I’ve been a locksmith for ~35yrs and have picked hundreds of thousands of locks. I use a diamond pick, rake and set the lock then spp the rest. I’ve recently (6 weeks or so) happened across your channel and begun to develop my spp , using a hook. I am currently stuck on a Sargent by Assa Abloy 6 pin that I can open in seconds using my established technique but cannot yet open using spp. Thank you for your content and will continue to watch and learn.
I advise using a lot more tension then you think you need. It will make it drastically easier. It took me like 3 days to pick one (granted, I was just picking it up and playing around with it for a few mins here and there throughout the day… but, still!) for my first time. I was so mad when I realized that I was doing everything right, but, the minimal amount of tension I was using, was making it too easy to overset the pins.
A useful public service announcement here which will no doubt save some lockpickers money and buyer’s remorse! The pattern seems to be - ‘don’t buy low skill, situation specific tools’. Instead, invest in a smaller number of good quality rakes and picks which will allow for skill progression over time. 🙌 My purchase regrets are thankfully quite limited so far - perhaps a ring tensioner which I don’t tend to use.
I bought a set of 'no name' picks off of Deviant Ollam at a Lockpicking Village he organised at a HackCon in Oslo probably a decade ago. Other than that, I've only bought a pair of tubular picks(the second because I broke the first. Chinesium... ) and I bought the tubulars to recover some PCs and other equipment from an office where someone had thought it a good idea to lock everything down and hide the keys, then went and retired... I could probably have picked those tubulars the oldfashioned way, but I was lazy... Since the first lock broke, I used a bolt cutter on the wire in order to clean out the office. Then removed the locks later when the replacement pick arrived. HackCon is a small IT security con and the press is normally not welcome, so a lot of 'not entirely white' stuff is often demonstrated live.
Absolutely agreed on every single thing. I would even go as far as saying newbies should avoid anything made "portable", like the credit card sized set or the pick sets combined in the "Swiss army knife" style contraption (like LPL has released) cause those might be practical once in a lifetime, but they require much higher base skill level to use because using them is very hard and it sacrifices a lot of feel... God this came out all Chinese English like :D
My first lockpicks were from a locksmith, he was very interested in lockpicking and made his own picks. I lost them when I moved country, such a big loss. This was around 1990, I chose the picks over a mobile phone. It was worth it.
I was expecting something like "don't get these cheap kits" but this is way more useful. A cheap kit, like goso for example, is a good way to get started with easy locks. Then when you get more experience, invest in better and more basic tools instead of fancy and sometimes expensive specialty tools.
I'm in my forties and I just started lockpicking I get real enjoyment out of picking open a lock do I plan to make a career or money from it absolutely not ..but it is enjoyable thanks to people's videos like this guy
After my locksmith training I was guilty of buying some of these, to this day I’m yet to use some. Also never actually found a tubular lock that any of mine fit. Great video
I personally feel Tubular lock picks and comb picks to be used quite frequently in day to day uses. Such as when coworker forgets keys to toolbox or go to pick up a trailer and no one knows where the key is. So those two types of picks may not be used regularly in the lock sport. But definitely makes life easier.
Working in some kind of trade really increases the need of being able to pick locks, I mainly started learning it because I was tired of seeing coworkers destroy stuff because the key got lost at some point
The cheap picks got me started, got hooked that way. Went a little crazy on buying some sets though, 20 something piece south ord, law lock valerian, Sparrows ssdev .015, sliver .012, dark shift with add on, the disc detainer, Multipick elite 9, Abona and Monolith, among other pics... Safe to say I've lost my marbles but got into an interesting hobby! It's definitely fun if you get bitten by the bug. I may have went a bit overboard, but I don't regret it either! Great information sir! Stay safe and well friend! Hope you have a great weekend 👍
It’s just such a fun hobby. Plus, cool party tricks, if you ever want to make your friends feel uneasy about your abilities. 😂🤣😂 Plus, you could help your friends and family out if they ever get locked out of their house, car, work, etc. and save them money on a locksmith.
@@apogeotropism1714 actually I have had to pick a couple times in the wild ( with permission ) I am trying to finish out my challenge lock list so I can retire from challenge lock making and solely work on picking and move on to other locking mechanisms such as dimples, disc detainer since I have the picks and make a pick set for a lever lock that I was gifted. I won't be chasing the belt system but will use it as a guide for locks that I want to pick.
I tend to follow a simple buying strategy: Buy something cheap (but not totally awful) to see if it's something I like and will use. If it is, upgrade to the best I can get. So I started with a cheap Chinese pick set (Honest brand). I quickly decided I like picking, so I got a Multipick Elite Dual Gauge set, which has been serving me well. Some of the Chinese picks still came in handy, since they're pretty easy to grind down into being probes. So I wouldn't say I regret the purchase, even if I no longer use it in its original configuration.
I’ve been sporting for about 16 years now, and I have never bought any picks at all!!! Not kidding. I’ve learned how to make very good and useful tools in time. You are correct though, many people getting started should learn the fundamentals first before they go on to learn bypassing and such. Once you can SPP, rake, scrub, rock, etc, then maybe get some more elaborate tools. Kind of why the teachers didn’t want you to use calculators in grammar school. You needed to know how, and become quite proficient in doing it by hand, then you could have a calculator!
I've bought 3 of those, but I was aware of the shortcomings and bought that stuff regardless. It's all on the cheaper side and might come in handy some day. But thanks for the reminder to finally modify my Chinese disc detainer picks...
@tomrooney3223 Hi! I got the SouthOrd set of 7-, 8-, and 10-pin tubular lock picks directly from their website (I've bought from them before, the rare occasions when ukbumpkeys don't stock what I wanted) I started off with the cheaper Daniu one, and kept practicing on an old bicycle lock, and when the rush of the first successful pick calmed down I realised 1) it was doable and 2) I'd bent one of the sliders, so decided to splash out on higher quality ones..then just collected loads of locks off ebay/friends/a few cut ones on railings, there's always loads of non-functioning ones that are lying around bike sheds! Then, like all other picking, it is just a matter of practice confidence and more practice. Bear in mind my comment was in reference to a long time ago, when just 'having' a pin tubular lock was unique enough to seem an impossible deterrent, and long before cowboy clampers were banned and it went to the ANPR scam..
@tomrooney3223 Hi there! My response keeps getting deleted, I'm not even putting in links just naming the things you asked for 🙄 My set of 7-, 8-, and 10-pin tubular picks came directly from SouthOrd, I've bought from them before and they are very prompt and not much more expensive than using a UK-based distributor (ukbumpkeys are great, but don't stock everything) My first was a cheap chinese Daniu one, and I tried on an old bicycle lock I had; once the rush of the first successful open had died down I realised 1) it was doable and 2) I'd bent one of the pick sliders, so I decided it would be worth splashing out for a better quality set. Then I just got a load of old bicycle locks, equipment storage locks, broken dispenser machines, anything I could find off friends/old bike railings/ebay, you can find loads of cut chains anywhere there are bike storage areas (you don't need the functioning cable, just the pin tubular bit!) and practice practice practice. Bear in mind my comment was referencing a time long ago, before cowboy clampers were banned, and just ANY tubular lock was rare enough to be a deterrent; they may well have been a lot simpler back then to open merely by having the right kit!
@Lock Noob - great video!! I might also add to that list things like Lishi tools. So many people don't realise that they are keyway-specific, and that you need several different Lishi tools, all at about $60-80US each (even more in our Australian dollars).
I agree the credit card kit isn't for the new picker in general. It might be worth having just for the tension tool as inexpensive as it is. Early on that was one of my favorite tension tools and I bought an extra set just to have a backup. I believe a diverse set of tension tools is as important as having the right picks.
