I’m a member of the club! I remember seeing these posts when I first joined the subreddit and wondered if I’d ever get to that point. It was such a fun lock too.

Just wanted thank :u/SheaLemur for allowing me to take this challenge. Recommend that everyone give this a shot!! Having issues with my wrist (carpel turnal) possed a extra added fight for me.

Hey yall. If I can't afford picks/ cannot access them, what can I use instead?

Hey guys,

im an ambitious guy wanting to get into lockpicking. I saw many videos and decided that i want to buy a good lockpicking set and try it myself. I want to buy a really good set so i dont have to change for a while and i dont have to waste money. My budget is somewhat around 100-200€ maybe even more if the set is really good. I already looked up on the internet myself and found multipick and moki as best brands but i dont know what you guys think bc im just a beginner.

Therefore i got a few questions to more advanced lockpickers:

- What lockpicking set to buy (not a beginner set! A real good set)

- What lock(s) to buy (i heard that those transparent acryl locks arent good at all for real world practicing, it that true and should i still buy one to get used to it like seeing how it works or should i skip that part and get right into real (pad)locks?

- Do i have to buy handles e.g. for moki sets or is that not necessary at all?

Thanks for your time and advice in advance!

Finally getting the hang of finger pins.

Took this and couple other CLs to a lockpicking meet-up. No opens. To be fair 80% were unranked pickers. From the actual decent pickers only 3 gave it a try the other were not willing to try. Maybe I'll go again next month. They are picking with pretty bad picks and locks they have a variety for locks but they have been grinded by noobs for years.

Master lock 3QLD

https://youtube.com/shorts/Mh8wayy4pdw?is=XOmQvuohhDtQPTs1

Also, is it normal for the rake to get stuck in the keyway sometimes?

Schlage Everest

Masterlock #15

Masterlock #25

Masterlock #2

An Old Yale

....to make my own turning tool. I needed a thinner one to fit into more padlocks. Not bad for about 90 seconds worth of work. I received the grav today, and it has 5 opens so far with the quint tip.

I'm a big fan of the no talking restoration ASMR videos by channels like My Mechanics and Awesome Restorations. Anyway, I thought I'd do a video in that style after finding this crusty old Defiance disc detainer padlock.

It took a surprising amount of work to put together. I think it was almost 100 clips that needed setting up, recording and editing, along with transitions, on screen notes etc. It was fun but very time consuming! Anyway, what do you think?

I don't know what this style of lock is called, I bought it just because it looked interesting. I think it's just a basic pin tumbler internally but with a different keyway, the net result of which is a really shallow space in which to manipulate pins.

None of the picks I have seem up to the task, they're either too tall or can't get enough leverage for the pins at the back.

Any suggestions on what to use?

Update: dont do this unless you're atleast as masochistic as me. 😂 complete nightmare of a project while somehow being super fun. Lots of cleanup to do on my cuts but its taking shape while not falling apart! Hard to be accurate with an angle grinder and hacksaw alike (cant wait to get my dremel out of storage!). Got some jb weld curing on the top of the bible because I overcut the pressed balls that were holding the springs in and they disintegrated, and after I sand that down, the lock will be ready to be pinned. Then its just finishing up cutting away the body. Gonna put some black paint on some stuff to increase contrast and make the internal components more visible. . Learned some lessons for sure (such as I'm using all the wrong tools), but I'm quite happy with how this is coming along! This is far from what I imagine the finished product looking like, so be nice! 😅

Picks: Handmade by me - Hacksaw blades & windshield wiper

Lock: Hypertough laminated steel padlock

I went for handmade picks because I have a tendency to go all out on new hobbies I might not stick with, so this was my trial, and a cheap walmart special to start off.

I had picked locks very unseriously as a kid, and now as an adult I wanted to actually get a feel for it. Had the lock open in only a few seconds which means either these locks SUCK or I'm a prodigy (absolutely kidding).

I look forward to trying some better made locks and maybe I'll bite the bullet and get an actual pick set 😂

This was one of the first euro cylinders (or as we call them in Europe: cylinders) I got from ebay.

The keyway is wide open and the bitting looks easy, but I couldn't figure out why this bugger wouldn't open. Until I checked the LPU explorer and saw what was hidden inside.

Those rattlesnake drivers have to be clicked multiple times with feather light pressure. Depending on where they catch at the shear line, they may or may not drop you into a false set. It's difficult to tell whether they are set or not until you overset them. Then it's obvious that you've gone one click too far.

Once you know, I guess you can count the clicks, but luckily I could get out of the overset by releasing some pressure without dropping any other pins, and shortly after it opened.

Picked with the pointy Moki number 1, one of my favorite allrounders for locks that require light force.

https://share.lpubelts.com/?id=9aa8821a&name=DOM_S_S_PP1024_RS5

Might need a couple more.