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On "standard-grade" 4 and 5 pin padlocks (nothing special, no security pins) I usually have no bother opening them. I can get an open from raking and by SPP.

I can't make any headway at all with a Squire No. 35 Stronglock 40mm 4-pin laminated steel padlock. The bitting is a bit odd, pins 1 to 3 appear to have the same very short pin cut, pin 4 is a long one.

TOK, BOK, rake, SPP - zilch! Can anyone have a stab in the dark at what I'm missing?

Now I'm seeing reports it might have a few security pins in it. Can anyone confirm?

Go along and pick each stack in binding order then loosen off your tension a bit and go along each stack again and see if any stack tries to force the tension in the opposite way. Any stack that does 'counter rotate' needs lifting higher next time you try picking it or with practice you should be able to loosen tension and push the stack higher without resetting all the other stacks. Go back through and reset any stack that has dropped or is trying to rotate the keyway the opposite direction and it should pop open.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

That's precisely what I gleaned from YouTube. Since my original post I've bought a re-pinnable cutaway Euro lock that came with extra pins including some spool pins. That let me get to grips with counter-rotation and false sets.

Got my first two opens with the Squire today.

Nice one