What about the Sparrow chaos lock pick cards that you break the tools out of? I just bought the original and version 2 because of the huge variety of tools included. Hopefully I will be able to use these tools?
@@repairfreak That isn't ideal as a first set. With practice you can use them. The handles are short and uncomfortable for a long practice session. Very limiting all around.
Yeah, same experience here for a number of these. It would have been cheaper to learn from this video than buying them. Thanks for this and hopefully it will reach enough new pickers in time🤞
Yeah I jumped the gun and bought a small set of comb picks. My first kit was a Goso kit with like 24 picks/rakes for pin tumblers, wafer locks and I think it may include a pick for either wafer or dimple pin locks. Needless to say, I think I've only found about 3 or 4 of the tools useful in this early stage of learning lock picking as a hobby.
I actually gifted a set of praxis to a friend in the UK. They seem like a great set of picks. I'm like you, you started out with cheap picks, then started buying more. You're not in that boat alone friend. Happy pickings
You can only appreciate the good material, if you had the bad in your hands first. Otherwise, you are always in doubt, if you spent to much money on quality. Now you know: It is worth it.
After buying 4 sets and many videos later, I found that my favorite picks are all in the Praxis kit. Standard hook, Gem, and Deforest diamond. Lol. It’s too late. Had I bought the praxis kit to start with I would not need any of those 4 sets and missing out on the disappointment in life ..... 4 times. Lol.
Im happy to say that having started the sport earlier this year I havnt bought any of this stuff, although I came very close to getting the tube lock kit. The one gear I have bought and regret is the bump keys. I have had zero luck with these cursed things. Might work for some but not for me. I have had far better luck with jigglers and just single picking.
Very good video. I almost bought nearly all of those items. Thankfully I realized I'd probably never use most of them and passed. I did by a cheap Chinese disc detainer, but I don't regret that, especially after ordering some fantastic tips for it. Thanks.
Oh dear, this video is so brilliant since there's so much truth in it! I also bought some of that mentioned stuff but never had any opportunity to use it (like those tubular impressioning tools or those comb picks - they're just sitting there!). And I also made that mistake to buy one of these cheap Chinese disc detainer rear-tensioners which do not fit into any lock.
I'm just getting into the sport myself made my first set of pics rakes and tension bars myself and have got into multiple padlocks and 1 pin tumbler door lock thanks lock noob you're vids inspired me was really nice to see someone else from UK doing it
Very good list and I totally agree beginners should avoid these. However, I found the very first item, the credit card set, surprisingly well working. The one in the white plastic is reasonable thin to fit even Euro locks and astonishingly well finished for the price. There is a black case one which I believe has much thicker picks. I just removed the Diamond pick and peeled off the silly sticker. Added heatshrink to the City and Snake rake and left the Hook untouched. I carry this one everyday in my wallet with two extra tensioners. Hope I will never need it but feels good to always have a set.
Very informative. I am still learning using my Southord pick set and just learning to pick regular pin locks. It can become an expensive hobby if you don't have proper guidance. Thank you for sharing the information.
I think that you hit the nail on the head again. I bought a good 6 or seven of these items early on. I would have been better buying a few decent picks and going from there. On the other hand these items albeit not really useful to teach a new lock picker anything, they are fun. Not to mention when a new Picker struggles with a lock they can fall back on these items to give then a bit of encouragement. Another Lock Noob great video.
Great advice. Too late for me for some of this stuff. I am not a beginner anymore, but certainly not above intermediate. I am still using the first Sparrows Tuxedo set I purchased with some home made tensioners, more than any of the several dozens of other picks and tools I have acquired since. I don't even really enjoy picking lever locks, so that was a huge waste of time and money. There is a huge difference between a locksmith, and a locksporter. Start small. Learn the feel. Have fun. $50 will take you further than you ever expected to go.
Good advice. When I first started I bought a snap gun. Interesting to use, but I soon learned how they damage pins and key ways so it is now reserved for emergencies. It did not improve my skill with locks.
When I picked my first handcuffs, I made this lock picking thing a fun at home habit. I was watching a Wesley Snipes, Tommy lee Ones, and Robert Downey Jr movie called "US Marshals" , there was a scene where Robert Downey Jr used the temples of metal frame glasses to pick his own handcuffs, and all the US Marshals were ecstatic about what he did.
I've got a couple of those mentioned, including the tubular impression tools.... which I actually do like and have had some success with. The one I'd advise new pickers to avoid are the ones for car doors/ignitions. Unless you are going to specialise in that area of the sport (the legal variety!!), I'd save your cash.
I'm a novice, just use I wire bent to see if I can get a padlock unlocked and I have had great success with just a lenth of wire but enjoy watching others show their talent. And I would like to see some safe cracking so do some.😊
Good advice here. I'd add the Chinese abloy classic tool that never worked, I know many, many people who made the mistake of buying that thing, me included.
My first tool I bought was a tubular lock pick for work because I was fed up drilling locks off vending machines (part of my job) it’s what actually got me into locksport I did make the mistake of buying the Chinese DD pick which I was never able to use successfully lol lesson learned watch noobs channel for advice before buying stuff 👍🏻
Im just starting out. I brought the 3 lock set from lock cowboy on ebay, was really cheap and came with pick, racks and locks. it also had the credit card ones in it which, while i can use them they seem they would break really easily so i dont use them. Took me less than 5 mins to pick the padlock on my first go, which i thought was really good until i realised that these are made to be easy so i wasnt a lock picking genius after all lol. On one of your other vid's you went through what some of them were for, like the key extractor, and yes i did think it was another pick which was really useful and having watched a lot of the LPL i thought at some point i would need to get a lot of other stuff, like the tool he and Bill made, but from watching this i can see that i wont need a lot of the tools he uses so thank you for saving me loads of money
Regret: folding edc type lock pick set. I thought it was more usable than an actual lock pick since you can edc it...but I learned how to pick locks wrong. Wrong feeling since it was the only feedback I exposed myself to.
I must say that the quality of EDC folding set vary quite a lot from rubish to usable. But use an EDC one only if you haven't bring your regular ones with you. But you're right: you learn most from normal quality picks (like the standard hook). Also here there is quite a range of different qualities. For a beginner buy a really small cheap set of standard picks and spanners from China but afterwards (if you like it) buy a good set from one of the big companies. I prefer my Multipicks: good quality but expensive and worth the extra buck.
Realistically, a self built edc kit of a couple tensioners & hooks is enough for most... Its also the smallest/ lightest/ cheapest option. I'm fine with tools with handles, but you still got to have skin on the bare metal pick to pick properly. I like longer picks that can be used on all types.
I love the debit card lock pick set. Very good to keep in a wallet and edc in case you lock yourself out of your house or need it for whatever reason. Ir was my first lockpick set i ever got when i was 12. I lost it a long time ago and havent picked locks in awhile but need a new house key so i decided to buy a amazon lockpick set that came with the debit card one.
I am completely new to picking hobby, but as I am developing arthritis in my lower legs I figured that there may be some heath benefits in learning to develop my dexterity while taking it easy on my hands and fingers. I jumped on the tubular pick sets first off - hoping to test them out on whichever pay phones I may encounter that still survive in the wild. To my surprise, as I am now constantly surveying any locks that I encounter - from vending machines, to coin operated laundry machines, to video arcade machines - basically all the places where I’d expect to find a tubular style lock - they have special warded locks or other more exotic types of keyways and so I am really now on a mission to just learn all I can about tubular locks while collecting old examples of them as well.
