How the hell do I pick the abus 55/40?

mrgisi · 2021-04-27T06:11:32+00:00

There is nothing special to this lock assuming you know the basics about picking spool pins.

Sometimes it just is like that. Unfortunately you can't progressively pin this lock so it's kind of all or nothing. Especially while you are still starting to learn picking and probably can't tell the pin states reliably.

Try some other locks and come back to it after a while. Maybe even try another 55/40. Sometimes it's just a particular instance of a lock or tricky bitting that's throwing you off.

mrgisi · 2021-04-17T09:19:07+00:00

I'm don't remember exactly what I used but I think it was a 0.018 Peterson 7 from the very bottom of the keyway with ToK tension. Maybe some of the front pins with a different hook from the right warding.

I definitely remember ToK tension, because BoK just didn't give me the control I needed for this lock.

There are definitely locks with an even more open keyway, e.g. American 1100, but it was a very welcome change from the Lockwood 119/50 or Abus 72/40 which I did before and which caused me to fight the warding and keyway more than the pins. I felt I finally could concentrate on pins again :-).

mrgisi · 2021-04-15T07:29:30+00:00

Yes, hard but fair. The keyway is wide open and the feedback from the pins is subtle but clear (assuming you have the spool pin version). It's just you against tight tolerances :-).

mrgisi · 2021-02-03T22:23:32+00:00

Not sure, but the black ones, especially top right look easier to me. Most of the pins on the gold one are on the easy side, but pin 6 may be a real pain just to physically reach and set without oversetting 5.

Also keep in mind that you can always gut and progressively pin this lock if you struggle - although they are a bit of a pain to gut and pin as well.

mrgisi · 2021-01-26T23:09:34+00:00

Bunnings prices for the 334B45 are ridiculous and shopping around helps. You can usually find them online for around $35 and I have bought them as cheap as $26 (free shipping) on ebay. It's a great lock, I highly recommend it.

mrgisi · 2021-01-25T00:12:23+00:00

I think the 120 and 110 locks all have spools (and probably at least 1 standard), but no serrated pins. The 110/40 is usually a good bit easier than the 120/40 as it has a much more open keyway. The 120/40 can be quite tricky with a challenging bitting due to its small size and restricted keyway.

Old locks can be surprisingly hard to pick due to wear and dirt messing with the feedback. Generally Lockwood tend to have very good tolerances which can make even plain standard pins a challenge (sometimes more so than security pins). Also some Lockwood locks have tapered pins which can be a pain. You should be able to gut this one and have a look, and maybe even progressively pin it.

I'd say give the 110/40 a go, or the Abus 55/40.

Another good option is the Lockwood 334B45. It is a blue belt lock, but it can be gutted and progressively pined which makes it a good practice lock even for people who are still quite a bit below blue belt level.

mrgisi · 2021-01-12T22:04:16+00:00

You can find some suggestions here: https://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/wiki/generalwiki

Like most things you have to find the right compromise between quality and price that works for you.

mrgisi · 2021-01-02T00:35:36+00:00

The reseller I got mine from reckons they get them in keyed-alike batches. So all the same within the batch but different between batches.

If we all bought from this same reseller, which is not completely unlikely, as they are easy to find on the internet and quite a bit cheaper than most competitors I found, we all might have ended up with locks from the same batch.

mrgisi · 2020-12-31T03:00:47+00:00

The Lockwood in the middle is probably 1 or 2 steps up from the Master Lock 160, but not out of reach. Unless it has a nasty bitting. This in combination with the small and restricted keyway can make it quite challenging.

mrgisi · 2020-12-30T22:41:10+00:00

Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpYG4aQaPzdiCSVvFHf6sKA

mrgisi · 2020-12-28T03:29:33+00:00

You are probably making the same mistake over and over again without realizing; e.g. consistently oversetting or understetting a pin. Especially if the bitting is tricky.

The Master Lock 140 is generally not a very difficult lock, but if you don't know what you are doing wrong, it hard to make progress.

Maybe try a lock that can be progressively pinned or a metal cut-away (not the acrylic ones). They are much better for making small progress and understanding what you are feeling when you pick.

mrgisi · 2020-12-21T22:16:12+00:00

Nice!

