Fun fact: LPL has actually given the full details on what EVO 1 will be: A short hook, medium hook, deep hook, quad rake, and quint rake all in 25 thou! In other words, basically the Genesis profiles plus a deep hook!
Also for those who may be anticipating some sticker shock when the Apex line finally drops, remember: The Apex line is probably going to be CI's take on the Big Tim pick set. The Reaper and Echelon will still be around for Tim and Timothy, and the Genesis and FNG will be there for Little Timmy!
@@sandman_locksport 🤣 The difference between New Zealand and Australia is that one beats the England at rugby and the other cricket! 🙂 Thanks for the review, for the record I trust your opinions. 💜 FYI the Scimitar is my go-to pick.... love it!
Just found your channel, So glad it popped up .. Sounds very interesting, you and the subject.. Going to CK out your vids and of course New Subscriber today 12/10/24. ✌️ Peace 🙏 from Big Jim New Hampshire USA aka Boston Strong
love covert insturment tools i really wish they would come out with a .015 thousands thick set it would be awsome if they had all the profiles in .025\.020\.015 that way you dont have to piece a set together from a few different companies
Rob Pingor has mentioned that making 15 thou tools is on CI's to-do list! The big concern he has, however, is the number of complaints they'll receive from inexperienced locksporters who'll inevitably end up bending or breaking them.
We know Sandman. Dont even worry about it. We trust you, i do atleast. I like LockNoob and watches his reviews too but he is so kind and just says everything is nice and good. 😊 I like your more dramatic style. Your detail and tiers are great, comparisons too. CI’s shipping to Sweden is very high so i’ve been saving up for a bigger order. It’s probably time to make the order when these come out. I’m a purple belter now ☺️. Just started DD-picking. I hate that i cant order JimyLongs here :-/. I am a real Jimmy so i feel i should have them.
Love the handle design but the cases while cool looking just looks bulky, especially when most likely there will be probably be 3-4 add ons to this collection over time. With that said its cool they kinda used the scimitar design on the one pick
Excellent review of what appears to be an excellent product. I was thinking about upgrading my set completely and I think I would go with this if it comes out in a timely manner
I really like the style and the materials of the picks, the boxes look great too. Not so keen on that rubbery folding case. Looking forward to what innovations are introduced for the circular case port on the back. I suspect price will be north of $100 not $70.
I'm 44yrs old, and I've had a small hpc set, that was very difficult to aquire at the time, since I was 12yrs old. (1992) Well, technically, the original set was stolen, and replaced, (identical set, much easier to get), around 2010. Never a broken pick, and heavily used. When i discovered Bosnian Bill, i was enamored, and soon "upgraded" to a Peterson, Ken's pick set. I hated them, from the 1st day. The only thing that i still use, and still love, is the leather case. I bought some leather from a craft store, and the tooling to stitch it. I've made an identical case, and for roughly 25% of the cost.
@@jonmcdonald6374 HPC was my first as well. 1095HC in .021”. It’s complete garbage compared to the tools available today. Give covert and Jimy longs or multipick a try.
Hey Sandman thanks for the review i'm looking forward for the apex to be avaible I just think there's one problem : I think the southpaw turners for lefty pickers like me wont fit in and i'm very disappointed of that
I would love to see someone (like 44delta) make a similar concept that fits with Jimmy Longs or Mokis. Conceptually this is badass. But, man, I love my JL and Moki picks.
The picks look cool and all, but I LOVE that case!!! I they sell more varieties that'll work with a wide range of picks since I like to make a set from parts of several other sets, but that set does seem pretty well rounded.
😮😮😮 i saw in the live chat Sandman called people who like DeForest Diamonds Autists! I stand diagnosed 😂 Ahh well, kit and presentation look great and are nicely planned out. Tbh if I could select the profiles (and CI will probably allow this), i'd go for something like 3 x 0.5mm hooks (short, medium, deep), 3 x 0.4mm hooks (short, medium, deep), a bogota, 1 hybrid pick, a DeForest Diamond (autists represent), and a medium gem. I think l'll get around to buying these though, and thanks for the review 🙏
Would people not recommend Sparrows? I've been looking at their ranger case and Monkey Paw set with some odds and ends I feel like trying. They aren't on the cheap end price wise so I'm wondering if I should just get the case and some practice locks from Sparrows and wait for this kit or buy Multipick.