I am retired now. But I picked a lot of locks as a crime scene investigator. Most cops and investigators then, and many still today, used or still use brute force to get into cars, buildings, or containers such as luggage or lock boxes. I tried to be more considerate and less destructive when possible. I lucked out and my first set of picks were good quality. But since then I have come across a lot of cheap picks. I would recommend new pickers try to avoid cheap picks with burrs. They stick in the locks making them almost impossible to use. If you end up with some take the time to buff them off and remove the burrs so they have smooth surfaces and edges. Just be sure you don't overdo it.
1:48 I think it's still a good idea to do the arts and crafts project of making a padlock shim out of a coke can. I agree that buying actual shims is silly but it was a great project to make one out of a soda can. You get the 2 for one special of doing a weird craft project and actually getting some result out of your handiwork. Sure it's not going to teach you much about picking but it's something that's great to do once
i know you will probably not see this but i bought was a broken key extractor. I've been using it for about 6 months and just saw this video. The thing is im actually able to pick locks with it for a good amount of time. P.S. just saw your vid about beginner lockpicks and bought myself a tuxedo set from Sparrow. Thx for alerting me about this haha
Definitely guilty of several of them. Esspecially since I’m still a beginner. But I tend to look at them as learning experiences. Still a lot to learn😅
Had to UA-cam how to reset my master lock code and now you have me looking at purchasing a clear lock with a kit you recommend. Great videos seriously interesting
Nicely said Ash,ì did buy a few of theses when ì first started. Pay attention new lock pickers, ì wish ì had seen something like this when ì first started picking.
He's 100% right on all of these got duped into buying just the 7.8mm tubular lock pick (AKA not trying to pay two bucks a load of laundry) doesn't even fit in any tubular lock I've come across. Got a deal on a big set of comb pics for $8 was barely able to open one of my brass locks. I did start out with the credit card pick set but again is because I got two sets of them for $5. A couple days after playing around with them I purchased cover instruments Genesis set. It's very nice quality pics but I'm not nearly experienced enough to rrake most locks open and they are big pics at.025 so my cheap credit card pics are great for smaller key ways. It's actually messed up now that I think of it I've picked more locks with those cheap credit card sets than I have with the genesis
Not a regret, per se, but I picked up a set of thin 0.015 picks as my first set. No doubt handy, but most of the locks I've picked have been better off with thicker 0.020 or 0.025 picks. Not really had much need for the thin set!
I bought 3 or 4 cheap kits off of Amazon when I was first learning. They didn't really do me any good until I finally bought my first decent kit, a Southord PSX-14. I should have just bought the Southord kit first and saved myself a ton of frustration! Lol! My pick game really started to come together when I got the Sparrow's Monstrum XL kit. In fact, it's been a couple years now and I still use parts of that Monstrum kit! In summary, if you spend a little more and get a decent kit up front, you will learn a lot faster and probably enjoy the hobby more!
Really good advice. Had padlock shims used once. Combs 👎. Etc. Remember buying a Southord pick gun before i learnt how to rake locks ,never used one since. 👍
I should have watched this video a year ago. However, some of these kits that only frustrated me as I was just diving into picking (I've been discovering a myriad of bypasses since I was a tiny little fellow in various foster homes and such) are now starting to at least be useful once in a while.
I get key extractor set as a gift, but one of them is rake shaped at tip, which allow me to open clear padlock, and one or two "real" ones :) It's amazing how many poor locks are used, susceptible to novice rake.
I bought two Sparrow sets with some practice locks. I’m new to picking and still learning. The Tuxedo I carry with me to practice away from home if I have time. I have the Vorax set at home since me and my son are giving lock picking a try. I figure a lock pick set is a valuable thing to have around. Even if you never take it further than a basic hobby. I don’t tend to buy cheaper stuff as they never last. These should last. Buy once cry once. But I see no need to spend money on all the things you listed in the video.
Hi Ash, Looks like you hit all the major ones! I would add one last thing for new pickers to avoid and that's NOT to have to many pints as their picking. Of course once they become much better (such as yourself) it's fine to get sloshed as it makes it all the more challenging! lol
The credit card picks, the plastic disc-detainer lock and accompanying pick (neither of which turned out to be useable), a weird set of curved pieces of metal called the “master switch” which only work on certain sizes and types of padlocks, a poor quality version of those jack-knife lockpick sets... I have loads of things that I thought looked cool and just didn’t turn out to be very useful. But at least those experiences made me very wary of the kinds of gimmicky junk you can find. It’s not that I stopped buying that stuff, but at least now I know what I’m in for... 😋
I got a set off Amazon that works decently well, but being new and inexperienced, I bent the picks applying far too much tension and not knowing where to put my pick. I think I even had it angled against the keyway because I don't know where I need to rest the pick (or if I need a different tension wrench to use as a base). Regardless, 100% my own fault, and I have a genesis set from the Lock Picking Lawyer coming in, which I will be more gentle with.
Jiggler keys for pin tumbler locks they just aren't very useful and they're not cheap. I also wouldn't recommend getting a big pick kit to start with you're most likely only going to end up using a few of them. A low hook, medium hook, half diamonds, deforest diamond and a few tension wrenches are enough to get started if you want to learn how to single pin pick. Oh and at least here in the USA make sure they are .025" (.023" if you're buying a deforest diamond from Southord) thick because thinner ones are going to bend or snap and thicker ones will get stuck.
No 11. Falle Pick set . If a new picker do not go in search and buy these for kudos. They are all double ended curves and some are really thin, you will break them. The tension wrenches are also completely different from the normal ones. I like picking with curve picks, but I use the Storm curve picks. I have used the Falles on several occasions, but not a lot as I don't want to break one and ruin the set. They are more like a display set now. I don't know why there are dislikes on this video that is some solid advice that will save people money. My advice, start off with a cheap set like the Goso's to see if you have an aptitude for it and then progress as you learn how to tension properly and about pick pressure. Most newcomers over tension and have to apply a lot of pick pressure, this equals broken picks. That's my 2 cents. I have a multitude of pick sets but my picks of choice are still the second set I ever bought. The Southord slimlines.
Excellent video, thanks for sharing. One thought on the cruciform lock picks though... has anyone ever come across one of those IRL in the UK ever? I've bought a tubular lock pick set (and it was terrible, I sent it back for a refund) because they're ubiquitous; never has it occurred to me to think that a 4-way pick might come in handy.
Very good advice, but a bit late for me 😂. I bought some padlock shims and although they work it's quicker to rake those locks or in the case of some smaller padlocks just tension and stick short hook upside down in the keyway, or even a paper clip. The combs I have only open one lock out of my growing collection of 50+. I did buy a set of Sparrows SSDeV Hooks about £15 and they are a great selection 3 picks. Thanks again Lock Noob.
I kind of disagree with the shims and comb picks; the kinds of people who go for those are more interested in straight-up SERE practice, so of course it wouldn't be as useful for people who are strictly interested in lockpicking
I started with a Peterson Eagle nest set, but for a European it's a to thick (0.025) set unless you have for example a sparrows training lock (fortunately I included a cut away lock). Great picks and durable, only the thickness was a con for me. I've added now some 0.015 and 0.018 pick to challenge myself to pick euro cylinders.
This is a great video, thank you for your advice. I think SPP is very fun and satisfying, I personally don't see a point in anything else (just my opinion) I'm not a locksmith or thief so I don't think I need most of the things in your video anyway.
I thought I was going to be 0/10 until item number 8 came up. I am actually sitting here waiting for the delivery guy to arrive. I bought exactly the same set. The one with both front tensioned and rear tensioned disc detainer picks. Oh well at least one of them is useful.
@@LockNoob maybe in time. When I get the confidence to take dremels and the like to my picks. Wow I wasn't really expecting to get a reply from you man. One of my youtube heroes replying on my comment.. you just made my day. Thanks a bunch.
