First timer

[Toxic]

Hi all,

I have read through all of the beginner stickies, however I am still a little unsure of how/where to start out. I have always been fascinated with doing this although I have no experience whatsoever. I've finally decided to do something about it and get myself started out, and it looks like this is a good place to start.

I apologise in advance as I'm sure you get many new topics like this, but if anyone could point me in the right direction of how I can start out, i.e. an online UK supplier that will stock the necessary tools to start (Small hook, a half diamond, and a tension wrench?) I would be most appreciative.

I will also need some practise locks - I saw a 5pin tumbler at this link http://ukbumpkeys.com/cpl.html but maybe that would be a little hard for a beginner to start out with? I am clueless!

Incase I didn't make it clear I am from England, and my objectives with this right now are to get a basic grasp of how it works, and some experience so I can eventually move myself onto more complex locks.

Thanks for your time,

Sam

[Satan130]

well, the forum you're looking for to find/buy picks is this one.

as far as practice locks go, i would recomend staying away from them. they are usualy low quality and give an average at best idea of what real locks are.

i would advise going to your local hardwere store and buying a 5 pin, no security pins, deadbolt. it'll hit you about $20(though i have no idea how the econimy/exchange rate and whatnot is like for england, so i can't give you an acurate cost, but it's not much)

i did that and walked through this and it was a great way to start learning.

You'll have to disasemble your lock, and i have no idea what the difference between USA and European locks are besides key width, so I'm tenetive on giving you a guide for that for fear of it being incorect, but there are a ton of guys here who are far more knowlagable then me on the subject who can point you in the right direction if you need help.

also, you might wat to read the LSI guide to lockpicking, which is more visual then the MIT guide to lockpicking, but they are both great tools for begininrs and both must reads.

hmm, yah, that's about it. good luck

[Major Boothroyd]

Go here:
viewforum.php?f=2

Read through these and anything else that interests you:
THE official Product Review Thread. - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13082&start=0
A Beginner's Tour of LP101 TUTORIALS - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10715

What Satan130 wanted to tell you about:
Re-pinning a cylinder lock - A guide by illusion - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10505
Re-pinning a euro lock and an american lock of the same type is done the same way.

FAQ: So where do I buy lockpicks and what do I need to buy? - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1423
I personally bought my picks from www.picklocks.com and got them within a week without a problem.

FAQ: Suggestions on Direction to Pick &Theory on Order - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=542

Good luck and Welcome!

[Toxic]

Thanks for the help and fast replies but as I said I have already read through the stickies. All of the UK sites that have been listed are either completely broken or do not allow me to check out due to a site error.

However, I have found this site that seems a lot more expensive than the others, any thoughts on this for a beginner's UK lock pick set;

http://ukbumpkeys.com/so9.html

This seems a little pricy, especially including VAT/delivery which isn't added on at that point.

Thanks again,

[Toxic]

Just a quick progress update. I have now bought a rather overpriced 5 piece slim line lock picking set which will hopefully be able to get me started.

My local hardware store has recently gone bankrupt and shut down, so I am now looking for an online store with the dead bolt that satan mentioned.

Thanks for the help.

[Major Boothroyd]

Not sure which picks you bought, but both websites I've mentioned ship worldwide. I guess you can always buy individual picks if you're interested in a different type of pick or you could just make your own. It might be more cost effective and just plain simpler to find another hardware store or just a locksmith shop to buy a lock to practice on but it's up to you.

[Toxic]

I got it from Devon Locks in the end - I guess it will arrive on Tuesday. I am still tempted to purchase this as a practise lock:

http://ukbumpkeys.com/cpl.html

If nothing else it can help me get more of a grasp of how it works, even if it is a much easier, simulated version.

Thanks for your time.

[Major Boothroyd]

I wouldn't bother with the clear practice lock, especially for £25 . There's enough videos and pictures out there, freely available, to explain and show the same thing. If you have access to a dremel get a cheap lock and make a cutaway out of it showing the pins. There's a guide on it somewhere around here and even if you screw up your first couple of locks you'll still get something out of it.