Super Max Security 7-pin Practice Lock

[GWiens2001]

Bought one 7 pinner for my son, though we both use it. MrWizard makes a great practice lock.

Gordon

[Ferrium]

I just received my practice lock from MrWizard yesterday and am very impressed. As a beginner, I found his instructions very clear and thorough. The lock is very easy to repin, and there are lots of different pins and extra springs. I'm so excited to have a lock that will 'grow' with me as I continue to learn more about lockpicking!

MrWizard was also extremely helpful and friendly in offering me advice on picks and other tools to get. Thank you so much, MrWizard!

[phrygianradar]

I just received my practice lock from MrWizard yesterday and am very impressed. As a beginner, I found his instructions very clear and thorough. The lock is very easy to repin, and there are lots of different pins and extra springs. I'm so excited to have a lock that will 'grow' with me as I continue to learn more about lockpicking!

MrWizard was also extremely helpful and friendly in offering me advice on picks and other tools to get. Thank you so much, MrWizard!

Good for you, I still have a great time pinning and re-pinning mine! It has been a valuable tool in my lockpicking growth.

I can't agree more with you about MrWizard; he was extremely helpful and friendly with me as well as being fast to get my order out! Kudos to you for a wise buy and to MrWizard for making a quality product.

Happy picking!

[MrWizard]

Ferrium

Thank you very much for your very nice comments. You will get many years of use from your new training lock. I am always available to help with any questions you may have that I can help you with.

It is not just good for learning picking as I suggested you have way more than enough master pins to practice keying it to a great grand master system if you like. All you need is the keys and a basic master keying chart which I can supply for you if you like to give that a try. Or even better you can learn how to make your own master systems.

Have fun with it let me know who you do along the way always glad to hear your progress.

phrygianradar

Happy to hear you haven't got tired of yours and still find it a challenge. These are made very well with tight tolerances that isn't a easy push over like very many other cheap practice locks being sold. And thank you very much again for your kinds word of support.

If anyone else has any questions or interested in these don't hesitate to send me a PM I am always available to answer questions or help you in any way I can if you already have one.

Thanks Richard

[Taubin]

I just ordered my lock from Mr. Wizard (LOVED that show growing up by the way). Just waiting for it to arrive! I had it shipped to my relatives house as I'm currently living in New Zealand, and they send me packages regularly. Makes things a bit easier. Reading this thread, I knew I had to get one.

As soon as it gets here, I'll be sure to post photos and progress reports along the way! I can't wait to get started! They shipped very fast to my relatives house, hopefully they arrive from there to here quite quickly.

[snake_wrangler]

I'm curious. What's the binding order of the pins when it is filled with all regular drivers?

I'm trying to figure out if putting spools in certain chambers of the binding order make it harder. i.e. what is the most difficult arrangement of security pins given a certain binding order.

[Squelchtone]

I'm curious. What's the binding order of the pins when it is filled with all regular drivers?

I'm trying to figure out if putting spools in certain chambers of the binding order make it harder. i.e. what is the most difficult arrangement of security pins given a certain binding order.

You cant think about it along those lines. In real life it doesn't work that way, a lock company certainly doesn't pin locks up after testing the binding order of each plug. In fact each plug coming off the CNC machine is going to have a slightly different binding order, that's why picking works to begin with, we are exploiting the sloppyness in machining of each lock.

To answer your first question, it changes from lock to lock, with regular pins the binding order isn't suddenly 12345 or 54321 or 31452 for each lock, it will be different.

As to putting spool pins in, they'll make it harder to pick no matter which chamber you load them into. I don't think you have to worry about putting them in some optimal configuration based on that plugs binding order, that's getting much more granular than you'd ever want to while picking a lock.

keep it simple,
Squelchtone

[MrWizard]

The binding order is different depending one each lock. The reason you get a binding order is no matter how carefully the lock is manufactured the pin cells are not drilled perfectly straight in a row which means when turning tension is applied one or more of the pins will bind first. So you feel for the ones that are giving resistance against your pick first also noticing which ones are not. Once the binding pins are at the proper level "at the shearline" this allows the cylinder plug to turn slightly and bind the next pin or pins. So there really isn't an answer to what binding order you will get no matter what type of driver pins you have in any particular pin cell. It is simple as that.