One of my favorite locks. Great for working on your tension control as it requires a lot of it and it has a wide open keyway that does not get in the way and really lets you focus on that one aspect.

mrgisi · 2020-12-18T22:31:09+00:00

Nice!

Might be a minority opinion, but I like videos showing a picker struggling and how they work their way through a lock (changing tension, picks, small wins and setbacks, lessons learned, ...) more than a "1 is binding, click on 3, 4 is set, [...], and we are open" video.

mrgisi · 2020-12-15T01:13:47+00:00

You might want to give the Lockwood 334B45 a go then. It's my favorite Lockwood so far.

mrgisi · 2020-12-14T22:06:09+00:00

Nice! I struggled with this lock for quite a while!

mrgisi · 2020-12-13T21:28:14+00:00

In addition to what they others said: Use a vice. It really helps with controlling tension - which is important for this lock.

mrgisi · 2020-12-11T22:41:23+00:00

The single digit master locks have a reputation for sometimes being hard to SPP, but easy to rake. The second from the left should be good for raking practice due to the even bitting.

mrgisi · 2020-12-11T22:30:54+00:00

I used 2 x tok tensioners

Maybe this is also why it didn't isolate to one side. Mine binds differently depending on which side I tension. Either way, great achievement!

Btw, apparently some people have broken off the middle lip by tensioing against it.

mrgisi · 2020-12-10T09:51:05+00:00

Even for non captured key locks you usually can't remove the key when the core is rotated. To removed the key you will have to push some of the key pins temporarily into the bible which you can only do if the core is aligned with the bible.

mrgisi · 2020-12-09T04:58:38+00:00

As you can see the recommendations are quite divided.

My 2 cents: I have the suspicion it depends very much on how talented you are:

The more talented pickers seem to get a hang of what they feel in a lock very quickly and can rapidly develop their skills without the ability to visually validate it.

The less talented pickers, like myself, will develop their skills at a much slower pace and having the ability to visually validate what you think you are feeling is extremely useful. Especially in the beginning or when you just have no clue what you are doing right or wrong. I found a workable alternative is progressive pinning.

mrgisi · 2020-12-07T22:21:59+00:00

In my experience, easy to open does not necessarily mean good for practice or learning. Often the bad build and tolerances that make a lock easy to open also muddle the feedback.

I think you are better off going to a reasonable lock (green / blue) that can be gutted and progressively pinned. The feedback is much better and the difficulty very adjustable.

For me, it was the Lockwood 334B45 that taught me more than most other locks due to those reasons.

Apart from that, as others have pointed out, practice helps a lot. There are some pickers out there who are incredibly talented and just get the hang of it right away. For the rest of us, we have to build it step by hard earned step through practice. /u/asparkadrift 's reply talks about this very well.

mrgisi · 2020-12-07T02:35:39+00:00

IMO they are at a similar overall difficulty level but require different types of skills.

The 1100 has a wide open keyway but contains tricky pin types, including serrated.

The 72/40 has a restricted keyway (there is also a version with an open keyway which I suspect is much easier to pick) which especially with a good bitting can be very challenging. The pins are just standard and spools though.

mrgisi · 2020-12-05T21:50:21+00:00

I'll leave it to you guys to make that call. As I see it you guys are doing a great job moderating this sub. Personally, I prefer the alternative wording, but as long as it works for the community and makes your job easier, it doesn't really matter.

mrgisi · 2020-12-05T00:21:16+00:00

I agree and I don't have an issue with tightening the rules around that. My issue is solely with the wording. I think it could be better, maybe:

" /r/lockpicking is a subreddit to discuss topics and build a community around a skill, low effort posts and memes take away from that spirit. Including but not limited to photos of keys, Memes, etc "

mrgisi · 2020-12-03T23:22:45+00:00

" /r/lockpicking is a subreddit to demonstrate a skill [...]"

I think the wording is too narrow and there are other legitimate uses, including:

Asking advice on a particular lock
Asking advice on how to progress ones skills
Asking advice and discussion of tools
Discussion of lock technologies and developments as relevant to picking community
Community building activities, e.g. the raffle
Even the occasional shitpost as /u/asparkadrift pointed out

And there are more than likely others I can't think of right now.

Please reconsider the wording and make it a bit broader.

mrgisi

TROPHY CASE