Practice locks, what do you recommend?

[Crumbledpaper]

Hi I am shopping for a very changeable practice lock. I was looking and found one http://www.lockpickshop.com/EZPLX.html. Could anyone give me some feed back on what they think on it? Now I read the bio of it and what comes with it. 5 spool pins caught my eye and I have to ask, is this a practice lock a rookie fresh into this field should be trying? I tried to look for a practice lock with lets say a few standard pins and one or two spool pins/or any security pins in it thats changeable to really start out with. Any links of what you guys recommend and/or feed back on this would be awesome thanks a bunch.

-Paper

[Edit: Topic moved here - HC]

[bouncer965]

Yeah looks ok to practise on and get a feel of what is going on inside a lock whilst picking it. You also have the advantage of being able to change pins and get a feel for the counter rotation on spool pins when in a false set.

Best thing is to put a bit of tape over the parts you can see and do it just by feel through the pick and tension wrench. Get a few padlocks or something too to have a practise on different tolerances and keyways. Good luck and if you dont ask you wont know!!!!

[Solomon]

50 fucking doillars?! No way man, just get yourself a cheap kwikset cylinder. They use the same snap-on cap on top of the bible for quick and easy rekeying, you don't need a cutaway to learn picking but I'm sure you could get a cutaway of one of those if you really wanted and it'd still be a hell of a lot cheaper than that!

[barbarian]

Gotta agree with Solomon.

The cutaway won't help you when you are learning to pick. If you do get a cutaway, don't look at the pins while you are picking. Get a cheapo deadbolt lock at a hardware store or Walmart.

You can take the lock apart and learn about the pins and springs. You can also start with two or three pins and add more as you get good. Then you can rearrange the pins and it's like a new lock. That should do you to learn the basics and then just start collecting more locks.

I find the best places are yard sales, discount stores and perhaps Ebay.

[elbowmacaroni]

Yep, I'm with Solomon and Barbarian... Or if you really want to get a commercial practice set, I'd suggest the one that LPS has that comes with the stand and has a bunch of cores.

[the lockpickkid]

I agree with a Kwikset, and of course about any Master Lock padlock you can get your hands on. Don't get a clear practice lock, there overrated, you don't want to be able to see what your pick is doing in a lock, you want your fingers to feel through your pick while picking, and draw a mental picture in your head on what is going on, let your fingers be your eyes. The sport takes practice, practice is free and once you get enough, you will zip through these locks like nothing.

[Crumbledpaper]

Thanks for everyones comments. I'll try out the deadbolt idea. I had no idea you could do that with a standard lock at a hardware store like that. That will for sure be my weekend project. I do understand practice is key, no pun attended :p, but I was so interested with cutaway locks was because I can associate what I'm seeing with feel. Right now I'm practicing on a master lock 140 and my problem is this: I can get it into false set, but when I back off the T-bar I seem to lose all the pins that are set reaching for that 4th one. More practice I suppose. Thanks again guys you have been much help.

-Paper

[spanky2313]

You must have pressure on the binding pin before releaseing pressure on the tension wrench.These are little pins .A whole lot goe's a long way.

[Tarquin]

Hi guys. I'm a total newbie here. I'm looking for a practice lock set that will grow with me.

I found this one. I'm looking at the Challenge set as opposed to the practice set, because of the spool pins.

What I want to know is if this looks like a good set to you guys or not.

I'd prefer a set that has a slide cover for the bible - which to my understanding is what the thing that holds the top pins and the springs is called). The individual screws seem tedious, and like they'll get lost, or I'll wear out the threading.

What are your impressions of this set?

[xeo]

No lock will grow with you... you're going to want to experience different keyways.. pin sizes... pin types... etc etc. Just keep finding/buying/asking people for their padlocks/locks. If you keep picking the same lock over and over again you'll get used to that keyway and you won't develop a more abstract skill for handling different challenges. Different locks "behave" differently.. they have different feelings and sounds when setting pins and feeling pins. Try to expose yourself to the biggest array of diversity as possible and you'll be a way better picker in the long run.

Here are the locks that taught me the most:

Brinks brass 5 pin lock OR Abus 65/50: These drove me insane and REALLY taught me spool pins.
American Lock 1100 series: will teach you how to handle serrations/spools and moderately annoying keyways
Master locks, Kwiksets (NOT smartkey), Schlage (NOT primus/everest/primus everest/securekey): will teach you how to find the binding pin and you can practice raking and stuff.

Cheapo $2-$5 padlocks u find at dollar stores that are pin tumblers are also good for practicing binding pins and stuff.

[Tarquin]

I have two Schlages that I really like actually. 5 pin locks and they seem to be of good quality, though no special pins or anything.

I might pop for a practice lock soon. I like the one in the ad I linked to.

[magician59]

The one in the ad looks like a good idea. Wish I had thought of it!. The limitation of one practice lock, though, is the binding order never changes. As a beginner, you can still benefit from this, but you will soon "outgrow" the lock and get bored with it. Ultimately, the decision to buy it is yours. I think you can do better if you have access to a cylinder; then buy a variety of pins and springs. If you don't already have a cylinder, there is certainly no shame in buying the one in the ad.

[Tarquin]

You raise a good point on the binding pins.

I have three other practice cylinders right now. Two Schlage's and one kwikset. The Kwikset's seam line is so awfully made though, that pretty much just pressing the pins flat will open it every time. It's a piece and it's going in the trash as soon as I gut it and take the parts out.

The only thing I don't like about the Schlage is how hard it is to rekey. I don't have a proper push-plug (follow plug, whatever you guys call them), and I don't have a proper set of lock tweezers so changing the pins is a nightmare.

Other than that, I do have the two Schlage's that I'm actually pretty happy with.

Maybe I'll just stick with these.

[bezza1]

You raise a good point on the binding pins.

I have three other practice cylinders right now. Two Schlage's and one kwikset. The Kwikset's seam line is so awfully made though, that pretty much just pressing the pins flat will open it every time. It's a piece and it's going in the trash as soon as I gut it and take the parts out.

The only thing I don't like about the Schlage is how hard it is to rekey. I don't have a proper push-plug (follow plug, whatever you guys call them), and I don't have a proper set of lock tweezers so changing the pins is a nightmare.

Other than that, I do have the two Schlage's that I'm actually pretty happy with.

Maybe I'll just stick with these.

hay mate i dont have a plug follower or pinning tweezers for a plug follower i have some dowel stick and old pens my tweezers are my fingers lol

[Tarquin]

hay mate i dont have a plug follower or pinning tweezers for a plug follower i have some dowel stick and old pens my tweezers are my fingers lol

I have a dowel stick and a pair of needle-nose pliers, but I can't get my fingers inside the lock cylinder so my fingers aren't an option. I can't even squeeze my pinkie in there... What are you, a hobbit?