So I've found this lock...

[Bittersweet]

Or more like I bought this lock, it was a cheap Brinks lock from Walmart, my question isn't "How do I pick it", I've read a lot of that. When I bought it, I failed to notice that the packaging said "Spool Pins". After I saw that, when I got home, I decided to read up on it. Now, after reading and attempting for a few days, I'm wondering: Do I continue attempting to pick this lock, or do I go buy a different lock to work on to gain a bit more skill before I attempt this one? I've only picked two locks, Both were "Mountain Security" 4 pin padlocks, and got rather consistent with them. Unfortunately, one is broken and the other I am a bit too familiar with. So what do you think? Continue attempting this one or put it aside for a while in favor of a different lock?

[Paul]

Keep practicing with it. Chances are you'll figure it out eventually. There is a lot of info on defeating spool pins on this forum.

If you get so fustrated with it that you start getting discouraged, then go pick up another lock to work on. Once you get that one, try the Brinks again. If you keep stressing over one lock you get tend to get sloppy and it becomes next to impossible to pick. Even the simplest locks can be tough if you are trying too hard. When something like that happens it's best to put it down and come back later.

[Gordon Airporte]

If it's the five-pin brass version, you might want to try someting else first. Mine is actually harder to SPP than the more impressive looking shrouded lock, but there's a scrubbing trick I can do that opens it right up.
I suggest a Master 140 (brass, four-pin) as an introduciton to spools. I think that's a fairly common progression.

[SEVEN]

Try stripping it down and start with 1 spool and 1 plain pin and working your way up.They do pick differently.

[VashTSPD]

but make sure you know what you're doing--don't leave the top pins in the lock of the holes you've removed the three bottom pins from or the springs will shoot down into the core and those are a pain in the butt to get out again, I did that once, now two of my springs are shorter then the other four

[cracksman]

I hope it wasn't the "shrouded shackle" one, if so you may want to put it away for awhile. In my experience Brinks padlocks with security pins are a real pain, they are very sloppy and therefore a bit unpredictable. It's not at all impossible though, just search the site for security pins, once you know how they behave it's not too much trouble. The big trick is to be able to balance the pressure you put on the pin with your pick with the torque of your wrench. Once you can get that feel it's all gravy.

p.s. took me about a year of practice before I could pick my Brinks shrouded padlock with consistency- I'm a slow learner

[Bittersweet]

It's a Brinks 5-pin brass padlock, nothing special except those darn Spool pins. I think I'll put it aside anyway and find some others to work on.

[Gordon Airporte]

One of nice things about the shrouded lock vs. the brass one is that the shrouded doesn't have a spring turning the plug against your tension. That makes it much easier to find the spools once you have a false set.

[Bittersweet]

I ended up going out nad got a Masterlock No3 that was suggested, and I'm not finding it very hard to pick, though occasionaly I do misset a few. As I was buying it, a deadbolt (keyed on both sides) caught my eye. For less than $10, do you think I should pick it up?

[Gordon Airporte]

I ended up going out nad got a Masterlock No3 that was suggested, and I'm not finding it very hard to pick, though occasionaly I do misset a few. As I was buying it, a deadbolt (keyed on both sides) caught my eye. For less than $10, do you think I should pick it up?

Master 140. It will have spools, which you'll need to be comfortable with if you want to do the Brinks. I doubt that the $10 deadbolt will.
I picked up a Schlage deadbolt from the hardware store and it has four spools in it, but I'm not sure how common that is. It doesn't say anything about them on the package.

[natastna2]

Yeah learning to pick with a lock with spool pins in it isn't ideal, I worked my way up by goign around my local area and picking all teh padlocks I could find, I put them all back mind but I jus enjoyed the thrill. I'd go and get yourself a really cheap brass padlock a more expensive larger brass padlock and then a decent padlock like a masterlock. Just my 2 pence.

[VashTSPD]

I'll wait for someone with a bigger vocabulary then I to yell at you for picking other people's padlocks. That's extremely stupid.

[Romstar]

I'm not even going to bother.

That's just monumentally stupid.

Sometimes people just don't think before they act, or even speak it would seem.

Romstar

[Bittersweet]

Well, I was weak. Went to Walmart, saw a cheap Deadbolt by the guys that made the first padlocks I picked (Mountain Security), thought it would be fun to pick up. Keyed on both sides, less than $10.
2 Spools on both sides.
So needless to say, I've been switching pins around to learn to pick spools, and and starting to get it!
So this should entertain me for a while.

[Romstar]

Well, I was weak. Went to Walmart, saw a cheap Deadbolt by the guys that made the first padlocks I picked (Mountain Security), thought it would be fun to pick up. Keyed on both sides, less than $10.
2 Spools on both sides.
So needless to say, I've been switching pins around to learn to pick spools, and and starting to get it!
So this should entertain me for a while.

Glad to hear it!

Keep it up, and then you can move onto other locks.

Romstar