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Padlocks vs house locks

Information about locks themselves. Questions, tips and lock diagram information should be posted here.

Padlocks vs house locks

Postby uperkurk » 17 Feb 2013 22:30

I'm looking to buy a pickset soon and possibly a pick gun or bump key or something but before I do, I just want to ask how difficult are house locks compared to padlocks?

For example.

Image

Image

How difficult are these types of locks to pick compared to a padlock?

Are the locks I posted would traditionally have 5 pins with some safety pins or something? I really new and don't want to take on something to difficult. I have a bunch of padlocks lying around the house already to get started so I thought I'd look at house type locks.
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby zeepia » 17 Feb 2013 23:15

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Firstly, I would stay away from pick guns and bump keys. If you want to learn how to pick, it´s a pick set and that´s it.

I can´t see any label on your upper picture but it could be quite similar to the other one. Yale doesn´t necessarily have security pins but the keyway is usually more demanding than some others.

Where are you from? If you are from the wrong side of the sea :wink: , then you could get a Shclage or Kwickset to start with.

But to your question, it really depends on what padlock are you looking at. Like house locks, there are easy and difficult ones. Search here to get some suggestions about suitable locks for beginners.

Don´t pick locks which are in use, if you have those padlocks laying around you can start with them. What padlocks do you have?
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby uperkurk » 18 Feb 2013 10:53

I'm from the UK. The padlocks I've managed to find around the garage are a couple master locks that look like this

Image

A Squire lock which looks like this

Image

and my dads old padlock that he used to secure his motorbike. I know it's pretty expensive I think he paid about £50 for it.

Image

The first 2 are just cheap old locks, I can't find any of the keys for any of the locks.
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby Luissen » 18 Feb 2013 11:42

Cheapo Padlocks tend to have 3-5 pins and some have a few security pins, while I've seen examples of mounted pin tumblers having 7 pins and as many security pins as the person who pinned it felt like.

That doesn't mean that there aren't bad/ easy mounted locks, such as this particularly poorly made kwikset I managed to obtain from a friend who works in carpentry. 4 pins and I could literally stick a hook in backwards to rake it with one pass.

There seems to be more variety in mounted locks than padlocks, mostly from design, but be prepared for outliers of all types, because I've heard of padlocks which support removable cores and sealed cheapo locks.
If it works, it ain't wrong! :wink: -GWiens2001
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby bembel » 18 Feb 2013 17:46

The locks on your pictures work all the same, so "padlock" or "houselock" makes no difference.
Only exception: The Abus Granite, which is a disc lock. You'll need a special decoder tool to open it and even with that it's still difficult.
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby Squelchtone » 18 Feb 2013 18:52

uperkurk wrote:I'm looking to buy a pickset soon and possibly a pick gun or bump key or something but before I do, I just want to ask how difficult are house locks compared to padlocks?


Just curious, why do you ask? A pickset, pick gun, or bump key sounds like you're interested in using whatever tool to get in somewhere like "houses" Are you interested in learning the lockpicking hobby and culture or just to get in somewhere using whatever tool you buy? It's just that anyone who comes here asking about opening house locks and is not a full time locksmith, is going to make some red flags go up.

Don't take offense, I'm asking a fair question, thanks,

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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby uperkurk » 18 Feb 2013 20:53

It's a fair question. The reason I ask is because I'm currently out of a job atm and just fancied trying something new. Then I thought if I got good at lock picking and could pick house type locks, I could apply to work in a lock smith shop. It's just another skill really but more as a hobby just to kill some time.

Besides if I were to go down the criminal route I'd just buy a house lock from wickes or somewhere and try picking it. I just don't want to spend money on a house lock only for it to be impossible to pick for a beginner. I'll try the padlocks first for a while then move onto more complicated locks.

I just assume that house locks will be much more difficult than a padlock.
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby LockDocWa » 18 Feb 2013 22:49

To become a locksmith you will impress an employer
much more by your skill at repairing and installing
locks rather than picking them.
If someone comes to me looking for a job, and the
first thing he says is "I'm really good at picking locks"
That raises a red flag and I probably won't consider
them as a possible employee.
If they say then can install just about any lock OR repair
any malfunction that would be a better candidate.

Picking locks as a locksmith is a minuscule part of the business.
Try tearing locks apart and putting them back together if you truly want to become a locksmith.
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby LockDocWa » 18 Feb 2013 22:58

I would like to add, learn to :
Impression keys
Sight read wafer locks
Know what locks may have codes available
Rekey and Master key

Anyone else want to weigh in on what a locksmith should know besides picking locks?
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby bembel » 18 Feb 2013 23:24

Bookkeeping?

Let's just wait until he gets his first pickset. Then we can talk about being an astronaut. :D
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby uperkurk » 19 Feb 2013 1:09

Thanks for the advice, I could go to a locksmith in my area and ask him for any old locks he isn't using. Installing a lock is really pretty easy I think, I have seen my brother do it many times who is no locksmith. Just takes off the handle, takes out the lock, puts in a new one and put on the handle.

I even saw him fit a new one which required him to take the lock part out of the door frame. Anyway thanks for the advice I'm here to learn :)
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby LockDocWa » 19 Feb 2013 22:19

When I say install a lock, I mean a fresh install..........
You start with a door that has NO holes in it.
Any moron can replace a lock. Six screws? Please.
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Re: Padlocks vs house locks

Postby minifhncc » 28 Feb 2013 8:21

Also worth mentioning that bump keys and pick guns, if you don't know what you're doing, will damage the locks...
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