Believe it or not after getting many sparrow and peterson. And still not having alot of successful spp , the "onemayship" china 40 piece kit from walmart with the gray handles have actually made the biggest difference for me. There is 2 pics in that kit that has helped me open many more locks, i havent cleandd them up either. Both are short hooks with odd shaped end. But goes to show name brand more expensive picks dont always help everyone. Sometimes a cheapo works better
rake sets. I walked into the hobby thinking that more, and better rakes would help open more locks, especially with my limited skill level. I soon after went and purchased pin picking sets, because rakes have limited usage. Yes, rakes are a good low skill attack, but they don't work with more locks than they do, and if you don't have much for pin picking, then you're out of luck.
@@LockNoob oh, I like rakes too, and yeah, there's a skill to do more than a simple 'that randomly hitting pins to see if it opens ' that most do, but looking back, I would have started with at least more pin pickers than I did rakes.
I wasn't aware of these pin tumbler jigglers. I'd avoid them even now , they seem to brittle , that sneezing could break them. They should work like L rake aka city rake that never worked for me. However , I might try them now. :)
Great video and review of a lot of tools, also just an overall good view of several different types of locks for beginners like myself. Cheers from Canada.
Good advices. However shims are useful tools in every scenario. It's not technically picking or lock sports but it's a viable way to open locks. Learn their limitations and keep spares (they break - they have a limited life time - that's how they work). Get shims and understand their limitations. Don't use locks you can shim, anyone can shim them. The same goes for locks that can be "knifed" or locks prone to "driver-tools" attacks. Get the tools and avoid locks that fall for them.
Yes, I too wasted money on some of these and a couple of others not mentioned. I got some bad Chinese pad lock shims that were too large and too thick to use on anything I have ever seen. A cheap set of comb picks that did not have even one four pin comb, and as you mentioned, they were too huge and thick to get into any locks. I was most pissed that there was no four pin comb. I bought a set of great looking Z style tensioners that were tiny, tiny little things, that looked larger in the photo. I bought the same key extractor set. I knew what it was and I have actually been able to use it once. I will probably never need it again. Now I only buy stuff from Sparrows, Peterson's, and other well established western companies. No more Chinesium. Yes, some good stuff comes from China but most of it is not worth any of yer money.
Jackknife lockpicks, Sparrows Mace set. Gimmicky and just not good to learn lockpicking on. On the other hand: TOK Tensioners, Sparrows Worm rake and Peterson #1 and #7 hooks. My everyday setup nowadays pretty much consists of the Peterson hooks, the Sparrows rake, .05 and .04 TOK tensioners and one or two wiper blade insert tensioners. It‘s a shame that I don‘t have a use for my other stuff rn but maybe that‘ll change at some point in the future
Kinda missing the Gosso Kit and its ilk in the video... Have one that doesn't say 'Gosso' on the handles, but i'm pretty confident that it's the same. They don't even fit in any keyway i have around, so i guess it's safe to say that they're just not worth getting. (To my credit: They were thrown on top of some other item i was was buying, so my regret is a bit dampened here. The degree of uselessness is still amazing though...)
*Multipick Kronos* Yes, it most certainly works very well, but I already avoid using rakes because they feel like "cheating" to me. Needless to say, the fancy Kronos still sits in it's box pretty much unused...
@@KnugenMooMoo It's a really good piece of kit for sure! It's just that it doesn't appeal to me. Might have to sell it on some day, cause it might as well be used and enjoyed by someone else in the hobby.
A brand new picker should probably start with something small but of good quality, such as the Kick Start set from Sparrows, or the ultimate challenge lock and pick set from Learnlockpicking dot com. Ignore the massive, cheap kits on Amazon, they're made of crap metal in styles you'll never use. I did get the Sparrows disk detainer pick that Bosnian Bill and the Lockpicking Lawyer made, and I got the Covert Companion for Christmas. I also contacted Martin in the UK and got one of those lovely slide-out pick sets that Lock Noob showed on his channel. (Thanks, Lock Noob!)
I use the goso tubular picks for work I fix snack/vending machines there great for when customers lose keys or the pins wear from being filled 3x daily
I've only tried the lock shims a couple of times, and was unsuccessful. The shims seemed too thick. I also got a set of forks. They work on my clear, practice locks. LOL
I got a standard beginner Pickset as a Present from my Brother, but i wouldn't recommand this type of Pickset, because the handle of this are often made from pastic in a way it is realy hard to feel whyle picking. Instead i peronaly would recommand going with some good pickset, even it is more expensive. Also often are this chaeper picksets thicker, so it is more difficult to fit them into a lock.
I made the mistake of buying the credit card set and the only pick that is of any use is the city rake and even then I had to modify it by attaching it to a handle so it would be easier to hold...
Lol I did exactly the same thing. The city rake was quite effective but sore on the fingers. I got an old stainless steel pair of tweezers and drilled through and attached the rake between the prongs. Its still in my kit and great for padlocks.
I brought my kit from ebay Costing £24.99. 17 pieces and two transparent locks. Can't fault it as a beginner. Has got me into various different pad locks.
![[1089] My EDC Lock Tools Explained](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/njU3r3aWm3k/mqdefault.jpg)
I’ve been a locksmith for ~35yrs and have picked hundreds of thousands of locks. I use a diamond pick, rake and set the lock then spp the rest.
I’ve recently (6 weeks or so) happened across your channel and begun to develop my spp , using a hook.
I am currently stuck on a Sargent by Assa Abloy 6 pin that I can open in seconds using my established technique but cannot yet open using spp.
Thank you for your content and will continue to watch and learn.
I advise using a lot more tension then you think you need. It will make it drastically easier.
It took me like 3 days to pick one (granted, I was just picking it up and playing around with it for a few mins here and there throughout the day… but, still!) for my first time.
I was so mad when I realized that I was doing everything right, but, the minimal amount of tension I was using, was making it too easy to overset the pins.
A useful public service announcement here which will no doubt save some lockpickers money and buyer’s remorse! The pattern seems to be - ‘don’t buy low skill, situation specific tools’. Instead, invest in a smaller number of good quality rakes and picks which will allow for skill progression over time. 🙌 My purchase regrets are thankfully quite limited so far - perhaps a ring tensioner which I don’t tend to use.
Yes!!! Feather and ring tensioners should go on the list! Thanks! If I ever do a part 2...
I bought a set of 'no name' picks off of Deviant Ollam at a Lockpicking Village he organised at a HackCon in Oslo probably a decade ago. Other than that, I've only bought a pair of tubular picks(the second because I broke the first. Chinesium... ) and I bought the tubulars to recover some PCs and other equipment from an office where someone had thought it a good idea to lock everything down and hide the keys, then went and retired... I could probably have picked those tubulars the oldfashioned way, but I was lazy... Since the first lock broke, I used a bolt cutter on the wire in order to clean out the office. Then removed the locks later when the replacement pick arrived.
HackCon is a small IT security con and the press is normally not welcome, so a lot of 'not entirely white' stuff is often demonstrated live.
I don't regret buying it, but I knew the Sparrows disc pick would be overkill at my limited experience.
hard to say, but it is very good when you are ready!
Absolutely agreed on every single thing. I would even go as far as saying newbies should avoid anything made "portable", like the credit card sized set or the pick sets combined in the "Swiss army knife" style contraption (like LPL has released) cause those might be practical once in a lifetime, but they require much higher base skill level to use because using them is very hard and it sacrifices a lot of feel...
God this came out all Chinese English like :D
Agree with you though!
The Covert Companion set Covert Instruments sells is a set of picks and a handle. They’re not permanently attached like with a Swiss Army knife.
I remember almost 9 years ago I wanted those comb picks. You won't stop me now! I've used them before and they work absolute wonders!
