Picked all the easy locks and want to step up your game? Further your lock picking techniques, exchange pro tips, videos, lessons, and develop your skills here.
Once you have the basics down, I'd want to try the locks you're most likely to encounter in the wild. Where I live, that's Kwikset door locks and deadbolts (most of my friends have this on their front doors) and Masterlock #3 padlocks seem to be everywhere. After that, find challenges. I learned spool pins on a Master 140, and I'm building from there. Also hit up family and friends for any locks they have without keys, and start collecting everything!
+1 for the Super Maximum Security 7 Pin Easy Rekey Practice Lock from MrWizard.
I got mine a week or so ago and I'm really happy with it. It's got everything you need to increase the difficulty as needed so that you don't become bored.
MrWizard is great to deal with and the kit arrived a mere 40 hours after I contacted him. Fantastic service. This thread has a bunch of reviews of it.
I started picking Master #3's and then 140's, then upwards from there.
I've ordered a set of progressive locks from Sparrows. It was a pretty good deal as far as I could see. 2-5 pins with Schlage keyways for $29. I ruined myself by learning with manufactured Bogotas from VigilantGear and my skills have somewhat topped off. I'm trying to go back and learn SPP from the beginning so hopefully these will help.
A progressive training lock set and a couple of standard Master Lock padlocks (Numbers 1 or 3) are a good way to start although getting a couple of re-pinnable training locks instead of the progressive set might allow you more variety as you work through the same pin configurations. Get a cutaway lock if you need help visualizing the pin-stacks.
TOOOL makes a decent set of progressive locks while Lockpickshop has some decent repinnable practice locks and a cutaway that is very similar to the regular practice locks.
I subscribe to the BosnianBill school of lock progression when learning:
Start easy and add pins, add security, then add things like dead shackles, top of the keyway tension, or heavy core springs. I think this is best way to go about it. You don't have to spend money on every single lock, just follow the theory.
Get a bunch of different locks. As has been said, thrift stores. I've never found any in the stores around here. But the flea market and the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store have been goldmines for me.
I also make a weekly trip to my local locksmith. I started by bringing some old locks in to get blanks so that I could impression them. After a while I became known as the the guy who always brings in "weird S%!*". Everyone there got to know me and now they even look forward to what I am bringing in each week and save locks for me that are destined for the bin. Be sure to spend money there. Buy some used locks or something at least every other time so they respect you as a good customer.
cheerIO wrote:I subscribe to the BosnianBill school of lock progression when learning:
Start easy and add pins, add security, then add things like dead shackles, top of the keyway tension, or heavy core springs. I think this is best way to go about it. You don't have to spend money on every single lock, just follow the theory.
Get a bunch of different locks. As has been said, thrift stores. I've never found any in the stores around here. But the flea market and the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store have been goldmines for me.
I also make a weekly trip to my local locksmith. I started by bringing some old locks in to get blanks so that I could impression them. After a while I became known as the the guy who always brings in "weird S%!*". Everyone there got to know me and now they even look forward to what I am bringing in each week and save locks for me that are destined for the bin. Be sure to spend money there. Buy some used locks or something at least every other time so they respect you as a good customer.
I agree with everything said above
When I finally leave this world.. Will someone please tell my wife what I have REALLY spent on locks ...
I started with a variety of locks from ebay you can buy them in mixed lots, brinks,master etc cheap. Ì don't like cutaway locks, you need to get the feeling for the pins just my take. Also try a pair of American 1105 padlocks they are tough, take one apart and start with single pin. These locks have serrated pins. Also serrated /spool security pins, the take practice use top of keyway tension tool and light hook use light touch. The second 1105 is for parts that may be lost, also to be able to go up to 6 pins in one lock.
Have a go at the little Lockout / Tagout (LOTO) from Master ... They're about $8.00 on Amazon.com and come with six (6) security pins. They have a plastic case so they're not good for physical security.
