hi from u.k

[spliff]

hi
i just recently bought a see through lock picking beginners kit.
i work as a carpenter and joiner and thought it would be a handy skill to learn as i fit loads of doors in work.
i picked the test lock in about 30 seconds but really had no clue what i was doing so decided to watch a load of vids
to get more of a clue.
i got a link for a tutorial and from there got a name of one of your members whos vids ive been watching which lead me to here
i then tried picking my back door lock (6 pin euro yale barrel) and the cheap pick i was using snapped, but luckily as i fit lots of doors
i had a spare lock available in my van to fit, which gave me the old yale ballel to practice on,it took a while at first but now i can pick it
confidently in less than 5 mins.
now im hooked and want to learn more and im looking foward to stripping locks from old doors to test out.
oh yea and i defo need a good pic set that doesnt snap easily like the chinese set i have lol so im looking for guidance on the best kit to buy

[Neilau]

Hi Splif. (like the name )

Welcome to the Forum.

Seems you have just learnt the first rule of lock picking.

Never pick a lock that is in use. Lucky this time.

Anyway, here, you will find all the help you need. Just ask away.

BTW not all Chinese picks are rubbish. Some are quite strong. Any pick will bend/break if enough leverage is put upon it.

With practice, you will develop a feel for when a pin is set or not.

[LocksportSouth]

Hey spliff (hook me up! ),

Welcome from one Brit to another!
Yeah, as Neilau says, never pick locks that are in use. The other golden rule of locksport is "Never pick a lock that you don't own, or haven't been given explicit permission by the owner to pick" .
First rule is really up to you but of course things can and do go wrong!
As Neilau says, any pick will break with enough leverage, but you'd be starting off on the right food to get some decent picks right off the bat.

As a Brit, I'd suggest the Southord c2010 set. They're thinner and made for our slimmer Euro keyways, and the set itself is decent in terms of price/performance.
If you can afford it, you might consider a nice set of Sparrows picks or the Southord MAX range - you can get them in Euro slimline (the black handles rather than the grey ones) but they can be a bit pricy.

Welcome to the forums! Enjoy your journey and have fun

[Malekal]

Welcome my oversea friend!

[spliff]

thanks for the welcome guys
im glad you mentioned southord as being a good starter set, with me being so impatient i went and ordered a set of
PXS-14 SouthOrd before i waited for any advice on what to get
i did almost order a set of sparrows at 4 times the price as they seem to be one of the best then thought just before
placing the order that its mybe best i just get a descent beginner set before i leap to a pro set.
the set i originally got was only a tenner delivered from china and came with a med sized see through padlock.
they did seem good quality to me until one snapped in the lock while it was in the the door and when i had the lock out another
snapped on the other side but i wasnt forcing it with any heavy pressure or anything.
they seem to be made out of some sort of black mild steel , but they were enough to get me really interested now

[Malekal]

That's the set I have, the PSX, and to date, it served me well.

[Oldfast]

Welcome Spliff! I'm Mike. Very nice to meet ya.

I hope you like the SouthOrds you're waiting on.
I've used SouthOrd for quite some time and like them.
I've always felt they're good quality picks for a decent price.

[Doogs]

Hi Spliff,

Welcome from an ex-pat Brit.

Seems you had an interesting start into the hobby but like you said once you start you're hooked. Just remember to keep an eye on the pocketbook as it can get expensive just like any addiction. the PSX-14 is a good choice, that was my first set after bashing some homebrews together.

Anywho! Glad to have you onboard and don't be shy, join the chat, make some friends and ask lots of questions, we're here to help.