My first lockpicks were from a locksmith, he was very interested in lockpicking and made his own picks.
I lost them when I moved country, such a big loss.
This was around 1990, I chose the picks over a mobile phone. It was worth it.
I was expecting something like "don't get these cheap kits" but this is way more useful. A cheap kit, like goso for example, is a good way to get started with easy locks. Then when you get more experience, invest in better and more basic tools instead of fancy and sometimes expensive specialty tools.
I'm in my forties and I just started lockpicking I get real enjoyment out of picking open a lock do I plan to make a career or money from it absolutely not ..but it is enjoyable thanks to people's videos like this guy
Thanks 👍😀
@@LockNoob at least you interact with the people who watch your videos that real good lock picking attorney doesn't bother to do stuff like that
@@ivanmoody1043 tbf though, it takes a LOT of time even for a small channel like me
After my locksmith training I was guilty of buying some of these, to this day I’m yet to use some. Also never actually found a tubular lock that any of mine fit. Great video
ahh! the hands are in a different position!
lol
I personally feel Tubular lock picks and comb picks to be used quite frequently in day to day uses. Such as when coworker forgets keys to toolbox or go to pick up a trailer and no one knows where the key is.
So those two types of picks may not be used regularly in the lock sport. But definitely makes life easier.
Agreed they are useful tools
Working in some kind of trade really increases the need of being able to pick locks, I mainly started learning it because I was tired of seeing coworkers destroy stuff because the key got lost at some point
8:46 - Totally agree on your comb pick comment. Great idea, limited use.
The cheap picks got me started, got hooked that way. Went a little crazy on buying some sets though, 20 something piece south ord, law lock valerian, Sparrows ssdev .015, sliver .012, dark shift with add on, the disc detainer, Multipick elite 9, Abona and Monolith, among other pics... Safe to say I've lost my marbles but got into an interesting hobby! It's definitely fun if you get bitten by the bug. I may have went a bit overboard, but I don't regret it either! Great information sir! Stay safe and well friend! Hope you have a great weekend 👍
You too!
It’s just such a fun hobby. Plus, cool party tricks, if you ever want to make your friends feel uneasy about your abilities.
😂🤣😂
Plus, you could help your friends and family out if they ever get locked out of their house, car, work, etc. and save them money on a locksmith.
@@apogeotropism1714 actually I have had to pick a couple times in the wild ( with permission ) I am trying to finish out my challenge lock list so I can retire from challenge lock making and solely work on picking and move on to other locking mechanisms such as dimples, disc detainer since I have the picks and make a pick set for a lever lock that I was gifted. I won't be chasing the belt system but will use it as a guide for locks that I want to pick.
I tend to follow a simple buying strategy: Buy something cheap (but not totally awful) to see if it's something I like and will use. If it is, upgrade to the best I can get.
So I started with a cheap Chinese pick set (Honest brand). I quickly decided I like picking, so I got a Multipick Elite Dual Gauge set, which has been serving me well. Some of the Chinese picks still came in handy, since they're pretty easy to grind down into being probes. So I wouldn't say I regret the purchase, even if I no longer use it in its original configuration.
Good choices!
Sad thing is that I started off with a good few of these sets when I started. It was Raimundo’s Bogotas that set me on a success path
Great profile!
I’ve been sporting for about 16 years now, and I have never bought any picks at all!!! Not kidding. I’ve learned how to make very good and useful tools in time. You are correct though, many people getting started should learn the fundamentals first before they go on to learn bypassing and such. Once you can SPP, rake, scrub, rock, etc, then maybe get some more elaborate tools.
Kind of why the teachers didn’t want you to use calculators in grammar school. You needed to know how, and become quite proficient in doing it by hand, then you could have a calculator!
I've bought 3 of those, but I was aware of the shortcomings and bought that stuff regardless. It's all on the cheaper side and might come in handy some day. But thanks for the reminder to finally modify my Chinese disc detainer picks...
I think many of us have bought a lot of this stuff early on! I did 😁
I loved my tubular picks, it was my absolute f**k you to wheel clampers when they were what was on the lock...fun times! 🤪
How did you learn to use them? Where did you get them and which type is best?
@tomrooney3223 Hi!
I got the SouthOrd set of 7-, 8-, and 10-pin tubular lock picks directly from their website (I've bought from them before, the rare occasions when ukbumpkeys don't stock what I wanted)
I started off with the cheaper Daniu one, and kept practicing on an old bicycle lock, and when the rush of the first successful pick calmed down I realised 1) it was doable and 2) I'd bent one of the sliders, so decided to splash out on higher quality ones..then just collected loads of locks off ebay/friends/a few cut ones on railings, there's always loads of non-functioning ones that are lying around bike sheds! Then, like all other picking, it is just a matter of practice confidence and more practice.
Bear in mind my comment was in reference to a long time ago, when just 'having' a pin tubular lock was unique enough to seem an impossible deterrent, and long before cowboy clampers were banned and it went to the ANPR scam..
@tomrooney3223 Hi there! My response keeps getting deleted, I'm not even putting in links just naming the things you asked for 🙄
My set of 7-, 8-, and 10-pin tubular picks came directly from SouthOrd, I've bought from them before and they are very prompt and not much more expensive than using a UK-based distributor (ukbumpkeys are great, but don't stock everything)
My first was a cheap chinese Daniu one, and I tried on an old bicycle lock I had; once the rush of the first successful open had died down I realised 1) it was doable and 2) I'd bent one of the pick sliders, so I decided it would be worth splashing out for a better quality set.
Then I just got a load of old bicycle locks, equipment storage locks, broken dispenser machines, anything I could find off friends/old bike railings/ebay, you can find loads of cut chains anywhere there are bike storage areas (you don't need the functioning cable, just the pin tubular bit!) and practice practice practice.
Bear in mind my comment was referencing a time long ago, before cowboy clampers were banned, and just ANY tubular lock was rare enough to be a deterrent; they may well have been a lot simpler back then to open merely by having the right kit!
@Lock Noob - great video!! I might also add to that list things like Lishi tools. So many people don't realise that they are keyway-specific, and that you need several different Lishi tools, all at about $60-80US each (even more in our Australian dollars).
yes, good choice!
I agree the credit card kit isn't for the new picker in general. It might be worth having just for the tension tool as inexpensive as it is. Early on that was one of my favorite tension tools and I bought an extra set just to have a backup. I believe a diverse set of tension tools is as important as having the right picks.
Yup, a cheap tension tool can be a good tension tool!
What about the Sparrow chaos lock pick cards that you break the tools out of? I just bought the original and version 2 because of the huge variety of tools included. Hopefully I will be able to use these tools?
@@repairfreak That isn't ideal as a first set. With practice you can use them. The handles are short and uncomfortable for a long practice session. Very limiting all around.
Good choices, I usually don't buy cheap stuff cause I don't like buying stuff twice but good video of what to avoid.
Yeah, same experience here for a number of these. It would have been cheaper to learn from this video than buying them. Thanks for this and hopefully it will reach enough new pickers in time🤞
Yeah I jumped the gun and bought a small set of comb picks. My first kit was a Goso kit with like 24 picks/rakes for pin tumblers, wafer locks and I think it may include a pick for either wafer or dimple pin locks. Needless to say, I think I've only found about 3 or 4 of the tools useful in this early stage of learning lock picking as a hobby.
I wish I didn't buy a cheep Chinese pick set, it was only a week before I upgraded to a Dangerfield Praxis set. Then petersons two weeks later.👍
I actually gifted a set of praxis to a friend in the UK. They seem like a great set of picks. I'm like you, you started out with cheap picks, then started buying more. You're not in that boat alone friend. Happy pickings
Lol I did the exact same. Got some shitty Chinese picks off of wish and order the praxis kit about a week later. World of difference!
