I hate this forum...

[devildog]

Because of you people I have yet ANOTHER silly hobby with which to waste my time! (yes, I used a seemingly inflammatory subject to suck you all in and make you read my post; stone me if you like... )

I just wanted to say what an excellent forum this is and what a fascinating hobby I've found lockpicking to be. I posted some of this in my intro but no one responded to it , and I'm too proud of the picks that I've accomplished in the two weeks or so that I've been doing this that I just had to show off, and now that I've picked everything I can get my hands on I need some suggestions for something harder!

So what should I go for? Yale, Schlage, Abus, American? What models? Where to get them (I was actually looking to pick up a Yale when I went to Wal-Mart but the best thing they had was the Brinks padlock so that's what I ended up with)? Would an Ace Hardware store have some of these?

I decided that it would be better to learn with a proper set of picks than homemade ones (which would've been a bobby pin and a paper clip for me--no power tools here ) to keep from developing bad habits. I wanted something that I could carry around so I got the jackknife set with the synthetic handle from LPS. I realize now that this wasn't the best choice for a first set, as I ended up having to learn how to pick at home where a normal set of picks would have been better, and then after I had learned how to pick a portable set would have been reasonable, but it still worked out fine.

Oh, and I realized what kind of difference a good pick set could make and so I just finished ordering LPS's C1510--15 piece slimline set with metal handles. I really hope I get them today because I'm thinking they're really going to impress me since I've only used the jackknife set so far, yes?

I read the MIT guide, which is excellent by the way, Greg Miller's site, and the How-To website as well as a great many posts on here. Thanks to those, and a lot of spare time , I managed to pick several locks so far--the first one was a simple Master padlock that I got at Wal-Mart for $5 along with a Brinks deadbolt that I figured would be more difficult and saved for later, then the Kwickset deadbolt on my apartment door (which I incidently broke in the process of picking it the third time and since I just happened to have a deadbolt on hand already, I replaced it with the Brinks), then I picked the Brinks deadbolt. Finally, a few days ago I went out and got a Brinks shrouded (clamshell) padlock because I wanted something harder with some security pins and figured the Brinks would have it; I'm quite pleased to say that I just finished picking the Brinks padlock which I've been working on for the past few days. Here's photos of the two padlocks and my pick set, and then the Brinks deadbolt:








By the way, can anyone tell me if either of the Brinks locks have any security pins in them? I wasn't sure if the deadbolt did because it was only $10 but I figured the padlock did because it was labeled as one of Brinks' 'maximum security' locks. I'm rather hoping it is because I just picked it .

[cha0s]

ok 2 questions for ya... Are you the Devildog from NGC aka NEM aka Counter Strike and Mohaa clan?

#2. where did you get that pick thing where they are all together in one. Thats pretty sick.

[devildog]

Question 1--No. I picked devildog because I was a U.S. Marine (Infantry, 0341, Mortarman--oorah steel rain!); it's a nickname for Marines that originated in World War I when the Germans called the Marines "Teufelhunden" ('Devil Dog') because they were so impressed with the ferocity the Marines fought with, after they first encountered them at the Battle of Belleau Wood.

#2--they're the standard SouthOrd Jackknife set, except the handle is synthetic (very tough, too, by the way--not cheap plastic): http://www.lockpickshop.com/p-JPXS-6F.html .

[cha0s]

Yes, the guy who i used to play with was in the marines and used the name cus cus he was honoring his brother who died in the war. just didnt know if it was the same guy cus he was from new orleans too.

[Grudge]

This has all been covered many times before (SEARCH=GOOD, !SEARCH=FLAMED). However, the best lock at Walmart is the Brinks Sheilded Shackle padlock (the lock is rectangular and the shields are too). While the Brinks (and other clones) circular padlocks are OK, but they aren't as touch as the original, the Abus Diskus (Buffo) padlock.

eBay is a great place to pick up American padlocks and various other cores & cylinders.

