Lock Progression?

[GulleyOwl]

Hello

I was wondering if there was an established lock order for starting out. I started with a Master no. 1 and then moved to some Baldwin door locks, and am wondering if there is a particular agreed upon list of locks in increasing difficulty, or anything of the sort. Obviously I could just buy a bunch of different locks and all would be well, but I have a (bad?) habit of trying to do things as efficiently as possible.

Thanks

[cryptocat]

Get a lock or a set of cores that you can re-pin. Change it up so you don't learn to expect a given pin will always feel a certain way. Then just practice a lot. Once you feel comfortable with normal pins, you can start adding security pins.

[justinlterrell]

If you don't have pins or a cylinder to rekey then the other alternative would be: any cam lock, all types of Master locks excluding Pro Series, then Kwikset lock, then Schlage, then Pro Series by Master, then to Best IC, and then Medeco locks.

[sfi72]

If you don't have pins or a cylinder to rekey then the other alternative would be: any cam lock, all types of Master locks excluding Pro Series, then Kwikset lock, then Schlage, then Pro Series by Master, then to Best IC, and then Medeco locks.

I think your throwing the Medecos in there a little early...

[tballard]

I think your throwing the Medecos in there a little early...

I disagree. If you talk the sidebar out of a 6-pin Medeco, it's perfectly placed in that progression. In fact, I would even go as fair as to say that a Best IC lock is harder than a Medeco unless you have the proper tools. (I haven't bought/made a SFIC tool yet, and while I can pick a 6 pin Medeco w/o sidebar in 3-6 minutes usually, two of my three Best IC's have NEVER succumbed to my efforts.)

[AlexMHH]

Are there any suguestions for one or two intermediates between the Kwikset and Schlage? I feel like I'm at this point, but I'm having difficulty getting beyond locks with one or two spool pins.

[JK_the_CJer]

As for the Medeco placement (with or without groovegrabbing/medecoder) its hard to say. Once you start getting Best open; I say theres no problem moving on to some high-sec. From there, its pretty much a question of what want to work on. Some folks go after dimple (DOM, Kaba, Keso, etc..) first, others go straight for Mul-T-Lock, some go after Medeco, others try their hand at separate-bitting-sidebar locks (Assa, Primus, Scorpion CX-5, etc..). That's what I like about high-sec anyway; different folks are going to be better at opening different designs.

Between Kwikset and Schlage; I'd say go for db's method on a Schlage (start with 2 pins and work up). Picking Schlage is much more "typical" and SPP-ish than doing Master and Kwikset imo. The sooner you start getting used to Schlage; the quicker you'll advance (even if it seems like starting from-the-beginning again).

During or after the Schlage practice; try mixing in some Corbin-Russwin or Sargent. Ask a local lockie for some spools and school those. From there, go for those Master Pro Series and Americans that were mentioned eariler.