You can only appreciate the good material, if you had the bad in your hands first. Otherwise, you are always in doubt, if you spent to much money on quality. Now you know: It is worth it.
you cant beat high quality picks !
After buying 4 sets and many videos later, I found that my favorite picks are all in the Praxis kit. Standard hook, Gem, and Deforest diamond. Lol. It’s too late. Had I bought the praxis kit to start with I would not need any of those 4 sets and missing out on the disappointment in life ..... 4 times. Lol.
Great advice for new pickers, I definitely picked up a few of these and regretted it.
Everything you said about comb picks is 100% true but I'm still out here buying sets cause they're annoyingly fun to use. :D
Oh I completely understand!
Im happy to say that having started the sport earlier this year I havnt bought any of this stuff, although I came very close to getting the tube lock kit. The one gear I have bought and regret is the bump keys. I have had zero luck with these cursed things. Might work for some but not for me. I have had far better luck with jigglers and just single picking.
They are all fun in their own way, if and when you get any 👍
Very good video. I almost bought nearly all of those items. Thankfully I realized I'd probably never use most of them and passed. I did by a cheap Chinese disc detainer, but I don't regret that, especially after ordering some fantastic tips for it. Thanks.
Oh dear, this video is so brilliant since there's so much truth in it! I also bought some of that mentioned stuff but never had any opportunity to use it (like those tubular impressioning tools or those comb picks - they're just sitting there!). And I also made that mistake to buy one of these cheap Chinese disc detainer rear-tensioners which do not fit into any lock.
Thanks! 👍
I'm just getting into the sport myself made my first set of pics rakes and tension bars myself and have got into multiple padlocks and 1 pin tumbler door lock thanks lock noob you're vids inspired me was really nice to see someone else from UK doing it
Very good list and I totally agree beginners should avoid these. However, I found the very first item, the credit card set, surprisingly well working. The one in the white plastic is reasonable thin to fit even Euro locks and astonishingly well finished for the price. There is a black case one which I believe has much thicker picks. I just removed the Diamond pick and peeled off the silly sticker. Added heatshrink to the City and Snake rake and left the Hook untouched. I carry this one everyday in my wallet with two extra tensioners. Hope I will never need it but feels good to always have a set.
Very informative. I am still learning using my Southord pick set and just learning to pick regular pin locks. It can become an expensive hobby if you don't have proper guidance. Thank you for sharing the information.
Thanks 👍😀
Southord and Sparrows do make good sets. I just wish the BB/LPL disk detainer pick was more available.
I think that you hit the nail on the head again. I bought a good 6 or seven of these items early on. I would have been better buying a few decent picks and going from there.
On the other hand these items albeit not really useful to teach a new lock picker anything, they are fun. Not to mention when a new Picker struggles with a lock they can fall back on these items to give then a bit of encouragement.
Another Lock Noob great video.
Thanks 👍😀 i absolutely agree that they can be fun!
Great advice. Too late for me for some of this stuff. I am not a beginner anymore, but certainly not above intermediate. I am still using the first Sparrows Tuxedo set I purchased with some home made tensioners, more than any of the several dozens of other picks and tools I have acquired since. I don't even really enjoy picking lever locks, so that was a huge waste of time and money. There is a huge difference between a locksmith, and a locksporter. Start small. Learn the feel. Have fun. $50 will take you further than you ever expected to go.
Agreed!
Good advice. When I first started I bought a snap gun. Interesting to use, but I soon learned how they damage pins and key ways so it is now reserved for emergencies. It did not improve my skill with locks.
When I picked my first handcuffs, I made this lock picking thing a fun at home habit. I was watching a Wesley Snipes, Tommy lee Ones, and Robert Downey Jr movie called "US Marshals" , there was a scene where Robert Downey Jr used the temples of metal frame glasses to pick his own handcuffs, and all the US Marshals were ecstatic about what he did.
I remember that film!
I bought the credit card set for a laugh ten years ago. It was my only set until this week and it has given me a lot of pleasure and worked very well.
Thanks 🙏
I've got a couple of those mentioned, including the tubular impression tools.... which I actually do like and have had some success with. The one I'd advise new pickers to avoid are the ones for car doors/ignitions. Unless you are going to specialise in that area of the sport (the legal variety!!), I'd save your cash.
👍
I'm a novice, just use I wire bent to see if I can get a padlock unlocked and I have had great success with just a lenth of wire but enjoy watching others show their talent. And I would like to see some safe cracking so do some.😊
Good advice here. I'd add the Chinese abloy classic tool that never worked, I know many, many people who made the mistake of buying that thing, me included.
Yes, good call
The best advice I give is get a small kit with a few different tensioners and a few hook profiles.
Good advice!
I’m glad to see I didn’t make a mistake.
Thank you, it’s a nice new hobby.
No worries!
My first tool I bought was a tubular lock pick for work because I was fed up drilling locks off vending machines (part of my job) it’s what actually got me into locksport I did make the mistake of buying the Chinese DD pick which I was never able to use successfully lol lesson learned watch noobs channel for advice before buying stuff 👍🏻
Im just starting out. I brought the 3 lock set from lock cowboy on ebay, was really cheap and came with pick, racks and locks. it also had the credit card ones in it which, while i can use them they seem they would break really easily so i dont use them. Took me less than 5 mins to pick the padlock on my first go, which i thought was really good until i realised that these are made to be easy so i wasnt a lock picking genius after all lol.
On one of your other vid's you went through what some of them were for, like the key extractor, and yes i did think it was another pick which was really useful and having watched a lot of the LPL i thought at some point i would need to get a lot of other stuff, like the tool he and Bill made, but from watching this i can see that i wont need a lot of the tools he uses so thank you for saving me loads of money
I thought I was a lock picking genius too!
Regret: folding edc type lock pick set. I thought it was more usable than an actual lock pick since you can edc it...but I learned how to pick locks wrong. Wrong feeling since it was the only feedback I exposed myself to.
I must say that the quality of EDC folding set vary quite a lot from rubish to usable. But use an EDC one only if you haven't bring your regular ones with you. But you're right: you learn most from normal quality picks (like the standard hook). Also here there is quite a range of different qualities.
For a beginner buy a really small cheap set of standard picks and spanners from China but afterwards (if you like it) buy a good set from one of the big companies. I prefer my Multipicks: good quality but expensive and worth the extra buck.
Realistically, a self built edc kit of a couple tensioners & hooks is enough for most... Its also the smallest/ lightest/ cheapest option.
I'm fine with tools with handles, but you still got to have skin on the bare metal pick to pick properly. I like longer picks that can be used on all types.
I love the debit card lock pick set. Very good to keep in a wallet and edc in case you lock yourself out of your house or need it for whatever reason. Ir was my first lockpick set i ever got when i was 12. I lost it a long time ago and havent picked locks in awhile but need a new house key so i decided to buy a amazon lockpick set that came with the debit card one.
I am completely new to picking hobby, but as I am developing arthritis in my lower legs I figured that there may be some heath benefits in learning to develop my dexterity while taking it easy on my hands and fingers. I jumped on the tubular pick sets first off - hoping to test them out on whichever pay phones I may encounter that still survive in the wild.
To my surprise, as I am now constantly surveying any locks that I encounter - from vending machines, to coin operated laundry machines, to video arcade machines - basically all the places where I’d expect to find a tubular style lock - they have special warded locks or other more exotic types of keyways and so I am really now on a mission to just learn all I can about tubular locks while collecting old examples of them as well.