I recommend buying a few picks from various manufacturers and see which ones you like the best. I am a fan of both Covert Instruments and Sparrows, with most of my stuff coming from those two. For SPP the monkey paw is my go to. If money is a concern maybe you should wait for this set. If you can afford two sets buy one form each.
I might have to look into an EVO1 set if it's going to have what @Thesnakerox says its going to have! I've been really happy with Covert Instruments wares that I have picked up so far. Some don't really resonate with me like the Riv Pick, etc. But I certainly can't fault the quality even in the stuff that isn't my preference. The one thing about any of this that I don't like is the rubber gasket/surround for the case. And more specifically that it won't hinge open and lay flat. If It were using something like say an LTT Screwdriver set where the halves hinge and are even removable from one another in addition to laying flat I think i'd love it more. But that's not enough of a detractor to keep me from picking one of these sets up once available.
For you experienced folks, while the thicker plastic molded handles are probably more comfortable, do you find that you lose the 'feel' of very light pin movement or clicking that you get with a steel handled pick ?
Great review sandman ❤ From the heart w the facts 💯 ,I do love the new apex picks ,can't wait to try the Evo 3 and grab some reaper wrenches lol to boot 😊LPL says few months or so and we can get them solo 😉
Compared to the other tier 1 companies that use 301 high yield, what makes these the best? Is it the combination of the stiff injection molded handles with highly polished steel?
@@sandman_locksport Oh! So as a set, tensioners, picks and case. Together this is a great package :) I'd be happy to see your current preferences for individual picks and tensioners. Maybe not current and to wait for the entire apex line to be released ;)
@@joedhoe I personally use 98% multipick, and the rest is Jimy Longs with a couple covert ergo tensioners. I prefer multipick everything I use, and Jimy longs for picks, but that’s subjective. Objectively this is the most well thought out complete set on the market. It’s a good set.
Get the CI practice mortise lock. You can easily progressively pick that lock by adding or removing pins from the set screws above each pinstack. It's good because you don't need a pin follower to remove the plug each time when you want to repin it.
@sandman_locksport I remember the katanas that had handles that hid throwing knives and ninja stars lol. Oh man I always got excited when dad brought the newest catalog home. And yeah around 12 sound about right. Grade 6 in military housing lol
@sandman_locksport God bless you dude!!! It was a random place but it was the best place I knew LOL also wish I had a thought to invested here sooner but I literally just commented elsewhere asking where do I find educational resources / locksport community I actually meant to ask you that as well in the comment of one of your videos but I've got a little bit of brain damage you're dealing with an old sapper here LOL I don't internet well, but it again thank you I'll be there as soon as I figure out how to have a discord LOL Edit: like I've googled the s*** out of it asked AI YT vids etc and I just wanted to know if it's the practice lock or if it's me I'm pretty sure it's me lol the only example of an unshielded I know is the cutaway 1100 from CI and I know that the inside of that practice log does not look like that but then I didn't know if I could get a hold of the pins at the top it doesn't appear that I can I think maybe it might be a little bit of the lock and me LOL I was desperate for confirmation cuz I can't give up on a thing once I start even if it results in a broken bypass driver 😆 I didn't break it but it was headed there lol so I bought an 1100 but turns out the driver doesn't work on the newer ones apparently.
@@ricksanchez3204 to my knowledge, shielded just means that you can’t insert a tool to access the actuator that releases the locking paw of a shackle within a padlock. In other words, it has a shield. It’s only applicable for anti bypass purposes. And they make tools that allow you to punch a hole into the shield so you can still bypass the lock. But you’re not gonna find a lot of information on that in Locksport because it’s quicker and easier to just pick the lock. And there’s not exactly a book that tells you what locks have shields and what locks don’t. Even locks that do have shields like 1100s, only 35% of them have shields. Thank you for your service. I’ve always looked up to Sappers. I’ve always wanted to blow crap up.
@@sandman_locksport hey thank you it is fun but.. I've always wanted to be a marine lol fr tho my first choice but there was some "school credits" stuff long story short.. army it was lol I'm sorry for the late reply I never got a notification for this one and just by happenstance saw it now. Anyway you have a great day my friend and thank you for your time and what you put into your content it has helped me IMMENSELY!
