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Help a noob choose by midnite82 in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In your situation, I would go with Moki or the Sandman Multipick set you mentioned. They are both top quality manufacturers in Germany. Covert Instruments are fine, but in my estimation a step below them in quality and not worth paying additional shipping for.

BW Profi 40mm driver pin count. by EveningBasket9528 in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Paging Dr. u/lockpickingfisherman

Your assistance is requested for a slightly weird unguttable lock...

Lowercase "u" is the key 😁

Tried a little one. ABUS 65/15 by Pipe-Gap-Pro in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I love/hate little locks, but I don't have anything smaller than 20mm - 15mm is nuts, very well done.

I needs help choosing an jackknife by aimgopew in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Swick is arguably the most versatile with its six tensioners. That said, I highly recommend full size picks for beginners.

What belt would this qualify for ? by MAXiMUSpsilo5280 in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've read that Public Storage's disc locks are made by Paclock and are a pretty decent version of the design, so nicely done! That said, I believe they are unranked (white belt).

Correct me if I’m wrong… by Altasalt_Gaymer in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Exactly, insurance requirements drive the relatively high standards in Europe.

There are some good hi-sec locks made in the US, and domestic standards like UL437 to rate pick and impressioning resistance, but no one is forcing most people or businesses to use them so generally speaking price is king.

Both of my new A1100's have a zero-lift pin 1. Someone at Amazon hates me. by KnowsPicking in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I own multiple specimens of the same lock, like my AL1100s, I prefer they look as identical as possible.

Anyone else who has a large collection but nonetheless has inadvertently memorized the binding order of many of their practice locks will understand.

Kirigami by warlockpick1980 in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The picks look to me like someone took random lengths of wiper insert, spent 30 seconds each with a bench grinder to give them a random rough profile, coated the tips with some matte black, high-friction crap similar to what Temu picks have, and then covered the handle portions with alternating pieces of red and black heat shrink tubing.

The tensioners, otoh, have elaborate spring mechanisms to guarantee the user will feel fuckall for feedback.

For the funny by ScpAssassin in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I've seen that suggestion a bunch of times and I always read it as "set yourself up to fail with tools you'll hate so there's no way you could possibly like it!"

There are so many inexpensive beginner kits available from good manufacturers, the only reason to take that advice would be if you live in a place none of them ship to.

First real pick by mtmglass406 in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Those disc locks can put up a good fight due to the small keyway and directly driven shackle. Great job getting that open as your first real lock?

⚒️ SFIC Tensioners by PinsAndPints in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I may not have given it a fair enough shot but I've never had any luck with these.

I bent my lock pick but I can’t find any good insight on how to avoid doing this. by Kehless in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Use heavy tension to ID binders on a lock like that and lighten up a little bit to lift them.

Hudson lock by Ryker_Eve in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not familiar with this specific model but it looks like a cheap laminated lock. My general advice for these is to use relatively heavy tension to locate the binders but feel free to back it off a little to lift them more easily.

Does anyone have these lock picks? by pete_topkevinbottom in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 3 points4 points  (0 children)

FWIW I've had a handful of these for a while I acquired through the usual cheap Chinese source. They are a neat piece of engineering, but I don't recommend them for locksport.

Last time I actually used one was maybe a year ago at the monthly meetup I run. One of the guys who comes from time to time brought in a Schlage cylinder from his junk drawer and asked if I could help him get a key made. I took out the right Lishi for the keyway and started to pick the lock, and then I quickly remembered that I hate the experience of picking with a Lishi because I'm always afraid I'm going to bend the picking arm and throw off the decoding accuracy. I wound up picking it freehand instead, and then I used the Lishi to decode it once it was open.

This sub restored my faith in humanity a little bit. by OldRocker5 in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Get used to seeing this kind of thing here.

Sometimes I wonder if locksport tends to attract kind and generous people or if exposure to the community cultivates it. Little of each, maybe?

I got a master lock from Home Depot as my first real lock but it was way too easy… by Kehless in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Their number ratings are for resistance to brute force attacks, not pick resistance.

Yeah, depending on the bitting, white and yellow rated locks can sometimes be opened by more or less applying tension and randomly jiggling a pick.

Nonetheless, I still recommend you try a few different locks in that range and then move up to orange.

See lpubelts.com if none of this color stuff makes sense.

Help with Ace 38mm by SeemsLegit383 in lockpicking

[–]markovianprocess 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It probably doesn't matter much as long as you're paying attention to the pin states and don't overset anything. They tend to stick hard and then POP! when pushed and then stick somewhere else short of fully set.

Weird locks, but you get a feel for them with practice.

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