Oh my God!
I got Xeo's box back tonight, and HOLY SHIT! Lots of goodies. I have an out of box video, but it's very dark. I'm looking for a way to brighten it up before I post it.
For now, let me show you all the goodies I got!
This is a pretty high resolution image, I just shrank it. If you save it you can enlarge it to clearly see some of the bittings.
Not pictured: Xeo returned my M5 and M15 to me, which I've picked in the past. I asked him to take a look at them though because they're all gummed up and I'm trying to learn more about binding orders and stuff. Turns out though, that those two locks are just gummed up from some moron using WD40 in them and they're just broke-dick all around.
Anyway, on to the good stuff:
On the far left we have a Brinks padlock. I didn't manage to have time to fuck with this one on camera for my out of box vid. I can only upload 10 minutes to youtube and I didn't pick this one to screw with in my out of box vid, but I should have. The first time I touched it I got it in about 4 minutes. I know for certain it has at least three security pins, probably spools, in pin slots #3, #4 and #5. There might be more than that too, so I'm exceptionally proud of myself. This is a nice, clean lock internally so you can actually feel what's going on. This is a
fantastic lock for a newbie to learn on, because I can feel everything that's going on in there, and thus I was able to pick it in about 4 minutes. This is probably my new favorite lock already. This rocks!
At the top left we have a red Kwikset cylinder, but I'm pretty sure it's pinned with something other than standard Kwikset shit. Just a guess. I only know it's a Kwikset because I got the key with it and it says Kwikset on it. I haven't fucked with it yet. This is a neat little dude I look forward to defeating. I looked at the back to see if I could core it, and I need a plug follower (a real one rather than my wooden sticks) if I plan to core it, so I'm going to put this off until I get a decent plug follower. I'd like to do it cold and then core it on camera without having ever touched it before if I can.
Below the red Kwikset is a torsion wrench that Xeo made for me to use on the M930. He used it in his vid too. Thanks, Xeo!
Next up is the black American A1100. After handling the Master Locks these are surprisingly lightweight. They also have a recessed key way which currently seems to be my biggest weakness on the locks I have left to deal with. I've tapped this one a couple times, but I didn't really focus on it or give it a serious try, yet.
To the right of that is another black American A1100. It's keyed differently than his brother.
To the right of that is what appears to be a homebrew rake unlike any I have in my inventory, and I presume this is Xeo's custom handle job on it with the plasti-dip and eraser grinds. That's a thoughtful gift, Xeo, and a pick I didn't have before. Thank you very much! I even like the color!
On the far right we have my returned M930. I'm still having a Hell of a time with the wrench though, as you'll see when I get my out of box vid posted. That said, two minutes after I shut the camera off, I went back to the M930 and in about a minute and a half managed to actually pick it. But then the wrench popped out on me as I was turning the kik, and I got pretty pissed. I'm working on refining the prototype wrench Xeo sent me so that I can make better wrenches. The recessed key way is a real bitch, but the Americans he sent me also have those so I better get used to it I suppose.
I did however, pick the M930.
At the very bottom with the "127" on it is a Master No. 3. I have no idea what's up with this fucker, but that first pin feels like it has rocks stuck in it, and the back pins are pretty stiff as well. Based on my experience with the M5 and M15 I sent Xeo, I think this one's been WD40d quite a lot in the past as well, and I can't seem to pick the fucking thing to save my life. I've had about 20 Master Lock No.3, No.4 and No.5s already though, and I usually pop those in 10 seconds or less even if I've never touched them before. I've run into a few that are so beat to shit and because Master Lock is such a piece of shit to begin with that they just won't get picked though too.
I don't know if that's a weakness I need to overcome or not - picking bad locks. I'm hoping one of you experts can tell me if I should worry about it or not.
This was a STUFFED box when it came to me. Xeo, I really appreciate the presents and that was very generous of you. You didn't have to do that, man. It was enough for you to help me on the M930, and whether I dropped the fucking wrench or not, and whether I got it on camera or not, I picked it tonight about 15 minutes after I opened your box so your help was obviously important. I've been working on that fucker since I got it, and I've never picked it even once until tonight.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your tutelage, and then you put icing on the cake with all these badass presents!
Thank you very much, Xeo. Thank you
very, very much!