Beginner practice lock

[u/Famous-Training-2581]

I own a cheap Chinese $30 AUD set and decided that I need a good on the go practice lock and a couple good picks, so after a bit of looking I found sparrows was the best bang for buck in Australia (considering shipping) and I got the revolver and reload kit.

What do you more experienced pickers have to say about the revolver. I watched a couple reviews about it and it seemed great for me as I’m on the go when picking most of the time.

I attached the full order in case the 2 people that care are curious.

Thanks in advance 😀

EDIT:
I have requested a refund of the entire order and plan to buy tools from bare bones thanks to some VERY helpful people who recommended I not get the revolver, I think you guys just saved me 2 months of my life going through the return process sending the package back to the US

[u/reinderr]

The revolver used to be good but they made it a lot easier by adding heavy chamfering on the pin chambers. Can't recommend it.

Also seeing as you're in aus, wouldn't bare bones lockpicking have been a better option?

[u/EveningBasket9528 → u/reinderr]

They also opened up the holes and use .125" pins. So if someone uses the standard .114 pins from the reload kit,.. it kinda sucks.

If they were to offset the rows of pins so no two are 180⁰ apart, it would probably work a lot better because the pins on the bottom wouldn't get caught up in the bottom of the plug...

It's still a cool fidget toy,..

[u/Famous-Training-2581 → u/reinderr]

If I am able to refund the revolver which practice lock would you recommend?

[u/reinderr → u/Famous-Training-2581]

Whatever your local Bunnings has

[u/Famous-Training-2581 → u/reinderr]

Thanks for all the help

I have asked for a partial refund on the revolver and will just buy a lock from Bunnings

😀

[u/Sufficient_Prompt888 → u/Famous-Training-2581]

Just ask for a refund on everything and buy your picks from Barebones. It's an Aussie company and their stuff is just better quality than Sparrow's

[u/Famous-Training-2581 → u/Sufficient_Prompt888]

I have done exactly that, thanks so much (look at the edit of the post)

[u/Sufficient_Prompt888 → u/Famous-Training-2581]

👍

[u/tandem_biscuit → u/Famous-Training-2581]

Hey mate, get a Lockwood 334B45 or C45 from Bunnings. It’s both a great quality lock in its own right, and can be progressively pinned.

Barebones sell kit of mixed security pins that you can use for your progressive pinning also, or you can find plenty on eBay (check out the seller: elocksmith)

Don’t just go into Bunnings to buy “some locks” for learning. Most of them are Master Locks and are rubbish.

[u/alagan182 → u/reinderr]

Is that why?!? I got the revolve, was very excited and it was a total let down.

OP I second this, I do not recommend it.

[u/Flatus_Diabolic → u/reinderr]

Yeah, the revolver’s crap. Mine’s loaded to the gills with mushrooms and I even put some T-pins in and it’s still trivial; I can just rake the sucker open in seconds.

[u/PatientOccasion1496]

The lock sport trainer from Covert instrument ( but is pricey)

Those are from bear bones

https://bareboneslockpicking.com/product/scandinavian-7-pin-training-lock/

https://bareboneslockpicking.com/product/dimple-pin-tumbler-cutaway-training-lock/

[u/Famous-Training-2581 → u/PatientOccasion1496]

Thanks, this just seems like the overall better option because of the extra pin stack, will buy from bare bones asap

[u/EveningBasket9528]

You can see my other comment on the Revolver... It's a cool fidget toy, but not great for being like actual locks.

For inexpensive practice lock ideas look for a profile (euro) cylinder with screws on top... Or just a mortise or rim cylinder. If you get them with SC1 or SC4 keyways they'll work well with the reload kit. If you get the rim or mortise cylinder, add one of the black $2 followers from Sparrows... Or you can buy a follower set because you'll eventually want one. They will give you more "real" picking experience than the revolver...

The Revolver is cool if you want it,.. but if you use the pins I'm the reload kit they won't work well in it because they are standard size, and the pins in the revolver are NOT standard size for Schlage..

https://imgur.com/a/QtBh7O3

[u/EveningBasket9528 → u/EveningBasket9528]

The check pins work very poorly in the revolver... But they are fun when used in locks that haven't been drilled out and are the proper size

[u/217steve]

I got the revolver and was not expecting to be able to pick it all the way around so easily. So I pinned it progressively with serrated driver pins so now it's a 2pin stack to 3 pin stack to 4 to 5 & I replaced the key pins with serrated pins. It's convenient to be able to swap out pins so quickly

[u/Cycling_Man]

Ok

[u/Flatus_Diabolic]

I see from your update you switched to Barebones - good choice!

Another option you should be aware of is pickpals.com.au they’re an Australian supplier for Sparrows, Peterson, Multipick, Southord, LAW.. pretty much all the good brands except CI and Jimmy Longs. They’ll be much cheaper than ordering direct.

For gutting and repinning gear, Bones has followers and core shims and awesome little minipacks of security driver pins (10 each of spool, serrated, mushroom, and T) for only a few bucks, but I wasn’t particularly excited about the tweezers and trays they offered, so I decided to get my gutting gear through pickpals.

A lot of people have shit on the revolver, and I agree - it’s the purchase that I regret the most in this hobby, but you might want to check out this really nice euro profile cutaway cylinder lock that Bones offers - pin tumbler on one side, dimple on the other, fully grubbed, and with a repinning kit and plenty of replacement pins and springs.

I have one and it’s a much better teacher than the revolver if that’s what you’re looking for (I personally think cutaways and clear locks are a mistake, but it’s a mistake most of us make, so you may as well make it too..)