I'm brand new here today . Anyone please explain, what kind of locks are these for ? Auto, Home ? Would this be a good kit as my first one to practice with to maybe eventually master ? TY, Have a Safe Blessed Day. Big Jim New Hampshire USA aka Boston Strong
@@millbean13 Kokomo showed up a year ago, on discord to say hello, he’s still a locksmith but for a hospital or institution. Bosnian bill is just enjoying retirement. Kokomo was the guy that told me about Locksport. I had been picking locks for 3 years but didn’t know it was a hobby or had a community. He gave me his number and told me all about it and here I am 15 years later
Anyone giving a glowing review of something is basically guaranteed to be accused of being a shill, and there's a weird little contingent of dedicated CI haters who still recommend Sparrows. I've been really grateful for your reviews! I've got a set of Law Lock tools based on your recommendation in the subreddit. I've really appreciated your explanations of how you evaluate products, the guidelines on who products are best for, and market comparisons immensely. I'm really excited for the new rollouts from CI, and I'm glad to hear it's gonna be a top tier line!
I kinda feel bad for Sparrows. They were my favorite for awhile until 2022 when I got my CI tools. Sparrows just hasn't bothered to *update* their tools beyond what they've always been.
@sandman_locksport I think they're just OK. I found them to be more comfortable and more durable than Peterson (whom IMO is the worst branded tools) but they just haven't made their most basic tools any better over the years. And I think a lot of their stuff would be better if they just tweaked em a bit.
@@iyeetsecurity922 manufacturers are not lockpickers. except jimy and moki and covert. therefor innovation will only come from those 3 companies moving forward in my opinion. multipick is the best company for listening to their pickers that consult for them, but they have limitations like all companies do. of all the companies, multipick takes critisism and consultation the best. the rest have confirmation bias and want to move forward with their own opinions. multipick is the only company that actually listens to my consultation and moves forward with it. the others hear me but dont do anything. some dont even listen, they just pretend to.
That was an excellent review! I can’t wait to get my hands on those. And you getting that off of your chest at the beginning was well done. It’s too bad that you even had to do that, but not everyone knows about your past lock picking experience and that you are a wealth of locksport knowledge. I tell all of these newbies that buy my lock bundles that your product reviews are the best, hands down, because there is no one else that is as honest and thorough as you.
That's pretty much what I felt, Apex was going to become my go-to set(s). It was just a strong hunch, based on what little I knew. I have a fairly large collection of picks already (nothing like yours) but moaaaar is always good. These are the true Peterson killers. It's just evolution. Oh also, you can tell the polish on the Apex is superior because in the video, you get a fair amount more light glare in the camera from it than the JL produces.
I have the "Genesis" set from that former company but don't pick enough to know the difference. I have made several orders from that former company as well as from Covert Instruments. I have had just as many Made in China stickers on CI tools as Sparrows. lol I like any case that allows you to take out a tool without all the others either coming out or the other tools falling out of place and having to move them back in order to get the used tool back in. LPL has done a lot to bring new pickers to the table. Thanks for the review.
I began as a covert entry specialist and SWAT commander, I learned picking and bypassing from as many state and federal schools as I could fit in the budget. I served as a fighter pilot, then eventually an airline pilot, and I had so much free time once I had seniority that I added law enforcement back onto my plate (I had served as a deputy sheriff in my youth) and I discovered lock picking. Eventually I left law enforcement and I discovered Locksport. I've been active since 2008 in Locksport, I was a SWAT covert entry specialist from 1999 to 2007. I did indeed read, and learn a great deal from, this man's articles in Art of Lock picking. I don't know where he's getting the hate, but it is undeserved. I don't necessarily agree that this is the best kit on the market, I do think it's a good kit, but I know of three kits, - yes, one from Sparrows- that I feel are as complete. To each his own I am surprised to find he is in Austin, I'm only a couple of hours south of him. Small world.
