Master lock assuming it would be harder to pick then the crappy ones that I had. I had it out of the package for all of 30 seconds and already had it picked. Since I'm a poor college student and can't afford to be throwing away money on new locks to try out every day I was wondering if someone could recommend a few that would be a bit more challenging that I might be able get in small town america. Brinks was the other brand that Wal-Mart had, are they any harder? If I have to I can order them but since I don't have a credit card I'd rather not have a friend order them like I did with my tools.

On a side note, after I made my sig I found out that the lock on my dorm room door is a 7 pin SFIC. I thought that was cool, but havn't had any luck picking it yet.
Grudge wrote:Oh, and I forgot the 5th and most important reason: Lock Picking is a Babe Magnet

Chucklz wrote:I wish..... It would be nice to find a girl who appreciated the finer points of a 7 pin SFIC.
15289577
 
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Postby Grudge » 5 Feb 2004 10:24

I find the Brinks diskus (its flat and round, looks like a donut) lock (available at my local Walmart and Ace hardware has them too under the Ace brand) is a little tougher than a Master and the pins are in the bottom of the keyway, which is a switch for most North American lock pickers (that is common in Europe, I hear). Also, unlike most padlock, it doesn't have a spring so it more like a deadbolt in 'feel'.

You can also get the Brinks House Key Compatible padlock. It has spools but is really pretty easy (just use lots of tension, it has a killer spring). The good thing is that you can repin it (they give you the pins) to make it harder to pick (you can place short pins next to long pins to increase the difficulty). Its a good introduction to spool drivers without being too hard.

The toughest locks Walmart sells is the Brinks Shielded Shackle (it has two rectangular shields that protrude up the sides of the shackle) and the Master Platinum series. The Brinks Shielded has serrated pins and the Master has a small keyway, pins in the bottom and mushrooms or spool drivers (not sure).

Gee, can you tell I shop at Walmart alot? :wink:
Grudge
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Hello

Postby avarice » 6 Feb 2004 1:37

Hello All.

If you are looking for a lock that is notably more difficult than the Master 3 but not insanely difficutly, I would recommend the Master Pro or 150.

My 150 frustrates the bejesus out of me. It is 6 pins (i think... i'm bad at feeling) and is significantly more difficult than the no.3 but not as hard as, say, a Best lock.
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Postby Kwikset » 7 Feb 2004 3:29

do the master pro locks have spool pins, or any other types?
Kwikset
 
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Hello All

Postby avarice » 8 Feb 2004 1:21

Hello All.

I'd like to retract my first statement. I now think the 150 is a 5 pin.
I've heard that the pro has spool/mushroom pins but I personally didn't really notice them. When I believe all the pins are set but the lock doesn't open, I frequently quickly run over pins I believe to be picked again and the lock opens... this might be due to special pins but I can't really say. Sorry!
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Postby kuroikoshka » 25 Feb 2004 23:25

i too am looking for some "intermediate" padlocks. every regular pinned padlock, including the brink's diskus, i've picked. however, i bought two padlocks from ACE hardware and they have spool pins. these i cannot pick. any advice on how to pick them or another padlock recommendation to work up to the spool pins?
kuroikoshka
 
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Postby i_want_to_pick » 28 Feb 2004 12:12

i too am looking for some "intermediate" padlocks. every regular pinned padlock, including the brink's diskus, i've picked. however, i bought two padlocks from ACE hardware and they have spool pins. these i cannot pick. any advice on how to pick them or another padlock recommendation to work up to the spool pins?


I dont know about padlocks but if you buy a deadbolt that has spools in it and take out all the pins but the spools and practice that might help then add another pin when you have the feel for it until all the pins are back in.

Also moving the spool or mushroom pins to different spots in the row can make picking easyer or harder, some spots make it seem as though there arnt any spools in the lock and others make it quite hard, then practice lots.

I found using VERY light force on the tension wrench is how to pick these buggers the best. MIT guide has a bit of info on mushroom and spools pins, its a good idea to read that. Hope this helps.

Matt
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