CaOs, before you get too worked up, that is the Southord 'pocketknife' pickset. From what I have heard, they have a bit of 'wiggle' in them and don't give good feedback while picking. Having a good feel is really important as the locks get harder. Just my 2 cents.

[n2oah]

However, the best lock at Walmart is the Brinks Sheilded Shackle padlock (the lock is rectangular and the shields are too).

Do you know how much it costs? A search of Walmarts website showed up nothing.

[CobraOne]

oorah !!

[Chrispy]

(yes, I used a seemingly inflammatory subject to suck you all in and make you read my post; stone me if you like... )

Awwww.... *puts down kerosene and zippo lighter... walks away*

[Jimmie]

""the Southord 'pocketknife' pickset. From what I have heard, they have a bit of 'wiggle' in them and don't give good feedback while picking""


someone had posted a tutorial on LP101 how to fix this problem ...

remove the pin ... keep apart all the pick blades together with a small bolt ... then file out all the locking part on the back of the blades - on the locking position - all together at the same time ...

then replace the pick blades on the jacknife

go to search button for the right post on LP101 to have more description of this trick

[Grudge]

Thanks for the tip on the Southord, I didn't read that one. Since we are talking pocket knife pick sets, I actually like the one from LockPickTools (http://www.lockpicktools.com/new-releases.htm). Locks down tight and you can order the replacement picks you like for it.

[wtf|pickproof?]

Thanks for the tip on the Southord, I didn't read that one. Since we are talking pocket knife pick sets, I actually like the one from LockPickTools (http://www.lockpicktools.com/new-releases.htm). Locks down tight and you can order the replacement picks you like for it.

That seems to be a nice tool, despite the fact that the standard setup of picks seems pretty senseless to me. I'd dump the extractor, the ballpick and the sawtooth rake and replace it with #1, the big halfdiamond and a homemade bogota rake.

just my 0,02€
wtf|pickproof?

[Geek142]

Hey

Well i am pretty impressed with this guy. Alot of new people come in whining and asking us "how do i pick locks?" but this guy comes in telling us about the locks he has already picked and what picks he has, and how he is going with it all. I am impressed that he has actually done some work before coming to us and being a complete nooblet and get spoonfed the information. Sounds like you are doing great. And if you have any questions that searching cant get you feel free to ask us and we will be happy to help.

Good onya.

Geek

[Grudge]

Well i am pretty impressed with this guy. Alot of new people come in whining and asking us "how do i pick locks?" but this guy comes in telling us about the locks he has already picked and what picks he has, and how he is going with it all.

Very true, and I appreciated the picture too. We also had a another beginning poster who started off with some home-made videos recently. Lots of folks making a good start. Good luck guys, and happy picking

[devildog]

Thanks very much for the positive replies; I've been going to several other internet forums for about a year now and am pretty familiar with the proper etiquette and format--I'm a big believer that you should 'lurk' about for a couple of weeks, just reading posts, before you post anything.

I found the forum, as I said, because I needed to break into my own mailbox to get a paycheck that was desperately needed to pay bills (like I said, that's some good motivation!), and ended up realizing quickly that just learning basic picking was going to take some time and work that wasn't practical for JUST this particular task (don't ask how I got it open, because I know you all are big on NDE, and the only tool involved was a large flathead screwdriver ; it was MY mailbox afterall, and yes I paid to replace it). But I still thought it was a pretty cool hobby to have (I'm big on weird, off-the-wall hobbies that no one else does--soccer, baseball, basketball...umm, no, but I do run an EBay business, mess with linux/computer security and, now, PICK LOCKS! yay ... God I'm weird, aren't I?), so this has turned into a never-ending puzzle (you popped one lock, but now there's another one! It never stops!) that MUST have time spent on it every day--does it feel that way to you guys too?

[Santos718]

but I do run an EBay business, mess with linux/computer security and, now, PICK LOCKS! yay

I don't have an ebay business yet, but I do run and mess around with linux, and pick locks. Looks like where in the same boat. You're not alone in this world