@@preacherF-15 thank you for the kind words. My contention is as follows. the tools you used 20 years ago are crap compared to these tools. Or any tools produced today. I can promise you that. There are 30 brands on the market today, only eight of them use the 301HY tool steel found in this set which wasn’t used on the market until 2016. This is the most complete set of tensioners you can find on the market, and because of its modularity, it will be considered the most complete set of tools available on the market. Thank you for your service, however the covert instructors you learned from know half of what the average locksporter knows today. The world has moved on from what was taught to SWAT and military 30 years ago. The average lock picker can pick high security locks that were deemed unpickable just 15 years ago by your swat instructors. I know plenty of covert instructors today that specialize in teaching military and law enforcement, and they still suck at lockpicking and they refuse to understand the bigger picture of what tools are best in the market. They are all convinced their “favorite” brand is the best brand, instead of becoming a great lockpicker, and collecting everything and finding out what actually is the best. If you think sparrows is even a decent set of tools, you don’t know as much as you think you do and we don’t have anything in common. The best lockpickers in the world don’t use sparrows. If you can’t name even one of the top 10 Lockpickers in the world, then you don’t understand Locksport or its tools as well as you like to think. It’s like saying you know how to shoot because you learned how to shoot in the academy. I am a law enforcement academy graduate as well and I was out shooting all of my instructors. Not because I’m better. But because they just sucked and they didn’t have the proper training, skills, experience, or equipment to out shoot me. I was only a former Marine but I had qualified expert marksman 3 times over and my father was a nationally ranked competitive shooter. I had more to bring to the table by way of experience and acquired skill than ALL of their institutional knowledge put together. The same goes for Locksport and anything else. None of that was meant to be a slight on you. I’m sure you’re a very excellent lock picker. The slight is against the institutional instructors that claimed to know everything because they are put in the position of authority to teach covert entry. I have never met one that actually knew anything about Locksport at all. They are all dismissive of it. It’s no different than the martial arts taught in the academies. It’s just enough to get you killed. And the instructors are not world champions, and they couldn’t name the top 10 world champions in any given martial art. They only know enough to get their asses kicked by somebody that takes it seriously. Again, thank you for your service.
@@Type-IIx no, it doesn’t matter. there is not a single video or post proving a magnetized pick will effect lockpicking, not in 18 years. All picks are made of steel, therefore most will have some magnetic properties to them. All sparrows tools stick to my magnet on my closet door. Your fine. When you pick a lock, you are binding the pins with a force greater than what can be effected with magnetism. There. Your argument is moot. It’s a waste energy to even worry about.
@@sandman_locksportagreed, having picked multiple locks with sidebars, hardened steel pins and even locks with magnets in the pin chambers it has no impact on picking. At the absolute worse your pick may stick to a spring when the lock is gutted but during picking there will be no issues.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Fun fact: LPL has actually given the full details on what EVO 1 will be: A short hook, medium hook, deep hook, quad rake, and quint rake all in 25 thou! In other words, basically the Genesis profiles plus a deep hook!
Also for those who may be anticipating some sticker shock when the Apex line finally drops, remember: The Apex line is probably going to be CI's take on the Big Tim pick set. The Reaper and Echelon will still be around for Tim and Timothy, and the Genesis and FNG will be there for Little Timmy!
@@Thesnakerox I might have to put on the Big Tim pants for this one.
Excellent review and for me to watch a 43 minute video without skipping anything is very rare.
It's great to see the case holding your valuable tools nice and secure. Such a great design!
Wow, you've already got me thinking about CI's 2025 Black Friday Sale. Thanks for the review.
That profile at around 22:55 looks very similar to the Law Lock Tools Scimitar (4th from left, first compartment).
@@tipenengapuhi thanks. I also said you were from Australia and then realized New Zealand 🇳🇿 after the fact.
@@sandman_locksport 🤣 The difference between New Zealand and Australia is that one beats the England at rugby and the other cricket! 🙂 Thanks for the review, for the record I trust your opinions. 💜 FYI the Scimitar is my go-to pick.... love it!
@@TequilaDave I trust your designs!
@@sandman_locksportYep I'm from New Zealand.
@@sandman_locksport My designs?!? The only things I've been creating recently is because I've just got into cuffs! 🙂
thanks for the preview Sandman!
Thanks for The review, I think that's another set what I want to have.
Who knows, maybe this construction will work for me too
Just found your channel, So glad it popped up .. Sounds very interesting, you and the subject.. Going to CK out your vids and of course New Subscriber today 12/10/24. ✌️ Peace 🙏 from Big Jim New Hampshire USA aka Boston Strong
love covert insturment tools i really wish they would come out with a .015 thousands thick set it would be awsome if they had all the profiles in .025\.020\.015 that way you dont have to piece a set together from a few different companies
Try getting a set of Jimmy longs .015” , hard to get before they sell out, but they are out there.
Rob Pingor has mentioned that making 15 thou tools is on CI's to-do list! The big concern he has, however, is the number of complaints they'll receive from inexperienced locksporters who'll inevitably end up bending or breaking them.
