Absolute Beginner - "Practice Lock" or Normal Lock to start?

[Miani]

Hi,

I'm an absolute beginner at lockpicking. . . don't even have a pick set yet (it's in the mail). I've been wanting to learn for a while though and finally just got around to ordering a pick set last week cause there's no time like the present.

What I'm wondering now though is what lock to get to begin practicing on. I'm wondering about whether I should go with a practice lock to start practicing with, or if I should just go to home depot and pick up the most basic kwikset and schlage locks that they have.

If I get a practice lock will I learn more quickly/effectively do you think? What are your experiences with this? Is it worth it? Also, any practice locks that you recommend? I was looking at the one at http://www.learnlockpicking.com/index.html as it seems like it offers a lot for the price (as compared to the other ones out there). . . anyone used it? Anyone recommend other training locks/sets that aren't too horribly expensive?

I searched the board for info about practice locks etc but couldn't find any relevant info. . . looking forward to hearing from yall and getting in on this community!

[Eyes_Only]

A practice lock like that would make things a lot easier in the beginning but learning how to disassemble and reassemble a lock the old fashioned way with a plug follower and pinning tweezers is a very valuable skill to have the further you go in this hobby.

Plus its not that hard to re-pin a lock manually. Theres a few guides for such a task posted as stickies on this site you can refer to. And make sure you don't get a Kwikset Smartkey lock for a practice lock. Those locks are a huge headache to try and pick.

[apb]

For a practice lock I would suggest a cheap deadbolt or padlock. The master lock #3 is a good laminated padlock to begin with and found everywhere. Cheap deadbolts like kwikset or mountain security are good. For now avoid Schlage deadbolts. And ,as stated above, the Kwikset smartkey isn't even on the same planet in terms of learning basic lockpicking.

The clear plastic practice locks where you can see the pins as you set them really don't feel like real locks do when you are setting pins and since it is the feel you are developing they are IMHO not good for beginners. They have a value of visually explaining what is happening inside the plug, but after that they should go back in the drawer. Youll hear this phrase to a nauseating degree on this site only because it is dead on true. Here goes...
Practice, practice, practice.