Lock Picking 101 Forum
A community dedicated to the fun and ethical hobby of lock picking.
       

Lock Picking 101 Home
Login
Profile
Members
Forum Rules
Frequent Forum Questions
SEARCH
View New Posts
View Active Topics


Live Chat on Discord
LP101 Forum Chat
Keypicking Forum Chat
Reddit r/lockpicking Chat



Learn How to Pick Locks
FAQs & General Questions
Got Beginner Questions?
Pick-Fu [Intermediate Level]


Ask a Locksmith
This Old Lock
This Old Safe
What Lock Should I Buy?



Hardware
Locks
Lock Patents
Lock Picks
Lock Bumping
Lock Impressioning
Lock Pick Guns, Snappers
European Locks & Picks
The Machine Shop
The Open Source Lock
Handcuffs


Member Spotlight
Member Introductions
Member Lock Collections
Member Social Media


Off Topic
General Chatter
Other Puzzles


Locksmith Business Info
Training & Licensing
Running a Business
Keyways & Key Blanks
Key Machines
Master Keyed Systems
Closers and Crash Bars
Life Safety Compliance
Electronic Locks & Access
Locksmith Supplies
Locksmith Lounge


Buy Sell Trade
Buy - Sell - Trade
It came from Ebay!


Advanced Topics
Membership Information
Special Access Required:
High Security Locks
Vending Locks
Advanced Lock Pick Tools
Bypass Techniques
Safes & Safe Locks
Automotive Entry & Tools
Advanced Buy/Sell/Trade


Locksport Groups
Locksport Local
Chapter President's Office
Locksport Board Room
 

A review of The Locksmith & EZ picking.

THE starting place for new members. FAQ's, instructions on how to pick a lock, valuable information like product reviews, links to lock picking related sites, forum rules, lockpicking tool vendors, and more. START HERE.

A review of The Locksmith & EZ picking.

Postby Eagerpicker » 14 Jul 2004 11:55

M'colleagues,

Try as I may, I have been unable to find a decent review of 'The Locksmith' cd-rom. The one link I came across on this site takes me to a number of pictures of the tools included in the cd-rom/picks package, but lacks information on the cd-rom itself. Does anyone own the disk and care to make some comments on its value?

Secondly, the same goes for the book called 'EZ picking' (not to be confused with 'Easy Pickings'). For pictures and such, see http://www.lockpickshop.com/page/LPS/CTGY/BTT.

Any information will be Greatly Appreciated.

Thank you,


Eagerpicker
Eagerpicker
 
Posts: 175
Joined: 24 Sep 2003 12:55
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Postby PickPick » 14 Jul 2004 13:32

While I haven't seen it yet, yesterday I met a little bird in the park. While it sat there on a branch, it told me that it was an evil DMCA defying pirate bird and had downloaded 'The Locksmith' from edonkey. While I'm not sure how much the average bird knows about locksmithing, this one told me that it didn't learn anything new from it, just basic picking and some diy-stuff like bending paperclips and so on, so it deleted the cd image.
I wonder, maybe if I keep taking these new pills, I might be able to talk to other animals, too :mrgreen:
It's not the tools that open the lock. It's me.
PickPick
 
Posts: 389
Joined: 11 Mar 2004 3:12
Location: Germany

Postby Eagerpicker » 14 Jul 2004 14:04

Should the owls and a nightingale decide to speak to thee, feel free to pass their wise words on to me.

I thank you kindly.
Eagerpicker
 
Posts: 175
Joined: 24 Sep 2003 12:55
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Postby Romstar » 14 Jul 2004 17:27

While I've not been proscribed any medications, I too have heard the birds speaking, and they have told me the same things.

"The Locksmith" v2.1 isn't worth getting unless you really want to see someone picking. The tools that came with it were not very good either.

I am told by other birds that the new version of "The Locksmith" is no better.

Romstar
Image
Romstar
 
Posts: 2823
Joined: 18 Apr 2004 3:13
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Postby Eagerpicker » 14 Jul 2004 18:45

Well, the judgments of knowledgeable ornithologists I will surely trust, and save my money, perhaps to acquire the 'E-Z picking' book?