Mctickler with a proper handle thats going to be fun
We know Sandman. Dont even worry about it. We trust you, i do atleast.
I like LockNoob and watches his reviews too but he is so kind and just says everything is nice and good. 😊
I like your more dramatic style. Your detail and tiers are great, comparisons too.
CI’s shipping to Sweden is very high so i’ve been saving up for a bigger order. It’s probably time to make the order when these come out.
I’m a purple belter now ☺️. Just started DD-picking.
I hate that i cant order JimyLongs here :-/. I am a real Jimmy so i feel i should have them.
@@JimmyHagerstrom there can be only one Jimmy 😆
Love the handle design but the cases while cool looking just looks bulky, especially when most likely there will be probably be 3-4 add ons to this collection over time. With that said its cool they kinda used the scimitar design on the one pick
Excellent review of what appears to be an excellent product. I was thinking about upgrading my set completely and I think I would go with this if it comes out in a timely manner
I really like the style and the materials of the picks, the boxes look great too. Not so keen on that rubbery folding case. Looking forward to what innovations are introduced for the circular case port on the back. I suspect price will be north of $100 not $70.
This looks like it would fit perfectly in the pouches on my Crossfire DZ rig
These look great! I'm always a fan of modular stuff.
I'm 44yrs old, and I've had a small hpc set, that was very difficult to aquire at the time, since I was 12yrs old. (1992) Well, technically, the original set was stolen, and replaced, (identical set, much easier to get), around 2010. Never a broken pick, and heavily used. When i discovered Bosnian Bill, i was enamored, and soon "upgraded" to a Peterson, Ken's pick set. I hated them, from the 1st day. The only thing that i still use, and still love, is the leather case. I bought some leather from a craft store, and the tooling to stitch it. I've made an identical case, and for roughly 25% of the cost.
@@jonmcdonald6374 HPC was my first as well. 1095HC in .021”. It’s complete garbage compared to the tools available today. Give covert and Jimy longs or multipick a try.
I was wonder if the STL files will be avalable for the cases. You could practically expand your set easily if you had a printer at home.
Hey Sandman thanks for the review i'm looking forward for the apex to be avaible I just think there's one problem : I think the southpaw turners for lefty pickers like me wont fit in and i'm very disappointed of that
@Romain408 maybe they will sell a south paw case just for that purpose
I hope
Very nice review! These look awesome and your opinion counts a lot for me! Thanks for doing this!
I'd like to see the rubber part of the case gone and by using magnets the trays stick together or on a metal underground.
Excellent review!!!👍
I would love to see someone (like 44delta) make a similar concept that fits with Jimmy Longs or Mokis. Conceptually this is badass. But, man, I love my JL and Moki picks.
The picks look cool and all, but I LOVE that case!!!
I they sell more varieties that'll work with a wide range of picks since I like to make a set from parts of several other sets, but that set does seem pretty well rounded.
The reaper set tension tools are completely awesome
Bro they take things to a whole other level. Both the TOKs and BOKs are so well designed. The picks themselves are killer!
I'm watching this and absolutely lamenting what these sets are going to do to my wallet...
😮😮😮 i saw in the live chat Sandman called people who like DeForest Diamonds Autists! I stand diagnosed 😂
Ahh well, kit and presentation look great and are nicely planned out.
Tbh if I could select the profiles (and CI will probably allow this), i'd go for something like 3 x 0.5mm hooks (short, medium, deep), 3 x 0.4mm hooks (short, medium, deep), a bogota, 1 hybrid pick, a DeForest Diamond (autists represent), and a medium gem.
I think l'll get around to buying these though, and thanks for the review 🙏
Would people not recommend Sparrows? I've been looking at their ranger case and Monkey Paw set with some odds and ends I feel like trying. They aren't on the cheap end price wise so I'm wondering if I should just get the case and some practice locks from Sparrows and wait for this kit or buy Multipick.
@@DavidH373 I don’t recommend sparrows. My recommendations are on my channel
I recommend buying a few picks from various manufacturers and see which ones you like the best. I am a fan of both Covert Instruments and Sparrows, with most of my stuff coming from those two. For SPP the monkey paw is my go to. If money is a concern maybe you should wait for this set. If you can afford two sets buy one form each.
@@Robert-fx3ng Money isn’t really a concern if it’s a quality product I use, and I feel like there’s a good chance I will. Especially the case.
