Practice locks lockpicking material for a newbie.

[paultan]

Hi all, i am new with lock picking, i just bought a Nine Piece Slim Line Lock Pick Set - C801 from southord and am currently looking for practise locks to practice on. I am also looking for lock picking material such as DVD and books. Lockpickshop.com offers this two items that i am currently interested in, Locksmith's Secrets Cd-rom (http://www.lockpickshop.com/LP-SECRETS-CD.html) and EZ ReKey Cutaway Practice Lock (http://www.lockpickshop.com/EZPLX.html) however as i am new at this, i'm not too sure if this are right for me. Constructive feedback will be greatly appreciated.

[maintenanceguy]

in my opinion, cutaways aren't worth much. If you don't understand how a lock works, google a cut away lock instead of spending money on one.

The problem with cutaways is that they don't feel like a regular lock when you pick them and picking by eye isn't like picking a regular lock.

[lock2006]

I will say start with master padlocks 1 and 3 first then move up to
kwikset and schlage or american lock
practice and practice and practice
if you really want to try cutaway lock go head and see what
can you learn from cutaways locks
i got a couples of them,including one medeco cutaway lock
and one abloy cutaway lock
it did help me in someway to understand how the lock works
so i hope this helps good luck.

[zeekoman]

Thanks for the info guys, I was also wondering if buying cutaway locks is worth it --especially for beginners, as they are quite pricey.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Thanks for the info guys, I was also wondering if buying cutaway locks is worth it --especially for beginners, as they are quite pricey.

They have their purposes but, like maintenanceguy said, you can spend your money in better ways. I've only ever used cutaway locks to demonstrate why certain locks are different from others.

Good luck. Keep stopping by this forum because LP101, by far, has more knowledge and experienced members than any other public forum I've seen. You've got a question, one of us has an answer.

Most importantly, just have fun and learn as much as you can because that's what it's all about.

[GeneT]

I started with cheap schlage / kwikset type 5-pin house locks. They're easy to rip apart, inexpensive, and easy (relatively speaking) to pick. You can pop them apart, remove all but a couple pin sets, and go back and play with it. If you want a real confidence builder, remove the cylinder and file a small flat across the tops of the pin holes - this makes the lock extra sloppy and might help you experience the things you're trying to feel normally. That approach certainly helped me early on.

I don't, at all, see the need for cutaways - they're cool, and great for demonstrations, but I think they distract you in learning since 'real' picking is done blind.

GsT

[eurolock fan]

Just go to some flea markets or boot sales and pick up some used locks for around a buck apiece. I always liked padlocks but rim cylinders work if you have a vice handy.

[FarmerFreak]

The problem with cutaways is that they don't feel like a regular lock when you pick them and picking by eye isn't like picking a regular lock.

I'm guessing that that must entirely depend on the quality of the cutaway. All of them that I have played with feel identical to a regular lock to me. It's also true that I've made all of the cutaways that I've played with...

I think cutaways are great for seeing how the pins interact, how they bind and to watch them get set. It's a good way to see how a specific lock can be picked. But once you've seen how, it's very important to stop looking at it and get a feel for it instead.

[caphector]

Someone already mentioned checking flea markets; I'd also see if your area has a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I recently started picking again and wanted some more cheap locks. I went over to a ReStore and they had four door locks that I picked up for just over a dollar.

Also, ask local locksmiths; I hear you can get different responses depending on the locksmith. Today I told one that I was looking for old cylinders to pick and he offered to set some aside for me. I'll be going back in two weeks to pick them up.