Starter-Set

[YouLuckyFox]

My problem is I am living in czech republic and I don't get some of that locks here. I need an european one. I don't find the famous Master 3 padlock nor that ones you mentioned here and order it from USA would take a while and spihhing and cusoms will cost 5-10x the price of a lock. So that make no sence at all.

Totally understand. Lived in Prague for 5 years awhile ago...not a lot of Kwiksets over there lol. Welcome to the forum, forgive me for the distraction, I meant no arrogance in not paying attention to your location.

One thing that was noticeably different when I lived in Prague was that the cylinder locks were often set upside down so that the pins are facing upwards and the pins are pushing downward on the springs in the direction of gravity. This provided significant differences in the way lock would pick. The springs were heavier to account for the added weight of being 180d. I miss the craftmanship there, a lot less wiggly...I remember my front door lock required the key to be turned in one direction and then across the shear line in the opposite direction, very difficult to pick.

Anyway, in your case, I am not qualified to make a recommendation since I'm no longer in the US, although to make up for not noticing you were overseas I did check if amazon.de would ship a KW1 to CZ and found that it indeed would be quite the mark up.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Kwikset-9660 ... 019&sr=8-9

If I were in your shoes, I would likely do the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahmxyB2-fXE

[YouLuckyFox]

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/ABUS-Profess ... 60&sr=8-20

[mbauer588]

What where you doing in Prague if I may ask?

I got today my C810 set and maybe till monday come the other stuff from Amazon. My problem is that I have my picks but no lock to play with except the EVVA MCS in my front door but that's maybe not the best choice for a beginner.

Baumax is around the corner here in Kladno and what I order there I can pick it up within 1h so that's why I go with that. I can get a C83 here too and order it from another company or I order it with my next Amazon order. I found a video with the yale - looks not so hard if that guy open it in a few sec.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzOiqyPuVLo (You can wish me luck that I stay under one hour )

The Yale 110b looks also OK for a beginner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18mEsyIMq98

Then I will get the TI64/30 and the other 2 cheap padlocks - the Poseidon can be bypassed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y1lfrUFjiI

So I can finally start tomorrow evening and play with the first locks. But I will get the 2 other ones you told me for sure also.

The Idea with the repinnable is great - I can do that with the yale or some other lock. I could even cut one half and make my own cutaway with a saw and a file. I still think that will be helpful especially when I start to repin locks and play with security pins.

[YouLuckyFox]

Coincidentally I remember a band in Prague called Visací Zámek. It would be funny to have them play at a locksport event some time. I lived in Prague when I was young while my father did contract work for Aero Vodochody.

Just be careful of the Yale keyway. The Y1 keyway can be tough for beginners as you have to curl the pick around the warding at the top. Not impossible for a beginner...but took some getting used to and IMO it was one more variable to learn early on whether I was on a pin or still on the warding. I am by no means an expert picker so take my advice as just another opinion.

[mnicky]

Hi, you can look here - http://old.lockpick.cz/modules.php?name ... cle&sid=28 - it's written in czech, and it answers exactly your question

For reference, the author recommends (in this order, starting from the easiest ones):
- brass noname padlocks
- Forman padlock
- blue FAB padlock
- FAB door locks from the security class 2 (so maybe something like FAB 50, then FAB 100 and so on... ?)

I'm considering starting lockpicking as a hobby as well and will probably use these tips for my start


Speaking about FAB locks, this Youtube account has plenty info about picking them: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVm4xT ... wqQ/videos

[YouLuckyFox]

Sounds like you are well on our way. I wish you a lot of luck. Ahoj!

[mbauer588]

Thanks for the tips - I fould out that the Yale 500 had 4 spools. I disassembled the locks and removed 3 pins. 2 where very easy and I started with 3. The other half of the Yale lock was then used to create a cutaway lock. And both halfs are tapped now and I can access the pins without disassembly.

I come till 3 pins today but I am more fighting with the yale keyway then the pins. Anyway it was a fun day - the flat looked after the lock massacre like a workshop, my girlfriend is pissed because of the mess but I had fun.

BTW: The Richter one is without security pins.

So the Richter EZ is a much easier lock then the Yale 500 series but the drill holes are so close that tapping would probably destroy the walls between the pins. That's why I just used the driver pins and springs from that lock to replace the spools in the Yale one.

And I had quite luck with the locks I got - basically all have a high - low - high - low pattern and they are not that easy to pick. I will see on monday when the Multipick tools arrive if the BOG03 will help me with that locks. But I really needed the cutaway lock to see what I am doing and when I am on a pin or the warding. It really help me to get the 3 pin version open.

Plan for tomorrow - 4 pins. Wish me luck.

PS.: I live in CZ but my czech is not the best - it was nice of you to send me the link but I would rather stuck with english webseites. But I will definitivly have a look and try to make sence of it.

[femurat]

my girlfriend is pissed because of the mess but I had fun.

Welcome to the club!

Cheers

[mnicky]

Today I came across what seems to be an ideal euro profile lock for beginners (like me )

Enter Richter Euro Zero - https://www.zelezarstvi-az.cz/cz/e-shop ... -span.html

I have two of these and despite having almost zero skills (I've started with lock picking just two days ago), I've managed to pick them open. Pretty confidence booster as well
Also very cheap (88 czk is around 4 usd).

It's actually the first five-pin lock I've managed to open. I also have the progressive set from Sparrows but mine has pretty aggressive bitting, so it's not very beginner friendly So far I've managed to open just the first (i.e. the two-pin) lock from the set

[mnicky]

Okay, let me add another one which is also beginner friendly: Ekonomik
:)

[mnicky]

Another one I can recommend is FAB 50 series.

I always buy more of the same type and then choose the one with the easiest bitting first

[mnicky]

This one is also pickable: Richter Euro Plus.