I am retired now. But I picked a lot of locks as a crime scene investigator. Most cops and investigators then, and many still today, used or still use brute force to get into cars, buildings, or containers such as luggage or lock boxes. I tried to be more considerate and less destructive when possible.
I lucked out and my first set of picks were good quality. But since then I have come across a lot of cheap picks. I would recommend new pickers try to avoid cheap picks with burrs. They stick in the locks making them almost impossible to use. If you end up with some take the time to buff them off and remove the burrs so they have smooth surfaces and edges. Just be sure you don't overdo it.
You’ve saved many people wasting their time and money. An antidote to the power of advertising.
1:48 I think it's still a good idea to do the arts and crafts project of making a padlock shim out of a coke can. I agree that buying actual shims is silly but it was a great project to make one out of a soda can. You get the 2 for one special of doing a weird craft project and actually getting some result out of your handiwork. Sure it's not going to teach you much about picking but it's something that's great to do once
It is fun
Unfortunately I made about 9 out of the 10 mistakes mentioned and it can really kill confidence
yeah, its a bit of a right of passage though for a new hobby I guess !
Great information!!!
Way more fun to be had with the basic tools.
Stay safe my friend
🐾🐈🐾🐈⬛😷🇬🇧👏👏👏👏👏
You too Chris!
i know you will probably not see this but i bought was a broken key extractor. I've been using it for about 6 months and just saw this video. The thing is im actually able to pick locks with it for a good amount of time.
P.S. just saw your vid about beginner lockpicks and bought myself a tuxedo set from Sparrow. Thx for alerting me about this haha
My first set was the night school tuxedo edition from sparrows, never regretted it.
Good set!
Definitely guilty of several of them. Esspecially since I’m still a beginner. But I tend to look at them as learning experiences. Still a lot to learn😅
Had to UA-cam how to reset my master lock code and now you have me looking at purchasing a clear lock with a kit you recommend. Great videos seriously interesting
Thanks 😊
Nicely said Ash,ì did buy a few of theses when ì first started. Pay attention new lock pickers, ì wish ì had seen something like this when ì first started picking.
He's 100% right on all of these got duped into buying just the 7.8mm tubular lock pick (AKA not trying to pay two bucks a load of laundry) doesn't even fit in any tubular lock I've come across. Got a deal on a big set of comb pics for $8 was barely able to open one of my brass locks. I did start out with the credit card pick set but again is because I got two sets of them for $5. A couple days after playing around with them I purchased cover instruments Genesis set. It's very nice quality pics but I'm not nearly experienced enough to rrake most locks open and they are big pics at.025 so my cheap credit card pics are great for smaller key ways. It's actually messed up now that I think of it I've picked more locks with those cheap credit card sets than I have with the genesis
Yup, I have almost all of these.
Not a regret, per se, but I picked up a set of thin 0.015 picks as my first set. No doubt handy, but most of the locks I've picked have been better off with thicker 0.020 or 0.025 picks. Not really had much need for the thin set!
I bought 3 or 4 cheap kits off of Amazon when I was first learning. They didn't really do me any good until I finally bought my first decent kit, a Southord PSX-14. I should have just bought the Southord kit first and saved myself a ton of frustration! Lol! My pick game really started to come together when I got the Sparrow's Monstrum XL kit. In fact, it's been a couple years now and I still use parts of that Monstrum kit! In summary, if you spend a little more and get a decent kit up front, you will learn a lot faster and probably enjoy the hobby more!
Really good advice. Had padlock shims used once. Combs 👎. Etc.
Remember buying a Southord pick gun before i learnt how to rake locks ,never used one since. 👍
Yup all been there!
So far ive bought one kit and made a couple picks. No regrets yet.
Great!
I should have watched this video a year ago. However, some of these kits that only frustrated me as I was just diving into picking (I've been discovering a myriad of bypasses since I was a tiny little fellow in various foster homes and such) are now starting to at least be useful once in a while.
I get key extractor set as a gift, but one of them is rake shaped at tip, which allow me to open clear padlock, and one or two "real" ones :) It's amazing how many poor locks are used, susceptible to novice rake.
I bought two Sparrow sets with some practice locks. I’m new to picking and still learning. The Tuxedo I carry with me to practice away from home if I have time. I have the Vorax set at home since me and my son are giving lock picking a try. I figure a lock pick set is a valuable thing to have around. Even if you never take it further than a basic hobby. I don’t tend to buy cheaper stuff as they never last. These should last. Buy once cry once. But I see no need to spend money on all the things you listed in the video.
Hi Ash, Looks like you hit all the major ones! I would add one last thing for new pickers to avoid and that's NOT to have to many pints as their picking. Of course once they become much better (such as yourself) it's fine to get sloshed as it makes it all the more challenging! lol
I got my first Amazon kit today and i'm loving it so far. funny thing is, my kit came with that James bond case kit..lol. i tossed it in the trash
The credit card picks, the plastic disc-detainer lock and accompanying pick (neither of which turned out to be useable), a weird set of curved pieces of metal called the “master switch” which only work on certain sizes and types of padlocks, a poor quality version of those jack-knife lockpick sets... I have loads of things that I thought looked cool and just didn’t turn out to be very useful. But at least those experiences made me very wary of the kinds of gimmicky junk you can find. It’s not that I stopped buying that stuff, but at least now I know what I’m in for... 😋
Yeah, we are all guilty!
I got a set off Amazon that works decently well, but being new and inexperienced, I bent the picks applying far too much tension and not knowing where to put my pick. I think I even had it angled against the keyway because I don't know where I need to rest the pick (or if I need a different tension wrench to use as a base). Regardless, 100% my own fault, and I have a genesis set from the Lock Picking Lawyer coming in, which I will be more gentle with.
Jiggler keys for pin tumbler locks they just aren't very useful and they're not cheap. I also wouldn't recommend getting a big pick kit to start with you're most likely only going to end up using a few of them. A low hook, medium hook, half diamonds, deforest diamond and a few tension wrenches are enough to get started if you want to learn how to single pin pick. Oh and at least here in the USA make sure they are .025" (.023" if you're buying a deforest diamond from Southord) thick because thinner ones are going to bend or snap and thicker ones will get stuck.
Yeas tumbler jigger keys, I agree!
No 11. Falle Pick set .
If a new picker do not go in search and buy these for kudos. They are all double ended curves and some are really thin, you will break them. The tension wrenches are also completely different from the normal ones. I like picking with curve picks, but I use the Storm curve picks. I have used the Falles on several occasions, but not a lot as I don't want to break one and ruin the set.
They are more like a display set now.
I don't know why there are dislikes on this video that is some solid advice that will save people money.
My advice, start off with a cheap set like the Goso's to see if you have an aptitude for it and then progress as you learn how to tension properly and about pick pressure. Most newcomers over tension and have to apply a lot of pick pressure, this equals broken picks. That's my 2 cents.
I have a multitude of pick sets but my picks of choice are still the second set I ever bought. The Southord slimlines.
Agreed
Excellent video, thanks for sharing.
One thought on the cruciform lock picks though... has anyone ever come across one of those IRL in the UK ever? I've bought a tubular lock pick set (and it was terrible, I sent it back for a refund) because they're ubiquitous; never has it occurred to me to think that a 4-way pick might come in handy.
Tremendously helpful you just saved me a lot of time,frustration ,and money
Very good advice, but a bit late for me 😂. I bought some padlock shims and although they work it's quicker to rake those locks or in the case of some smaller padlocks just tension and stick short hook upside down in the keyway, or even a paper clip. The combs I have only open one lock out of my growing collection of 50+. I did buy a set of Sparrows SSDeV Hooks about £15 and they are a great selection 3 picks. Thanks again Lock Noob.
