Picking high security locks?

[G-lock]

Im new to picking but i tend to learn things quickly when i have a intrest in them. So in the short time that ive been picking ive pretty much gone through all of what ill call low security locks which started with master, schlage, kwikset. then i moved to brinks, stanley, american, & abus. rekeying the abus locks with various, serrated, spool, & mushroom security pins daily. So i decided to try picking what ill call high security locks & started with a s&g 831b and a assa twin kik cylinder. In 2 days ive gotten practically no where with them. So im wondering how many people take the picking sport to the high security level? And is it normal for these locks to take days, weeks, or possibly even months to learn to pick? Are there any suggestions on locks that are in between high & low security that are fun to pick?

[RedE]

Im new to picking but i tend to learn things quickly when i have a intrest in them. So in the short time that ive been picking ive pretty much gone through all of what ill call low security locks which started with master, schlage, kwikset. then i moved to brinks, stanley, american, & abus. rekeying the abus locks with various, serrated, spool, & mushroom security pins daily. So i decided to try picking what ill call high security locks & started with a s&g 831b and a assa twin kik cylinder. In 2 days ive gotten practically no where with them. So im wondering how many people take the picking sport to the high security level? And is it normal for these locks to take days, weeks, or possibly even months to learn to pick? Are there any suggestions on locks that are in between high & low security that are fun to pick?

Schlage (non-residential), Sargent, and Corbin are a few well-made brands that should be a good stepping stone towards high security locks. They'll be made with similar tolerances that you'd find in a high security lock, but without true high security features like a sidebar. eBay would probably be a good place to pick up some new or lightly used cylinders. Be sure to get OEM stuff as it's quality is sometimes miles ahead of the aftermarket stuff.

[kwoswalt99-]

Mul t lock, Kaba, Scorpion, etc.

[G-lock]

Schlage (non-residential), Sargent, and Corbin are a few well-made brands that should be a good stepping stone towards high security locks. They'll be made with similar tolerances that you'd find in a high security lock, but without true high security features like a sidebar. eBay would probably be a good place to pick up some new or lightly used cylinders. Be sure to get OEM stuff as it's quality is sometimes miles ahead of the aftermarket stuff.[/quote]


Thanks for the suggestions. I ordered a schlage, sargent, & some american mortise locks. I didnt see much from corbin that wasnt fairly old but ill keep looking.

[G-lock]

Mul t lock, Kaba, Scorpion, etc.

I also ordered a mul t lock interactive kik cause i found one that wasnt to much cheddar but i cant find anything from kaba that looks like a fun pick at all, its mostly new door lock sets that arnt cheap. I do have a kaba gemini kik in a abus rock but it has like 12 to 14 pins in it & with the way they interlock from 3 sides i dont know how to set pins without oversetting others. I also dont know if im searching for scorpion locks correctly but when i type the words "scorpion lock" on ebay all that comes up are locks that look like a scorpion... lol.

[RedE]

Thanks for the suggestions. I ordered a schlage, sargent, & some american mortise locks. I didnt see much from corbin that wasnt fairly old but ill keep looking.

Hey some of those old Corbins are pretty cool because back in the day they put ball bearings in the bottom of the pin stacks to cut back on key wear. The presence of such won't necessarily make it harder to pick, but they will change the feel of the lock when picking it IMO. And with the Schlage and Sargents, I can send you some keys and OEM pins if you wish to rekey them to high-low combinations.

Concerning the Scorpion lock, you may have better luck searching for Scorpion CX5 or Marks CX5. I should also mention that they're high security locks and UL rated.

[RedE]

Thanks for the suggestions. I ordered a schlage, sargent, & some american mortise locks. I didnt see much from corbin that wasnt fairly old but ill keep looking.

Hey some of those old Corbins are pretty cool because back in the day they put ball bearings in the bottom of the pin stacks to cut back on key wear. The presence of such won't necessarily make it harder to pick, but they will change the feel of the lock when picking it IMO. And with the Schlage and Sargents, I can send you some keys and OEM pins if you wish to rekey them to high-low combinations.

Concerning the Scorpion lock, you may have better luck searching for Scorpion CX5 or Marks CX5. I should also mention that they're high security locks and UL rated.

EDIT: I meant to say that the intent of the ball bearings is to reduce pin wear, not key wear.

[G-lock]

Thanks for the suggestions. I ordered a schlage, sargent, & some american mortise locks. I didnt see much from corbin that wasnt fairly old but ill keep looking.

Hey some of those old Corbins are pretty cool because back in the day they put ball bearings in the bottom of the pin stacks to cut back on key wear. The presence of such won't necessarily make it harder to pick, but they will change the feel of the lock when picking it IMO. And with the Schlage and Sargents, I can send you some keys and OEM pins if you wish to rekey them to high-low combinations.

Concerning the Scorpion lock, you may have better luck searching for Scorpion CX5 or Marks CX5. I should also mention that they're high security locks and UL rated.

I may try some corbin & scorpion locks when i get my next batch. As for the pins & keys i have some schlage stuff from my sparrows reload kit but nothing for sargent. i will send you a p.m. & thank you!