For non-American members: locks at Walmart, USA

[lockedin]

I know I am curious as to the locks and the prices I would find in a local retail store in another country. So I decided to take some pictures of the lock section of the local Walmart (I don't think the rest of the country's Walmarts can vary too much from California) for the edification of non-American members of the forum:

A picture of the whole padlock section




Some close-ups



Knobs and deadbolts

I would have taken pictures of the more high-security locks, except for all the discus locks and shrouded locks were sold out. Not that they have that great of a selection of those in the first place

[bembel]

Interesting variety.
As far as I've seen, the Walmarts here in Germany seem to offer just 2 brands: "Mountain Security" and "Hampton"
The Mountain Security locks are ridicilous cheap crap, just like expected (Walmart doesn't have a very good reputation over here, especially on how they treat their employees. But that's another story...)
Some Hampton locks, however, are unexpected difficult (considering the low price). After picking them, I'd even recommend them if you want some some security for low budget.

P.S. Alyways wondered if those Hampton locks got something to do with that Steven Hampton which wrote a book bout lockpicking.

[lockedin]

I doubt it, unless Steve Hampton became a businessman and the head of a corporation, Hampton Products International Corporation (HPIC) .

Hampton is best known for its branded Hampton® and Brinks® security products. This focus on the automotive category is a tie back to Hampton's 1973 roots, when the company's first launch was a weatherproof padlock for spare tires.

[Hardliner]

That's a decent selection. Up here in Canada I could go to Canadian Tire and see a similar amount of shelf space filled with locks but even then it's mostly Master padlocks and these crappy Garrison (ADT security) locks. (Lots of Schlage, Yale and Weiser key-in-knobs and deadbolts though).

I'm a little disappointed with Wal Mart up here. I go to my local store (Toronto, Canada) and they always seem really lousy in terms of stock compared to what I hear about the US stores. The had a couple of the cheaper Master padlock types, and a bunch of these no-name Made in China garbage key-in-knob and deadbolt locksets that looked like a total waste of my money and time. For me it's eBay all the way I guess.

I went there hoping to get a Brinks shrouded shackle padlock for my collection, but no such luck.

[sams choice]

you forgot to get the bike locks, and the trailor hitch locks! That is even more variety! Always....Walmart

[Treeson]

Hey lockedin,

I think its really great that you did that and I think it will not only help a lot of the UK members, but USA members as well get an idea of what kind of locks to find at Wallmart.

Unfortunently, its quite an expidetion for me to get to Walmart. (Ferry, bus, etc) But, next time I go off, I will definetly bring some mone to go through their lock selection.

And here I am thinking I am to be destined with the 10 lock selection presented by ACE hardware.

Thanks again.


Cheers,

Treeson

[mh]

Great thread, I like that topic very much myself.
It's fascinating to shop for locks in foreign countries;
I did that in the U.S., U.K., but also China & Taiwan - very interesting designs I saw in Taipeh. Alas, I didn't take pictures, though...

Here in Germany, Walmart wouldn't be a good place to shop for typical German locks, maybe a better place would be a home improvement store like 'Obi' (cf. Home Depot), but they always carry limited selections, usually the cheaper ABUS and Burg lines.

You would be better off in a locksmith's shop, and some of them have internet sites as well:
http://www.wagner-sicherheit.de/
would be a place to see German locks and their prices.

Cheers,
mh

[LockNewbie21]

Wow that actually has a better selection than mine here in reading PA. The only lock i would by from walmart is the brinks 6 pins shackle gaurded pad lock... heck of a lock for the price. The masters they sell are junk as are the brinks, the discus locks are hard till you get the hang of them then they are as well junk. Good beginner place to start though.




Andy

[Gear Head]

By the trailer section they had those little circular brinks padlocks I I should really know the name of em. There are some small chains that deal in tractors, ect, and usually have really good stuff really cheap. I would imagine they would have a different variety of locks than what you would find at most hardware store chains. There is a "Tractor Supply" a few miles down the street, I'm going to hit that up and see what I can find.

[lockedin]

:idea: By the trailer section they had those little circular brinks padlocks I I should really know the name of em.

Brinks makes two sizes of those circular locks. The big one is known as the R70. Generically they are called discus locks, and there are a lot of different imitators from the original Abus ones.

[LockNewbie21]

Yea the R70 is the one i have. I will admit it took me a few trys to get the tension control mastered, but the pop like nothingnow. And actually i had the pleasure of trying out an abus from a lockie i just met.. he was actually picking it as i walked in i asked to have a go and the only diffrence is it has one more pin two or three security pins and a smaller key way sooooo.. get a euro slim hook and slim tension wrench and there just as easy to open. I am not braggin, its just that one you get the hang of the discus locks they all feel and work the same with suttle diffrences. I showed the lockie my way and he was popping open lef tand right to, so anybody can do it. As for walmart its good to start at. But like i said the only lock worth anyhting and hard to pick is the 6 pin shackel gaurded lock by brinks... anything else is junk all the masters all the other brinks and the horrible mountain security. Actually i couldnt pick the one i got becuase it was so horribly put together it actually prevented me from picking it.. so i took it apart and man was a sloppy job i mean it looked like a 3 year old assembeled it. Anyway If you want a pretty good lock try lowes.. yea they have master locks and such, but they have the 5 pin 576 buy master.. its still not incredibly difficult, but an honorable purchase with some skill required to pick. And quick sets if you pin them right can be another great challenge.


My lists of pointless locks.
Masters 1, 3, 5
Brinks r70 discus
Standard brinks padlocks
Mountain security lock (any)

They are good for beginners, but after you get a decent there a waste of money. I would suggest the abus series dicus locks, american palocks and the higher security abus regular padlocks.



Cheers mate

[spQQky]

... and the horrible mountain security. Actually i couldnt pick the one i got becuase it was so horribly put together it actually prevented me from picking it.. so i took it apart and man was a sloppy job i mean it looked like a 3 year old assembeled it.

I broke my Mountain Security padlock by bump key opening it about 4 times. All the pins are stuck above the shear line now so ya can open it with a screwdriver or the tip of any key. I tried beating it with a hammer on concrete trying to shock the pins loose but they're stuck real good

[LockNewbie21]

Agreed mountain security could be so horribly put together that then can be considered high security as far as picking.. mine was trash i got mad that it was so horrible that i just chopped it open and made a cutaway. Thats when you really see how horrible they are..wow it amsases me they must cost 4 cents to make.

Andy

[dsdayl]

The walmart 1/2 mile down the road from me sells pretty much the same thing.

The only difference is that the only Brinks locks they have are all padlocks and 1 tubular bike type lock.

The rest of their padlocks are all Master and Mountain Security.

As for deadbolts they have 2 types Black & Decker and Kwikset.

Not the best selection but good for a beginner.

[lockedin]

As for deadbolts they have 2 types Black & Decker and Kwikset.

I guess Walmarts in other parts of the country must have Kwiksets. Here in Northern Cali none of them do. I take it back from that earlier thread, SFGOON