I might have to look into an EVO1 set if it's going to have what @Thesnakerox says its going to have! I've been really happy with Covert Instruments wares that I have picked up so far. Some don't really resonate with me like the Riv Pick, etc. But I certainly can't fault the quality even in the stuff that isn't my preference. The one thing about any of this that I don't like is the rubber gasket/surround for the case. And more specifically that it won't hinge open and lay flat. If It were using something like say an LTT Screwdriver set where the halves hinge and are even removable from one another in addition to laying flat I think i'd love it more. But that's not enough of a detractor to keep me from picking one of these sets up once available.
Yet another awesome vid!! Thanks sandman!!
As alway great review! And a very cool intro explaining up front your transparency of your review so the Karen's can put a cork in it from the get go!
For you experienced folks, while the thicker plastic molded handles are probably more comfortable, do you find that you lose the 'feel' of very light pin movement or clicking that you get with a steel handled pick ?
@@hiker64 no
Happy holidays!
Great review sandman ❤
From the heart w the facts 💯 ,I do love the new apex picks ,can't wait to try the Evo 3 and grab some reaper wrenches lol to boot 😊LPL says few months or so and we can get them solo 😉
Compared to the other tier 1 companies that use 301 high yield, what makes these the best? Is it the combination of the stiff injection molded handles with highly polished steel?
@@joedhoe its completeness, that’s all. It has everything you need and nothing will fall out.
@@sandman_locksport Oh! So as a set, tensioners, picks and case. Together this is a great package :) I'd be happy to see your current preferences for individual picks and tensioners. Maybe not current and to wait for the entire apex line to be released ;)
@@joedhoe I personally use 98% multipick, and the rest is Jimy Longs with a couple covert ergo tensioners. I prefer multipick everything I use, and Jimy longs for picks, but that’s subjective. Objectively this is the most well thought out complete set on the market. It’s a good set.
I'm very new to lock picking. I just started last week. What are some good locks to start practicing with? Thanks!
Get the CI practice mortise lock. You can easily progressively pick that lock by adding or removing pins from the set screws above each pinstack. It's good because you don't need a pin follower to remove the plug each time when you want to repin it.
@@JorgeRomero7 Thank you!
Does anyone have an idea of a release date?
Wish they'd hurry up and release these so I can give them my money.
Man... What a schill!!! Lol kidding sign me up, when can I get a set? Great review!!
oh man US Cavalry. I remember that magazine. My dad used to get it... I wonder if it is still around.
@@MekaPaladin I don’t know. It was my favorite when I was 12. BudK came after that.
@sandman_locksport I remember the katanas that had handles that hid throwing knives and ninja stars lol. Oh man I always got excited when dad brought the newest catalog home. And yeah around 12 sound about right. Grade 6 in military housing lol
I looked all over and couldn't find these pics
@@scottdoris1067 because they are not for sale and this is a preview 🤷🏻♂️
Gah! I'm gonna have to wait till my lunch break to watch this 😩
When can we expect this to hit the Market??
@@wingednomad8423 don’t know when.
@6:14 Was it Sparrows that doxed you? If so they should be boycotted because that's not okay!
@@BonaFideWildLife it was Peterson
Any indication as to when these are likely to hit the market?
@@TheFridgenator no idea but could be in a couple days or a week
No date yet.. Lockpicking Lawyer said very soon a few weeks ago, when he featured them in a video.
@@wolfganggrojcig2528I think LPL said early 2025 if they don't drop by the holidays?
Would anyone be kind enough to tell me, is the clear lock from the fng an example of a shielded lock?
@@ricksanchez3204 it’s a random place to ask that question. Just join discord, link is in the video description
@sandman_locksport God bless you dude!!! It was a random place but it was the best place I knew LOL also wish I had a thought to invested here sooner but I literally just commented elsewhere asking where do I find educational resources / locksport community I actually meant to ask you that as well in the comment of one of your videos but I've got a little bit of brain damage you're dealing with an old sapper here LOL I don't internet well, but it again thank you I'll be there as soon as I figure out how to have a discord LOL
Edit: like I've googled the s*** out of it asked AI YT vids etc and I just wanted to know if it's the practice lock or if it's me I'm pretty sure it's me lol the only example of an unshielded I know is the cutaway 1100 from CI and I know that the inside of that practice log does not look like that but then I didn't know if I could get a hold of the pins at the top it doesn't appear that I can I think maybe it might be a little bit of the lock and me LOL I was desperate for confirmation cuz I can't give up on a thing once I start even if it results in a broken bypass driver 😆
I didn't break it but it was headed there lol so I bought an 1100 but turns out the driver doesn't work on the newer ones apparently.
