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Can someone suggest a good beginner lock I could pick up? I was thinking something I could find at Canadian Tire perhaps.

Master lock #3s or kwikset/Weiser deadbolts

Thanks.

Really anything from canadian tire is a good start, just stay within your budget! I also noticed you are in Toronto, you could also drop by ThinkHaus in Hamilton on Jan 5th, we now have a TOOOL group (The Open Organisation of Lockpickers) that meets there the first Saturday of every month 2pm to 4pm. Check out www.thinkhaus.org for more information. Welcome to the Keypicking website!

Gratefuldeadbolt.

Another reason to come by the TOOOL meet would be to learn how to take apart and reassemble a lock, (I'm sure that many people here can help you learn this too, in fact there are probably some good writeups on repinning a lock in the forums)
Repinning a lock allows you to repin the lock however you want. It is quite helpful for some beginners to start off with getting used to the feeling of one pinstack in the lock at a time. Then when you are confident with that, you can add the second set of pins and so on. You can work your way up to all 5 or 6 sets of pins in the lock. Once you are confident at repinning the lock you can even take it apart and rearrange the pins into a different combination, or any combination you desire, for example you could put two sets of pins in, one set in the front, and one set in the back to practice reaching into the lock with your picks without having to worry too much until you get the hang of it.

Gratefuldeadbolt

The regular Kwikset and Weiser locks are excellent for beginners, but for now I'd avoid the SmartKey line of locks, which is usually Kwikset in the US but is also found as a Weiser product in Canada.

Outwardly, they look the same aside from a small slot just to the left of the keyway. Inside, totally different, and much harder to pick.

@MBI,

While I would not dare use a SmartKey on my home, I have to admit that the engineering of that lock is fascinating. As you say, totally different with the wafer carriers and wafers instead of pin stacks. And a fairly mean lock to pick until you get the feel down.

Gordon

After getting the feel of something like a Kwikset go for a Defiant! A lot of people seem to overlook Defiant but they are the best lock for leaning spools... My girlfriend learned how to pick spools on those locks and I wish I had too.

Well I didn't really see those ones at Canadian Tire today.

I went looking for a Master Lock #3, but I couldn't find it...at least I don't think I did. I ended up coming away with two locks, a cheap Garrison which was $6, and a Master ock which was $10.00. Both were pretty much the cheapest ones there which I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, meant they'd be easiest and thus the best to start with. What do you guys think? Are these okay? What do you know about them?