Looking for good intermediate locks.

by **JLennox** » 8 Oct 2006 18:33

I've been lock picking for about a month and a half now, and I've become rather bored due to an unimpressive set of locks.

I've picked bad 4 pin bad locks (master no. 1, and a bad generic),

I've also purchased 2 no name dead bolts from a trash store. Each one had a mushroom pin in it. I moved them both to a single lock. When that was no longer a challange, I used my dremel to lathed the other one's driver pins so it has 2 spools, and 2 mushrooms (I lost a spring, so no 5th pin). This is not a challange. I can do any of them either racking, jiggling, or a pin at a time.

Where do I go from here? I'd assume an expensive Mul-T-Lock or a Medeco is not the proper direction, maybe a Brinks or an Abus? What brand and model? What's a good place in the US to buy locks from? Home Depot, Walmart, and the local trash stores do not seem to have great selections.

Is there a database which lists brands/models and what to expect from them? Such as, the types of pins and other security features?

by **Bud Wiser** » 8 Oct 2006 19:07

Master #532
Brinks Shrouded
Brinks 50mm 102-52001

by **UWSDWF** » 8 Oct 2006 19:07

i'd swing by your local lockie and see about maybe some higher end Yale or Schlage. Best Locks are a challenge. for that matter see if he'll give you any junkers he may have laying around...KABA are interesting.

look for some locks with a sidebar they are a challenge for awhile...

personally I bought a pinning kit cheap off ebay and repinn some locks a bunch of times with a varitey of different security pins you might wanna try the same
there are lots out there but this hobby is getting expensive, I think i've spent nearly a grand in the past few months.... thats nearly more then my booze bill!

cheers

by **5thcorps** » 9 Oct 2006 14:16

UWSDWF has got the right idea. I never move on until I 'm sure I've tried every possible combination of security pins/re-pinning in different order and then mounting the lock into an old door and trying to get the "Out in the field" practise. Also after moving up I still once in a while go back to the simpler locks I'd mastered before just to make sure I haven't lost the touch for those. It is possible to be so engulfed in the higher security locks that when you go to a cheapie it gives you trouble.
Just my 2 cents.
All the best!

by **JLennox** » 10 Oct 2006 10:55

Thank you for the responces every one.

I will see if I can find some of the locks mentioned. Any recommendations for decent locks with sidebars?

by **What** » 10 Oct 2006 22:23

JLennox wrote:Any recommendations for decent locks with sidebars?

get consistant on a brinks shrouded lock and then ask about sidebars...

:wink:

medeco biaxial, schlage primus, medeco cam locks.

by **JLennox** » 13 Oct 2006 18:50

What I ended up finding:

Abus Buffo 28/70
Abus 65/50
Abus 55/60
Brinks 50mm 102-52001
Brinks Shrouded
Yale 6 pin

I havn't had much of a chance to mess with them yet, but they should offer a good amount of picking

I couldn't find any Master 532's, sadly.

by **JLennox** » 14 Oct 2006 15:57

This is strange, the Yale 6 pin only has 5 pins inside of it. The last chamber was left empty. The key is clearly cut for a 6th pin, too (looks like a 4 depth).

Is this normal?

The Yale is a fun lock to pick. I havn't opened any of the others yet.

by **Bud Wiser** » 14 Oct 2006 19:13

Here is another good practice lock in the intermediate class and cheap too.

Go to Sears and look for this Craftsman 2" Brass Padlock
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product. ... 0958682000

It has at least one spool pin and a zig zag restricted keyway. Lots of fun but once you get use to manuvering around the restricted keyway it's pretty much like any lock with spool pins, still for the price it's good practice on restricted keyways!

Here is another Craftsman 2-2/8" Brass padlock
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product. ... 0958706000

easy keyway but serrated and spool pins.

Who would have thought to check Sears

by **maxxed** » 15 Oct 2006 1:54

JLennox wrote:This is strange, the Yale 6 pin only has 5 pins inside of it. The last chamber was left empty. The key is clearly cut for a 6th pin, too (looks like a 4 depth).

Is this normal?

.

It shouldn't be normal but it seems to be common

by **devildog** » 15 Oct 2006 2:37

Going from Masters and no-name cheapo deadbolts to Medeco's et al is just asking to get your ego stomped on. You've just learned how to drive the Kia with the automatic transmission and are now interested in picking up the Porsche with the stick--don't.

A 6-pin Yale would've been one of my recommendations, so good call there. The Abus padlocks are also good choices, although I don't think they're TOO hard in my opinion, but they're definately not easy like Masterlocks are. Brinks aren't much tougher than Master. Get some American padlocks, a Russwin mortise cylinder or two, a Sargent 6-pin mortise cylinder or two, and maybe a Schlage Everest (just the plain Everest, not the Everest Primus) if you can find it (check ebay for all of those, it'll be easier than trying to find all of that locally, and MUCH cheaper too).

by **devildog** » 15 Oct 2006 2:40

Oops, I misread, I thought you WERE wanting to try Medecos and Multlocks, sorry. Yes, stay away from stuff with sidebars or anything with a UL 437 rating.

by **Bud Wiser** » 15 Oct 2006 2:45

The hell with the Kia, let me at that Porsche and watch out :lol:

by **JLennox** » 25 Oct 2006 23:36

I can understand that a vet may find these Brinks 50mm locks weak, but I am suprised people are putting them on par with Master. These definately have at least one security pin, and the cylinder acts very strangely in respects to what I have become use to. I need to get one pin set at light tention, then go to heavy tention. It feels like the first key pin may have a seration in it. Hard to tell. I may open the lock.

I have picked it about 2 dozen, or more, times, and still can not get super comfortable with it.

I really enjoy the Yale 6 pins. I have picked up a new one. They're not really a challenge, though.

I am very confused by this Abus 65/50. I can hardly get a pin to set, even the, I think they're false or just a bind. I couldn't find a wealth of information about it on here. If I am not mistaken, it feels like some of the springs have different tentions. There's definately security pins.

Could some one please provide some advice for the Abus?

by **stilte** » 27 Oct 2006 9:07

They're full of spools, only the first pin is normal. you'll need a different style, sort of. With spools, i tended to keep my tension light, too light in fact that I couldn't feel anything.

I could never pick my 55/something, finally gave in and bought a rekeyable ABUS 80/sth and slowly worked my way up to 5 spools. From then on, I've never bought anything that wasn't rekeyable.

Looking for good intermediate locks.

Looking for good intermediate locks.

Who is online