@@ricksanchez3204 to my knowledge, shielded just means that you can’t insert a tool to access the actuator that releases the locking paw of a shackle within a padlock. In other words, it has a shield. It’s only applicable for anti bypass purposes. And they make tools that allow you to punch a hole into the shield so you can still bypass the lock. But you’re not gonna find a lot of information on that in Locksport because it’s quicker and easier to just pick the lock. And there’s not exactly a book that tells you what locks have shields and what locks don’t. Even locks that do have shields like 1100s, only 35% of them have shields.
Thank you for your service. I’ve always looked up to Sappers. I’ve always wanted to blow crap up.
@@sandman_locksport hey thank you it is fun but.. I've always wanted to be a marine lol fr tho my first choice but there was some "school credits" stuff long story short.. army it was lol I'm sorry for the late reply I never got a notification for this one and just by happenstance saw it now. Anyway you have a great day my friend and thank you for your time and what you put into your content it has helped me IMMENSELY!
I'm brand new here today . Anyone please explain, what kind of locks are these for ? Auto, Home ? Would this be a good kit as my first one to practice with to maybe eventually master ? TY, Have a Safe Blessed Day. Big Jim New Hampshire USA aka Boston Strong
@@John-w9m8d any kind of pin tumbler lock found in the world. Door, padlock, etc. Modern vehicle locks use different tools.
I miss bosnianbill and I always wondered what happened to kokomolock.
@@millbean13 Kokomo showed up a year ago, on discord to say hello, he’s still a locksmith but for a hospital or institution. Bosnian bill is just enjoying retirement. Kokomo was the guy that told me about Locksport. I had been picking locks for 3 years but didn’t know it was a hobby or had a community. He gave me his number and told me all about it and here I am 15 years later
ARMY Green??
Guys, please wait to get yours until I get my set please.
Anyone giving a glowing review of something is basically guaranteed to be accused of being a shill, and there's a weird little contingent of dedicated CI haters who still recommend Sparrows.
I've been really grateful for your reviews! I've got a set of Law Lock tools based on your recommendation in the subreddit. I've really appreciated your explanations of how you evaluate products, the guidelines on who products are best for, and market comparisons immensely.
I'm really excited for the new rollouts from CI, and I'm glad to hear it's gonna be a top tier line!
I kinda feel bad for Sparrows. They were my favorite for awhile until 2022 when I got my CI tools. Sparrows just hasn't bothered to *update* their tools beyond what they've always been.
@@iyeetsecurity922 I remember when they started offering the dipped handles in 2011, I thought it was dumb then, it’s still dumb now.
@sandman_locksport I think they're just OK. I found them to be more comfortable and more durable than Peterson (whom IMO is the worst branded tools) but they just haven't made their most basic tools any better over the years. And I think a lot of their stuff would be better if they just tweaked em a bit.
@@iyeetsecurity922 manufacturers are not lockpickers. except jimy and moki and covert. therefor innovation will only come from those 3 companies moving forward in my opinion. multipick is the best company for listening to their pickers that consult for them, but they have limitations like all companies do. of all the companies, multipick takes critisism and consultation the best. the rest have confirmation bias and want to move forward with their own opinions. multipick is the only company that actually listens to my consultation and moves forward with it. the others hear me but dont do anything. some dont even listen, they just pretend to.
That was an excellent review! I can’t wait to get my hands on those. And you getting that off of your chest at the beginning was well done. It’s too bad that you even had to do that, but not everyone knows about your past lock picking experience and that you are a wealth of locksport knowledge. I tell all of these newbies that buy my lock bundles that your product reviews are the best, hands down, because there is no one else that is as honest and thorough as you.
Also, is your Facebook turned off?
That's pretty much what I felt, Apex was going to become my go-to set(s). It was just a strong hunch, based on what little I knew.
I have a fairly large collection of picks already (nothing like yours) but moaaaar is always good.
These are the true Peterson killers. It's just evolution.
Oh also, you can tell the polish on the Apex is superior because in the video, you get a fair amount more light glare in the camera from it than the JL produces.
