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Rather than take over the "What have you picked today" thread I'll start a new one.

What was the first lock/locks that you picked, that started you off on this great adventure?

Me - a Master #1 and/or #3 (a while ago, can't quite remember - old'timers disease.

Gordon - a Master #3

Mapper123 - a Master #1 and #3

I see a trend happening here......

for me it was a commodore file cabinet, then a master #3

One of those tiny stamped luggage locks when I was a wee lad. Was not really on purpose. First lock purposefully picked was a Master No. 22.

I really got started around the 6th grade or so when I figured out that certain cabinet keys could open more than the locks they were intended to open with a little jiggle. I had one key that would open every drawer in drafting class (very worn out Chicago disc tumbler locks).

My first real pick set was a SouthOrd set with the slide-on vinyl handles. I tried (and failed) to pick a 5 pin Kwikset lock on the garage the day I got them. I back-tracked through a bunch of padlocks including Master clones until I got a feel for it and have been picking every since!

For me it was most likely a Master #3 that I picked using a several paperclips jammed into the keyway when I was around 6 years old. I have liked locks for a REALLY long time

Simple paper towel dispenser lock in the bathroom at my work! Tension wrench + a paper clip!

The first padlock I picked was a small 40mm brass Lockwood that I raked open.

I still remember that great feeling!

Avocado green upright Kelvinator freezer in the late '60s. I used a scratch awl as a pick and the head of a small nail put in the bottom of the keyway sideways to act as the tension wrench. The lock had 4 wafers and opened after 30 seconds of 'raking'. Found out later the key was an RO3. I guess watching the antics of Al Mundy paid off.

Master #3. And I still have it... it's been 12 years, and I still pick it from time to time.

Picked or bypassed?

Bypassed was some cheap taiwanese 4 pin tumbler

Picked was a Brinks 5 pin padlock.

Anything before that was just pure luck and play.

First lock was a small Master 4130 I opened at around age 12 with a paper clip. Had no idea what I was doing. A decade-plus later, I taught myself how to open a simple display case wafer tumbler lock out of necessity. It piqued my interest, I bought a pick set, opened a Master No. 3 I had laying around, and haven't looked back.

Around the age of 12-14 I had a little cash lock box with a wafer lock that I would open with a paper clip and a knife for tension.
As for offcial lock picking, I couldnt wait to get my first ever picks so I made some with more paper clips and picked my wafer desk lock at work. Once the picks arrived I open a small 30mm no name padlock then of course a Master lock. I guess the first lock box was a bypass / rake method but the rest were SPPed.
Nice thread this is going.

Old 5-pin Schlage deadbolt from my front door when I was a kid.

I was around 9, I think. The lock broke on our front door and talked my Dad into buying a new one at the hardware store and letting me install it instead of calling a locksmith. I saved the old lock, rebuilt it and got it working again. We didn't have much in the way of tools so making picks was a very long and tedious process I won't bore you with here. Suffice it to say I did finally manage to make some horrible picks which were of no use in picking it.

This was a LONG time before the internet or even the easy availability of lockpicks or picking books. A year or two later I lucked out and was able to catch a glimpse of some real lockpicks so I could see the size they were supposed to be. Turns out the main problem was that my first picks were scaled too big for a household pin tumbler lock. I also learned about tension wrenches. I made some better ones, which I eventually used to pick the cylinder from that old deadbolt. By then I'd also cannibalized and fixed some more locks and found I rather enjoyed working with them.

5 dollar Master padlock clone from Wally World.

Hmm though question I would take into three parts:
I was with my grands when I was around 7 (+- 2 years) and they had a vintage warded padlock and after watching a movie of some guy picking a lock with a paperclip I decided to give it a go and wouldn't you know it actually opened (so I take it as a semi starter point in lock picking ).

Another lock that would be a first was a small wafer lock on the inside door of a hotel safe used to activate the electronics of the safe (so that you can enter a code to lock it). I picked it with a flat screwdriver as that is the only thing I had. After that I got hooked as it was also the time I discovered the lock picking community.

But the first lock purposely picked with tools was some cheap euro cylinder I bought for practice

- Fixed

My first was a desk drawer I picked with a paperclip, my first real pick was an American 5200 because it was all I had, took me a long time but afterwards everything else was easy enough, except them damn Master 140s!!!