Question about the difficulty of a Guard padlock?

[gino]

Newby here. I just bought a 40mm Guard brand padlock (for practice) at a cheap big box hardware store (Tractor Supply). They only sell one brand of padlocks, the Guard brand made in China. $4 has got to be a cheap lock, right? And made in China!

I can't pick the thing. I can't rake it or rock or zip it or bitchpick it at all. I bought this as a practice lock (already have a couple of master locks). Are these a tougher lock than Masterlock?
I can rake and rock my masterlocks (no 3 and 140), but have had NO luck with this cheap Guard lock.

I'm just starting to SPP, and haven't had any success yet (even on the masterlocks), but have had good success on rocking and raking.

How can a lock sold for less than $4 be better than a $7 Masterlock? Or am I missing something here?

[marplots]

What's the key look like? Is it a more difficult pattern than you are used to? Have you tried reverse picking it?

I find just the opposite - Guard easier to rake than Master Lock. I'm still a beginner though. It does seem like some individual locks of a particular brand are just harder for me. I get a little arrogant and then some darn lock I don't respect steps up and says, "Sorry, no. Not today, buddy."

[Squelchtone]

I really wish bosnianbill hadnt come up with the term b*tch picking, I find it rather crude.

I ask you not use that term here please.

Guard padlocks that I have picked, the big chrome ones had spool pins and a really nasty spring that required a lot of torque to turn the plug and pop the shackle once picked. Try wobbling your wrench from medium to heavy tension while raking the lock, or while SPPing it.

Good luck,
Squelchtone

[tpark]

The small, laminated Guard padlocks are pretty easy, but the larger brass ones have 5 pins, and have spools in them. It looks like they've taken steps to prevent bypass attacks as well. I have picked them, and in my opinion they are more difficult than the no. 3 Master locks. To open these locks consistently, you need to know how to deal with spools. These are good practice locks, as the keyway (VR7) is pretty well open. I'm sure you'll get it with some practice.

[Squelchtone]

The small, laminated Guard padlocks are pretty easy, but the larger brass ones have 5 pins, and have spools in them. It looks like they've taken steps to prevent bypass attacks as well. I have picked them, and in my opinion they are more difficult than the no. 3 Master locks. To open these locks consistently, you need to know how to deal with spools. These are good practice locks, as the keyway (VR7) is pretty well open. I'm sure you'll get it with some practice.

Tpark: do you find your tension wrench camming out with the keyway being so wide at the bottom?

[tpark]

Tpark: do you find your tension wrench camming out with the keyway being so wide at the bottom?

If I use the narrow, springy tension wrenches, then yes, it spins around and jams up. It works a lot better with a Peterson prybar using TOK tensioning. I tend to drop the wrench if I use super light tension, but with these locks it typically isn't a problem.

[sisk]

The Guard padlock I had took me a little while to pick, but when I did it shocked the heck out of me because it was giving me counter rotation. After I got to the point that I was ready to throw it in my too easy bucket I cut it apart to take a look. Mine, a 40mm that cost 3 something at Family Dollar, had 2 spool-ish things in it. I hesitate to call them spools now that I've seen real spools, but they were spool-like. They kept the cost down by making the bible out of cheap plastic, so you can really open the things with just a screwdriver, but the spools plus the spring might explain why you're having trouble.

[gino]

Thanks for all the replies! I thought I must be doing something wrong not to be able to open such a cheap Chinese lock by raking or rocking or zipping or that other thing!.

I was having a hard time getting a regular tension wrench to work. I just got some TOK wrenches and I'll try them out.

[relletyerots]

I have found these locks to have 4 or 5 spool pins. I have gutted 2 of them and this is what I found. the spools are not crisp and sharp they look crude and poorly finished that being said they do make the lock more difficult to pick. I have had success by using a worm rake and light to medium tension. I will rake the lock then check for any pins that have not been set.