I have the "Genesis" set from that former company but don't pick enough to know the difference. I have made several orders from that former company as well as from Covert Instruments. I have had just as many Made in China stickers on CI tools as Sparrows. lol I like any case that allows you to take out a tool without all the others either coming out or the other tools falling out of place and having to move them back in order to get the used tool back in. LPL has done a lot to bring new pickers to the table. Thanks for the review.
I began as a covert entry specialist and SWAT commander, I learned picking and bypassing from as many state and federal schools as I could fit in the budget. I served as a fighter pilot, then eventually an airline pilot, and I had so much free time once I had seniority that I added law enforcement back onto my plate (I had served as a deputy sheriff in my youth) and I discovered lock picking. Eventually I left law enforcement and I discovered Locksport. I've been active since 2008 in Locksport, I was a SWAT covert entry specialist from 1999 to 2007.
I did indeed read, and learn a great deal from, this man's articles in Art of Lock picking. I don't know where he's getting the hate, but it is undeserved. I don't necessarily agree that this is the best kit on the market, I do think it's a good kit, but I know of three kits, - yes, one from Sparrows- that I feel are as complete. To each his own
I am surprised to find he is in Austin, I'm only a couple of hours south of him. Small world.
@@preacherF-15 thank you for the kind words. My contention is as follows. the tools you used 20 years ago are crap compared to these tools. Or any tools produced today. I can promise you that. There are 30 brands on the market today, only eight of them use the 301HY tool steel found in this set which wasn’t used on the market until 2016. This is the most complete set of tensioners you can find on the market, and because of its modularity, it will be considered the most complete set of tools available on the market. Thank you for your service, however the covert instructors you learned from know half of what the average locksporter knows today. The world has moved on from what was taught to SWAT and military 30 years ago. The average lock picker can pick high security locks that were deemed unpickable just 15 years ago by your swat instructors. I know plenty of covert instructors today that specialize in teaching military and law enforcement, and they still suck at lockpicking and they refuse to understand the bigger picture of what tools are best in the market. They are all convinced their “favorite” brand is the best brand, instead of becoming a great lockpicker, and collecting everything and finding out what actually is the best. If you think sparrows is even a decent set of tools, you don’t know as much as you think you do and we don’t have anything in common. The best lockpickers in the world don’t use sparrows. If you can’t name even one of the top 10 Lockpickers in the world, then you don’t understand Locksport or its tools as well as you like to think. It’s like saying you know how to shoot because you learned how to shoot in the academy. I am a law enforcement academy graduate as well and I was out shooting all of my instructors. Not because I’m better. But because they just sucked and they didn’t have the proper training, skills, experience, or equipment to out shoot me. I was only a former Marine but I had qualified expert marksman 3 times over and my father was a nationally ranked competitive shooter. I had more to bring to the table by way of experience and acquired skill than ALL of their institutional knowledge put together. The same goes for Locksport and anything else. None of that was meant to be a slight on you. I’m sure you’re a very excellent lock picker. The slight is against the institutional instructors that claimed to know everything because they are put in the position of authority to teach covert entry. I have never met one that actually knew anything about Locksport at all. They are all dismissive of it. It’s no different than the martial arts taught in the academies. It’s just enough to get you killed. And the instructors are not world champions, and they couldn’t name the top 10 world champions in any given martial art. They only know enough to get their asses kicked by somebody that takes it seriously.
Again, thank you for your service.
I just ordered the Echelon and Genesis set today along with the commercial door hook for an extra 10 bucks.
Not a fan of the heavy use of strong magnets on handles and cases due to magnetism transference.
@@Type-IIx most pins are brass so it won’t matter
@@sandman_locksport Most. Until you run into a lock with steel internals like steel sidebar pins and it does.
@@Type-IIx no, it doesn’t matter. there is not a single video or post proving a magnetized pick will effect lockpicking, not in 18 years. All picks are made of steel, therefore most will have some magnetic properties to them. All sparrows tools stick to my magnet on my closet door. Your fine. When you pick a lock, you are binding the pins with a force greater than what can be effected with magnetism. There. Your argument is moot. It’s a waste energy to even worry about.
@@sandman_locksportagreed, having picked multiple locks with sidebars, hardened steel pins and even locks with magnets in the pin chambers it has no impact on picking. At the absolute worse your pick may stick to a spring when the lock is gutted but during picking there will be no issues.
Just don't use your picks on an SDR and you'll be fine.