Richard

[snake_wrangler]

I understand that this is impractical for mass production or for guessing how a lock you haven't opened up works. I'm trying to figure out if, given a cylinder you have and understand, if you can make a good guess as to how to pin it up to be very difficult.

We have all had problems with what should be an easy lock. Part of that is the bitting. I'm trying to figure out how much of that is the order of security pins related to the binding order. Yes, I know I should just pin up some locks and test it. And I will soon, but I'm trying to see if anyone else has tried the same thing.

[MrWizard]

Having short pins behind long pins always makes it most difficult. Long, short, long, short from front to back. Best thing is to not know what order the lock is pinned. If you can get someone else to pin it for you adding security pins in random cells not knowing how many have been inserted is best. You can give them say 20 different length bottom pins and at least 4 or 5 security pins let them insert what they want to and hide the rest so you can't cheat to see what was used. This is why a easy to rekey practice lock is worth having as anyone can drop the pins in for you. If they are not comfortable adding springs and screw caps you can do that yourself. A unknown pinned lock is the most difficult so give that try if you can.

Richard

[Taubin]

I just got my set delivered today! They look amazing. Really high quality, and well put together.




I don't have my picks yet, so, I've been practicing rekeying the lock and seeing how the different pins work and whatnot. Hopefully the picks arrive soon! I'll be sure to update once I get the picks and start picking. Thank you again Richard!

[phrygianradar]

I just got my set delivered today! They look amazing. Really high quality, and well put together.




I don't have my picks yet, so, I've been practicing rekeying the lock and seeing how the different pins work and whatnot. Hopefully the picks arrive soon! I'll be sure to update once I get the picks and start picking. Thank you again Richard!

I am glad you got this lock; I have been really happy with mine, and when I saw one of your other posts, I was going to suggest this practice lock, or at least suggest the thread for consideration. I am interested to see how similar the Schlage lock is to the standard locks in your area? Let us know, or let me know anyway. I know that the Lockwood locks are prevalent in Australia, but not sure about New Zealand (Middle Earth ) Great choice in any case, and I can't agree with you more; it is really high quality and well put together! A really sweet little package with good instructions included, too.

Thanks again MrWizard, you da' man!

[phrygianradar]

@Taubin: I can see from your other posts that the locks in New Zealand are slim line, so I guess that answers that question... Hope your picks arrive real soon! Happy picking!

[MrWizard]

Taubin

Glad to see you got your Practice Lock safely all the way over there. Thanks for your kind words about it and the great looking picture of the package too. You will like it even more when your picks arrive. Keep us posted on your thoughts and progress. If you need any help don't hesitate to PM me anytime.

phrygianradar

And thank you for your continued support makes me very happy to know how people feel about my lock package as I put a lot of time and thought into offering the best possible practice lock package with a 7 pin capacity that most will never out grow. I am always available to help in anyway I can. And I thank you again for you wonderful reviews and pictures.

Richard

[Taubin]

My picks finally came in!


Let the games begin by taubinphoto, on Flickr

I started out with one pin, which to say the least was extremely easy. That being said, I learned that it was also very easy to overtension the lock and have it bind the pin. But, once I got the hand of that, I popped in the second pin. That was just as easy, I can fully understand why there are no two pin locks out there (or if they are that they aren't secure at all).

After fooling with two pins for 15 or so minutes, I decided to add a third. I found it was a little bit more difficult, but, not difficult at all really. I was able to get a hang of it quite quickly and played with it for a few hours. Mostly while watching tv, and I found that I could get a nice feel for when the pins stuck. I found after a few hours I could do it with no problem at all.


3 Pins Picked by taubinphoto, on Flickr

I then decided to add a fourth pin and man, have things changed! Going from three pins to four, the difficulty has increased A LOT. I think I'm having issues with overbinding the pin again, but, it's something I am working on. I've been able to pick it three times, but again, I've kinda been picking it while watching tv, and not paying a ton of attention. I have found, that with four pins, for some reason my pick gets a bit bound with my wrench, I'm not sure why, but, I've taken the fourth out and it doesn't bind at all. I'm sure it's something I'm doing, probably trying to get the pick in too far.

So far, I'm absolutely loving it! My brother in law is a pretty proficient woodworker, so I think I'm going to have him make a stand for it so I can pick it as I would if it was in a door. I'll be sure to update more as I become more proficient with picking it. I can't wait until I'm able to proficiently pick 5 or more pins. Thanks again to MrWizard for making these they are awesome!