I kind of disagree with the shims and comb picks; the kinds of people who go for those are more interested in straight-up SERE practice, so of course it wouldn't be as useful for people who are strictly interested in lockpicking
I started with a Peterson Eagle nest set, but for a European it's a to thick (0.025) set unless you have for example a sparrows training lock (fortunately I included a cut away lock). Great picks and durable, only the thickness was a con for me. I've added now some 0.015 and 0.018 pick to challenge myself to pick euro cylinders.
This is a great video, thank you for your advice.
I think SPP is very fun and satisfying, I personally don't see a point in anything else (just my opinion) I'm not a locksmith or thief so I don't think I need most of the things in your video anyway.
I thought I was going to be 0/10 until item number 8 came up. I am actually sitting here waiting for the delivery guy to arrive. I bought exactly the same set. The one with both front tensioned and rear tensioned disc detainer picks. Oh well at least one of them is useful.
Well, you can mod the rear one to be useful, but it takes a little knowledge
@@LockNoob maybe in time. When I get the confidence to take dremels and the like to my picks.
Wow I wasn't really expecting to get a reply from you man. One of my youtube heroes replying on my comment.. you just made my day. Thanks a bunch.
Believe it or not after getting many sparrow and peterson. And still not having alot of successful spp , the "onemayship" china 40 piece kit from walmart with the gray handles have actually made the biggest difference for me. There is 2 pics in that kit that has helped me open many more locks, i havent cleandd them up either. Both are short hooks with odd shaped end. But goes to show name brand more expensive picks dont always help everyone. Sometimes a cheapo works better
rake sets. I walked into the hobby thinking that more, and better rakes would help open more locks, especially with my limited skill level. I soon after went and purchased pin picking sets, because rakes have limited usage.
Yes, rakes are a good low skill attack, but they don't work with more locks than they do, and if you don't have much for pin picking, then you're out of luck.
I like rakes personally, and I have seen some superb lock pickers uses rakes in ways I never could skill wise
@@LockNoob oh, I like rakes too, and yeah, there's a skill to do more than a simple 'that randomly hitting pins to see if it opens ' that most do, but looking back, I would have started with at least more pin pickers than I did rakes.
Couldn't agree more sir! Hopefully some newbies will listen, and save their money, very useful video 👍👍
Thanks 👍😀
The Goso should have an honorable mention. Dont buy Goso! There i mentioned it. Great vid as always Ash.
Good fun for an intermediate picker though
I wasn't aware of these pin tumbler jigglers. I'd avoid them even now , they seem to brittle , that sneezing could break them. They should work like L rake aka city rake that never worked for me. However , I might try them now. :)
They are sort of fun.... but not for noobs!
The credit card set was my first one and while it's not really good, I have a weak spot for it. It saddens me a bit to see it on such a list.
I just bought one of those, purely because it was on offer on wish and it only cost £2. It is not great.
@@graemeo3440 No, it's definitely not great. But it gets you into some weak locks easily and with tons of practice, even into some better locks.
I do have a soft spot for them... but i cant recommend to a new picker
Great video and review of a lot of tools, also just an overall good view of several different types of locks for beginners like myself. Cheers from Canada.
Thanks 😀👍
Good advices. However shims are useful tools in every scenario. It's not technically picking or lock sports but it's a viable way to open locks. Learn their limitations and keep spares (they break - they have a limited life time - that's how they work). Get shims and understand their limitations. Don't use locks you can shim, anyone can shim them.
The same goes for locks that can be "knifed" or locks prone to "driver-tools" attacks. Get the tools and avoid locks that fall for them.
Most of these are super useful. I just wouldn't recommend to a new picker
@@LockNoob Yeah, I think I know what you mean. But a lock that can be shimmed doesn't need picking. A valuable lesson to learn.
Yes, I too wasted money on some of these and a couple of others not mentioned. I got some bad Chinese pad lock shims that were too large and too thick to use on anything I have ever seen. A cheap set of comb picks that did not have even one four pin comb, and as you mentioned, they were too huge and thick to get into any locks. I was most pissed that there was no four pin comb.
I bought a set of great looking Z style tensioners that were tiny, tiny little things, that looked larger in the photo. I bought the same key extractor set. I knew what it was and I have actually been able to use it once. I will probably never need it again.
Now I only buy stuff from Sparrows, Peterson's, and other well established western companies. No more Chinesium. Yes, some good stuff comes from China but most of it is not worth any of yer money.
Lol sparrow is made in China lol
Jackknife lockpicks, Sparrows Mace set. Gimmicky and just not good to learn lockpicking on.
On the other hand: TOK Tensioners, Sparrows Worm rake and Peterson #1 and #7 hooks. My everyday setup nowadays pretty much consists of the Peterson hooks, the Sparrows rake, .05 and .04 TOK tensioners and one or two wiper blade insert tensioners.
It‘s a shame that I don‘t have a use for my other stuff rn but maybe that‘ll change at some point in the future
I think that jackknife sets, if good can be a nice EDC
@@LockNoob Well...I can open some waferlocks with mine..but the feedback is not great
I am so happy
I picked my first lock while watching this video😇😇😇
Well done
New! 175 piece lock pick kit !!
162 are key extractors no doubt.
Kinda missing the Gosso Kit and its ilk in the video...
Have one that doesn't say 'Gosso' on the handles, but i'm pretty confident that it's the same. They don't even fit in any keyway i have around, so i guess it's safe to say that they're just not worth getting. (To my credit: They were thrown on top of some other item i was was buying, so my regret is a bit dampened here. The degree of uselessness is still amazing though...)
*Multipick Kronos*
Yes, it most certainly works very well, but I already avoid using rakes because they feel like "cheating" to me.
Needless to say, the fancy Kronos still sits in it's box pretty much unused...
I've got the Kronos kit I love it,
@@KnugenMooMoo It's a really good piece of kit for sure! It's just that it doesn't appeal to me. Might have to sell it on some day, cause it might as well be used and enjoyed by someone else in the hobby.
It makes a nice talking piece too
Great tool - not for a new lock picker - I agree!
A brand new picker should probably start with something small but of good quality, such as the Kick Start set from Sparrows, or the ultimate challenge lock and pick set from Learnlockpicking dot com. Ignore the massive, cheap kits on Amazon, they're made of crap metal in styles you'll never use.
I did get the Sparrows disk detainer pick that Bosnian Bill and the Lockpicking Lawyer made, and I got the Covert Companion for Christmas. I also contacted Martin in the UK and got one of those lovely slide-out pick sets that Lock Noob showed on his channel. (Thanks, Lock Noob!)
You're welcome!
I use the goso tubular picks for work I fix snack/vending machines there great for when customers lose keys or the pins wear from being filled 3x daily
I've only tried the lock shims a couple of times, and was unsuccessful. The shims seemed too thick. I also got a set of forks. They work on my clear, practice locks. LOL
I got a standard beginner Pickset as a Present from my Brother, but i wouldn't recommand this type of Pickset, because the handle of this are often made from pastic in a way it is realy hard to feel whyle picking. Instead i peronaly would recommand going with some good pickset, even it is more expensive. Also often are this chaeper picksets thicker, so it is more difficult to fit them into a lock.
I made the mistake of buying the credit card set and the only pick that is of any use is the city rake and even then I had to modify it by attaching it to a handle so it would be easier to hold...
Lol I did exactly the same thing. The city rake was quite effective but sore on the fingers. I got an old stainless steel pair of tweezers and drilled through and attached the rake between the prongs. Its still in my kit and great for padlocks.
I brought my kit from ebay Costing £24.99. 17 pieces and two transparent locks. Can't fault it as a beginner. Has got me into various different pad locks.
Hello. If beginners are looking for a quality picks kit for not too expensive I recommend the Southford PXS-14 kit