Eagerpicker
Eagerpicker
 
Posts: 175
Joined: 24 Sep 2003 12:55
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Postby Eagerpicker » 29 Jul 2004 16:28

So no-one has read the 'E-Z picking' book by Pro-Lok? Astonishing... I would've thought to get one or two reviews. Well, as soon as I feel like spending yet another 45 USD, I'll buy, read and review it myself.
Eagerpicker
 
Posts: 175
Joined: 24 Sep 2003 12:55
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Postby davidgjr » 30 Jul 2004 19:57

I bought the EZ picking book from Foley Belsaw. I havent come across a pro lok book that I didnt like. It is a great book, but all of the info in it you can pretty much find here. It has cool looking pictures with detail. Its information is just about everything you can find on the internet on all the sites. If you want to get good at picking, buy a set of picks, EZ picking book, and a cut away cylinder and I guarantee you will learn to pick locks. I like having all the info in front of me rather than reading it on the computer. i was more than worth the 34.95 I paid for it. Also FYI, all the Robert Sieveking books I have bought are worth every cent and then some.
davidgjr
 
Posts: 61
Joined: 18 Mar 2004 7:06
Location: Gulfport, MS

Postby Eagerpicker » 31 Jul 2004 3:26

Thanks, davidgjr! I thought the book must have something good to offer, considering the fact that locpickshop.com offers it for 44.95. Like you, I prefer to have all the information neatly arranged on paper rather than having to sift through tons of website pages before finding something useful. The cut-away lock should be here anyday, I can't wait.
Eagerpicker
 
Posts: 175
Joined: 24 Sep 2003 12:55
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Postby davidgjr » 31 Jul 2004 8:59

If you are having trouble learning to impression, Steve Youngs video " Mastering the art of impressioning " is a good one. Robert Sieveking's book on reading locks is good, but a whole bunch of the cam locks you will be reading will have a y11 keyway but odd spacing and depths. The HPC book called Spacing and depths has all of the depths and spaces but, I have only found a few cam locks where they are right.
davidgjr
 
Posts: 61
Joined: 18 Mar 2004 7:06
Location: Gulfport, MS

Postby PickTrick » 2 Aug 2004 22:14

i ordered the 2004 version of the locksmith CD, it comes soon, i'll give you a good review, since i know little to nothing about lockpicking. If i open my first lock in under a minute, then i'll asume it's a great CD, and i'll give it a great review. If it takes me 3 days with that CD, then i'll asume it's no good, and i won't recommend it to any beginners. I'll repost in a few days when my MPXS-20 set + LockSmitch CD get here. Of course i probably will deffinately open my first lock in 1 minute, considering the tools i purchased. I know it's a big set for a beginner, but i have a very wide assortment of locks around here that i want to open, and i wanted to make sure i had the right tool for the right job. I have already started testing out on my front door lock with a paper clip and a small screw driver as a tension wrench, i did get the first and second pin in about 2 seconds. But after that, the paper clip had trouble reaching any further (i bent it wrong i'm sure) without resetting or touching the first two pins, and the small screwdriver had to be used at an angle that the paper clip kept hitting it, and i'd lose tension and the pins would fall off the sheer line. I'm a complete noob, anything i learned was off links you guys posted.. I read for about a week before i even opened my account here. You guys seem to be smart, and i took alot of your advice before ordering off lockpickshop.com. Thanks!

- PickTrick
PickTrick
 
Posts: 31
Joined: 2 Aug 2004 20:50
Location: Canada

Postby Luke » 3 Aug 2004 1:22

remember the tools dont make the man. The man makes the tools.
"I took the path less travelled by and that made all the difference"
Luke
 
Posts: 1138
Joined: 12 Jul 2003 6:27
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Postby Eagerpicker » 3 Aug 2004 10:14

PickTrick> looking forward to your review. But: if you happen upon a very easy lock after using the CD, you're likely to pick it in no time. So I wouldn't judge the CD on how fast you open locks, just on your general and specific observations when watching the movies and reading the text. Like I said, I'm eagerly awaiting your review.

Luke> I have men make the tools for me. That okay? :wink:
Eagerpicker
 
Posts: 175
Joined: 24 Sep 2003 12:55
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Postby davidgjr » 3 Aug 2004 11:09

Eagerpicker,

I was gonna state the same thing. I have a Master Padlock that picks in a few seconds, and another same model that takes 5 minutes. Sometimes you can walk up to a lock and rake it in a second one day, and walk up to it the next day and it takes you 20 minutes.
davidgjr
 
Posts: 61
Joined: 18 Mar 2004 7:06
Location: Gulfport, MS

Postby Eagerpicker » 3 Aug 2004 11:28

Exactly. Anyway, I have decided I have enough reading material for now. I find that most books just repeat each other and I'd much rather spend that time picking. Nonetheless, it can be useful to be able to look things up occasionally. These fora are a good thing, and there are some sensibly written books around. Perhaps I will buy the E-Z picking book after all, in a few months' time. First, I want to get my cut-away practice lock from multipick-service.com and start improving my visualization skills.
Eagerpicker
 
Posts: 175
Joined: 24 Sep 2003 12:55
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Postby PickTrick » 3 Aug 2004 13:47

I was going to try my front door lock first, it's supposedly really hard to open. It should take me about 30 minutes on my first try.
PickTrick
 
Posts: 31
Joined: 2 Aug 2004 20:50
Location: Canada

Next

Return to Lock Picking 101 - FAQs, Tutorials, and General Information

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests