Would love to see a follow-up that covers some pinning options in order of difficulty. Knowing how to steadily increase difficulty is tough, but seems ideal for keeping motivated. Thanks for this either way!
This is a great idea. I can certainly do this “in general “, but the binding order will be different for each lock I would assume, and maybe with different pin arrangements, which would definitely affect difficulty when spools and serrated pins are involved. Thanks for the food for thought!
@@PickingPrincipals Yes, I just got one of these for Christmas, so "in general" is more than enough to give me stuff to work on for probably the next 6 months at least. Like does it make more sense to learn 6 pin picking or stick with 3 pins but introduce security pins earlier, or what. Obviously, just suggestions, but I'd greatly value your insight.
Just got one of these and couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong cause I don’t have the feel for it yet. Turns out my first pin was long and I kept over setting like like you said. Thanks for this it’s really helpful for getting started.
Awesome. Make sure you go back to that arrangement as you progress though since a lot of locks have no lift or nearly no lift pins in the front for just that reason. Happy picking!
I have this practice lock. It was really nice to get started and learn the basics. I'd recommend getting the Sparrows reload kit to go with it to anyone wanting to get a little more out of it. The reload kit comes with a follower, more pins, springs, the pinning mats, and keys that you can pin the lock to.
That is a great recommendation. I have the Sparrows kit as well, but never bothered crossing over the materials. Do the keys from Sparrows fit in the CI lock?
Thinking of getting that once I've had some time with my CI Practice Lock now! Only thing is, I don't see any standard driver pins in that reload kit--do you know where I could get extras of those should I ever need them?
@@Thesnakeroxyes - the sparrows reload kit should come with 15 standard driver pins and also a bunch of standard key pins. I’ve also seen stuff for sale on Amazon, but it’s quite pricey.
Thank you so much for making this video. I just got it in the mail. It doesn’t come with instructions and I can’t find a video by CI that’s says how to put it together and I don’t want to mess anything up by accident so I’m glad you made this video which has helped countless people by now who search for video likes I did to learn how.
Thank you. My CI video consistently gets the most views, comments, and questions - and it felt really good to do a “how to” video to maybe teach somebody something.
I appreciate your videos so so much. You’re a very good teacher. You explain things by little incremental steps, all the details so we can understand. When I watched the lock picking lawyer he’s like all you have to do is this and this and this then when I try and do it I run into a million problems which is why I started looking elsewhere. His videos might be nice to look at and be like wow but he’s not the best teacher with his very sparse videos. It might cause him to get more views but watching your videos is for people who are serious about learning lock picking. Your videos are like lock picking collage. His videos are like watching TikTok. Thank you for giving to the community all the knowledge you have.
I purchased one of these kits awhile back. Turns out I have been putting the key pins in upside down. I was having a heck of time getting the feel for it. Totally different experience with bevel in first. 5 pins long short long with key pins in upside down makes it a challenge for sure. LOL. I wonder if this is why the rake never seemed to work???
Thanks for the question. I’m not going to contradict black belts entirely as they are way more experienced and knowledgeable than I am in general with regards to locksport, and I can see what they may mean since you only get better at picking different locks by picking different locks - and you’ll never find this one in a door… However, it is one of the very first locks I bought and it simulates a bunch of other locks and is easy to pin and experiment with. It taught me about binding order, security pins, and helped me get better at pinning. It’s hands down a better lock than a bunch of ‘commercial’ locks I own and I think has helped me since I didn’t have a lot of access to a variety of locks and didn’t have the cash to spend on a bunch of different locks either. If it helps you to learn, and gives you some enjoyment, then it can’t be a waste, right? I’ve got a beautiful Master 575 that took me 39 seconds to open, can’t be re-pinned, and cost $45. Which lock is better for my education and a better overall value?
One last thing I guess - you can always turn any rim cylinder (or KiK or a variety of other locks, though they might not lend themselves to it as easily) into a practise lock if you have some tools and some additional pins. In fact, LockChuck did just that and I have his (very similar) lock on my channel just a few videos after this one. I hope it wasn’t too long of an answer. Thanks again.
@@PickingPrincipals Exactly. I bought the Genesis Set from CI and then looked on eBay for some lots of pad locks, they aren’t cheap! This seems way more practical for a total beginner IMO. Thanks for the video. I appreciated it.
Some people might be good at lock picking but they make horrible teachers and aren’t very good with people. I joined FB lock licking groups and some of the people in there are just horrible. They talk crap in plastic learning locks when they helped me so much and taught me how to rake when I only had a few bucks in my bank account. Not everyone can buy cut away and training locks. Also a lot of people will have opinions on things they’ve never even used. The majority of the community is really nice and supportive though.
I know this is a pretty old video but I just got a CI practice lock and I'm wondering where to get those pin organizers, I haven't done too much research but I like the simplicity. Also that nice set of tweezers.
@@slazman999 I got both from Sparrows. I think they were a part of their re-pinning kit. There are bigger and nicer pinning mats out there, but this one has served me well for over a year.
@PickingPrincipals Awesome. Thank you. I just ordered the reload kit so I have more pins for the CI lock. There shouldn't be any issues with using the sparrow pins with the CI lick. Sorry if that's a stupid question.
I don’t think that I ever tried to mix them since the CI lock came with a sufficient amount of pins, but I don’t recall there being a significant size difference in the pins. Let me know how it turns out!
Others have made the same comment. Bizarre quality control issue perhaps, or maybe they came with different amounts of pins depending on what year they were purchased? Either way, still a good number and worth purchasing. Thanks for the comment - take care!
I haven’t used the Sparrows one - so I can’t say. I think cutaways are great, but my guess is you’d want to cover them up most of the time to get a feel and ear for picking. If you just do it by sight, you will get stumped in every ‘real’ lock you encounter. Sparrows has the revolver, which people seem to like but I think the CI lock is quite good as a beginning lock. Best of luck and happy picking!
I’ve seen them, but I don’t know where they came from. I know that companies that sell pins to locksmiths send them in cases, but it’s pretty expensive. I’m guessing sewing kits or small tackle organizers would make a good substitute.
@@pale0wl they seem pretty standard as far as springs in locks go. I’ve accumulated some over time from locks I’ve taken apart, but I’m not sure where to buy them from. Sorry.
Hi @skimwater2617. It’s called a pinning mat or pinning tray. I got mine from Sparrows. Lots of people 3-D print them. You can also find them on Etsy, EBay, or Amazon. @jeffandthings77 pulled cardboard apart to make one even!
There are two screws on the back that hold the cam (that big shiny piece) on. Once you take off those screws, the whole thing slides out. Only do this with the pins all out though!!
@@anshumansindhwani2858 it is a great starter lock since you can pin it with different numbers , styles, and depths of pins all to help learn. I don’t think many people outside of beginners use them much though. There isn’t the same thrill of opening a commercial lock
@@labruddah8705 Thanks for the comment. The lock is a practice/training lock, so starting with 3 pins, standard or security, is a great way to learn. By the end, hopefully everyone will have 6 pins with a mix of spools and serrated and open it in under two minutes.
![[1200] Covert Companion: Assembly & Usage](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z5M-DDsv2qs/mqdefault.jpg)
Would love to see a follow-up that covers some pinning options in order of difficulty. Knowing how to steadily increase difficulty is tough, but seems ideal for keeping motivated. Thanks for this either way!
This is a great idea. I can certainly do this “in general “, but the binding order will be different for each lock I would assume, and maybe with different pin arrangements, which would definitely affect difficulty when spools and serrated pins are involved. Thanks for the food for thought!
@@PickingPrincipals Yes, I just got one of these for Christmas, so "in general" is more than enough to give me stuff to work on for probably the next 6 months at least. Like does it make more sense to learn 6 pin picking or stick with 3 pins but introduce security pins earlier, or what. Obviously, just suggestions, but I'd greatly value your insight.
Just got one of these and couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong cause I don’t have the feel for it yet. Turns out my first pin was long and I kept over setting like like you said. Thanks for this it’s really helpful for getting started.
Awesome. Make sure you go back to that arrangement as you progress though since a lot of locks have no lift or nearly no lift pins in the front for just that reason. Happy picking!
You can also open it with the dimple pick
I’ve never tried that on this lock. Thanks for the tip!
I have this practice lock. It was really nice to get started and learn the basics. I'd recommend getting the Sparrows reload kit to go with it to anyone wanting to get a little more out of it. The reload kit comes with a follower, more pins, springs, the pinning mats, and keys that you can pin the lock to.
That is a great recommendation. I have the Sparrows kit as well, but never bothered crossing over the materials. Do the keys from Sparrows fit in the CI lock?
@@PickingPrincipals they do. It's a standard Schlage C keyway, so any SC1 (5 pin) and SC4 (6 pin) key should work with the lock.
Fantastic. Thanks for the great tip!
Thinking of getting that once I've had some time with my CI Practice Lock now! Only thing is, I don't see any standard driver pins in that reload kit--do you know where I could get extras of those should I ever need them?
@@Thesnakeroxyes - the sparrows reload kit should come with 15 standard driver pins and also a bunch of standard key pins.
I’ve also seen stuff for sale on Amazon, but it’s quite pricey.
I just wish it came with different spring tensions.
That’s a good request that would increase the variation and make this even more useful. Great idea!
Wish i had found you when i was starting, you are a great teacher!
Wow, thank you!
Thank you so much for making this video. I just got it in the mail. It doesn’t come with instructions and I can’t find a video by CI that’s says how to put it together and I don’t want to mess anything up by accident so I’m glad you made this video which has helped countless people by now who search for video likes I did to learn how.
My pleasure! Thank you for the kind words. I’m very glad you found it useful. Have fun!!
Thank you so much for the help! one of the first videos that came up and actually answered my question! Looking forward to future videos!
Awesome! I’m really glad that you found it useful. Good luck picking!
Looks useful. I would like to test this lock with all the different elements. Good idea.
Thanks Tipa!
@@PickingPrincipals
🙂🔓
Just got the notification. Thank you, excited to watch this!
If it isn’t helpful - let me know what you would like to see
Well done doing this tutorial. This looks like a nice locks to practice with, cheers
Thank you. My CI video consistently gets the most views, comments, and questions - and it felt really good to do a “how to” video to maybe teach somebody something.
@@PickingPrincipals Sharing knowledge is a big part of the locksport community, that's what makes this community so supportive and encouraging, cheers
I appreciate your videos so so much. You’re a very good teacher. You explain things by little incremental steps, all the details so we can understand. When I watched the lock picking lawyer he’s like all you have to do is this and this and this then when I try and do it I run into a million problems which is why I started looking elsewhere. His videos might be nice to look at and be like wow but he’s not the best teacher with his very sparse videos. It might cause him to get more views but watching your videos is for people who are serious about learning lock picking. Your videos are like lock picking collage. His videos are like watching TikTok. Thank you for giving to the community all the knowledge you have.
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind words!i really appreciate it.
THANKS….VERY HELPFUL.
Awesome. I’m glad you found it useful. Have fun!
I purchased one of these kits awhile back. Turns out I have been putting the key pins in upside down. I was having a heck of time getting the feel for it. Totally different experience with bevel in first. 5 pins long short long with key pins in upside down makes it a challenge for sure. LOL. I wonder if this is why the rake never seemed to work???
Yes - it would feel different lol and a key or rake would tend to get stuck on pins. Hopefully you’re having more success now. Take care.
see a lot of "black belt" lock pickers saying this lock is pointless (reddit), sounds like gatekeeping to me, curious to your opinion.
Thanks for the question. I’m not going to contradict black belts entirely as they are way more experienced and knowledgeable than I am in general with regards to locksport, and I can see what they may mean since you only get better at picking different locks by picking different locks - and you’ll never find this one in a door… However, it is one of the very first locks I bought and it simulates a bunch of other locks and is easy to pin and experiment with. It taught me about binding order, security pins, and helped me get better at pinning. It’s hands down a better lock than a bunch of ‘commercial’ locks I own and I think has helped me since I didn’t have a lot of access to a variety of locks and didn’t have the cash to spend on a bunch of different locks either.
If it helps you to learn, and gives you some enjoyment, then it can’t be a waste, right? I’ve got a beautiful Master 575 that took me 39 seconds to open, can’t be re-pinned, and cost $45. Which lock is better for my education and a better overall value?
One last thing I guess - you can always turn any rim cylinder (or KiK or a variety of other locks, though they might not lend themselves to it as easily) into a practise lock if you have some tools and some additional pins. In fact, LockChuck did just that and I have his (very similar) lock on my channel just a few videos after this one.
I hope it wasn’t too long of an answer.
Thanks again.
@@PickingPrincipals Exactly. I bought the Genesis Set from CI and then looked on eBay for some lots of pad locks, they aren’t cheap! This seems way more practical for a total beginner IMO. Thanks for the video. I appreciated it.
@@000blocks000thanks! One push lock on eBay I was following for $3.25 just sold for $30+, and shipping was over $20! It’s tough to find good deals.
Some people might be good at lock picking but they make horrible teachers and aren’t very good with people. I joined FB lock licking groups and some of the people in there are just horrible. They talk crap in plastic learning locks when they helped me so much and taught me how to rake when I only had a few bucks in my bank account. Not everyone can buy cut away and training locks. Also a lot of people will have opinions on things they’ve never even used. The majority of the community is really nice and supportive though.
Jolly good tutorial my friend 👍
Thanks - I had a lot of fun with this one.
I know this is a pretty old video but I just got a CI practice lock and I'm wondering where to get those pin organizers, I haven't done too much research but I like the simplicity. Also that nice set of tweezers.
@@slazman999 I got both from Sparrows. I think they were a part of their re-pinning kit. There are bigger and nicer pinning mats out there, but this one has served me well for over a year.
@PickingPrincipals Awesome. Thank you. I just ordered the reload kit so I have more pins for the CI lock. There shouldn't be any issues with using the sparrow pins with the CI lick. Sorry if that's a stupid question.
I don’t think that I ever tried to mix them since the CI lock came with a sufficient amount of pins, but I don’t recall there being a significant size difference in the pins.
Let me know how it turns out!
Mine came with 27 total key pins but you and others said it comes with 30 total.
Others have made the same comment. Bizarre quality control issue perhaps, or maybe they came with different amounts of pins depending on what year they were purchased? Either way, still a good number and worth purchasing. Thanks for the comment - take care!
Mine came with 27 key pins instead of the 30 you mentioned. Did they make some changes to what you get when you order one of these?
DuaneGreene also said he got 9 sets instead of 10 with his. I don’t think I added anything to mine so maybe it has changed. I can’t say for certain
I want to buy a practice lock
I'm confused which one to buy.
? Should I buy sparrows cutaway lock?
I haven’t used the Sparrows one - so I can’t say. I think cutaways are great, but my guess is you’d want to cover them up most of the time to get a feel and ear for picking. If you just do it by sight, you will get stumped in every ‘real’ lock you encounter.
Sparrows has the revolver, which people seem to like but I think the CI lock is quite good as a beginning lock.
Best of luck and happy picking!
mine came with 9 sizes of key pins. wonder why you got 10?
That is odd. I had my calipers out to measure but then didn’t bother since there were sets of three it looked like
Does anyone sell a small organizer for storing and sorting pins?
I’ve seen them, but I don’t know where they came from. I know that companies that sell pins to locksmiths send them in cases, but it’s pretty expensive. I’m guessing sewing kits or small tackle organizers would make a good substitute.
is it possible to get more springs. anyone happen to know what they are?
@@pale0wl they seem pretty standard as far as springs in locks go. I’ve accumulated some over time from locks I’ve taken apart, but I’m not sure where to buy them from. Sorry.
whats that thing you used to separate all the pieces and where can I get one?
Hi @skimwater2617. It’s called a pinning mat or pinning tray. I got mine from Sparrows. Lots of people 3-D print them. You can also find them on Etsy, EBay, or Amazon. @jeffandthings77 pulled cardboard apart to make one even!
@@PickingPrincipals Awesome! thanks so much for the response! Also great guide helped me alot!
howd you take out the key hole?
There are two screws on the back that hold the cam (that big shiny piece) on. Once you take off those screws, the whole thing slides out. Only do this with the pins all out though!!
Anyone ever tell you that you sound a lot like Spike, from Cowboy Bebop? Its erie how much. 😅 But that's awesome. 😉
No - nobody has. The live action reboot or the anime from back in the day? I want to check it out and see if I agree 😂
@@PickingPrincipals The anime. The original. Voiced by Steve Blum. Its really close. Truly. 😅
I noticed that too 😂
Can we see the pins as a cutaway lock? Or pins are not visible?
@@anshumansindhwani2858 sorry - it is not a cutaway. I’m not certain if they make one of this trainer or not.
@@PickingPrincipals is it good for a novice enthusiast?
@@anshumansindhwani2858 it is a great starter lock since you can pin it with different numbers , styles, and depths of pins all to help learn. I don’t think many people outside of beginners use them much though. There isn’t the same thrill of opening a commercial lock
I like to take random keys i own and copy the bidding.
@@toycoma98 that’s a great idea and also fun to do! Thanks for the comment
Dawg ur all wrong you need 6 spool pins and if a person can't pick that lock within 3 min 59 sec they shouldn't be picking word to ya moms 😂
@@labruddah8705 Thanks for the comment. The lock is a practice/training lock, so starting with 3 pins, standard or security, is a great way to learn. By the end, hopefully everyone will have 6 pins with a mix of spools and serrated and open it in under two minutes.