These are my choices for the BEST starter lock pick sets. Do you agree? Did I miss your favourite? Let me know in the comments 😃 Links to all the kits are in the description, but shop around and look for a bargain 👍
excellent selection of kits i was debating the tuxedo but spent an extra few pounds and got the dual gauge praxis set 5£ over your criteria but well worth it after some finishing.......... also i thought madbob was not selling commercially any more??? i been trying to get my hands on some of his work to accompany my TOK set i was lucky enough to get
As an experienced picker, I would highly recommend at $32 the _Sparrows_ _Tuxedo,_ as it has the best range of tools one actually uses in the field. Most of the other kits have a lot of 'filler' picks that most will never use. Plus, for just under $12 more, a _Worm_ _Rake,_ _Steep_ _Hook_ and _Euro_ _Hook_ (great feedback) can be added. This gives the beginner a complete set of usable tools. With its quality case, the _Tuxedo_ makes a great EDC kit. With that being said, if one should wish to invest $65 in a first kit (with handles), the _Sparrows_ _Wizwazzle_ is as complete a kit as can be found...no 'filler', just usable tools. With 11 picks, 18 wrenches and a _Sherman_ _Case,_ this is perhaps the best 'bang for the buck' kit out there, and it is _Sparrows_ quality...developed by pick designer _Wizwazzle._ Just some friendly advice from a longtime lock enthusiast. Cheers and God bless... :)
I'm still looking for the perfect case. Multipick has a really cool trifold leather case I think. But it only has 1 pouch for stuff larger than a pick. I want a case for picks and tools too. I've seen people use colored pencil cases, wrench pouches Like plug followers, clip removers, tweezers, etc..I'm almost tempted to have a seamstress sew me one out of leather.
@@pdxlockpicker7796 The _Night_ _School_ case is modified to accommodate locks and is not a _Sherman_ _Case,_ which has 18 pockets. I have many tools in mine.
I agree. A lot of newbies gravitate towards these huge kits. Little do they know, you can get a lot done with just a short and deep hook. Edit: I really like the tuxedo kit because it adds a pick in .015" I wish more kits added variety of thicknesses instead of pick profiles.
Exactly. I was looking at the cheap and cheerful large kit, but could see that they looked rough. The Southord PXS-14 looked good, but some reviews regarding the robustness of the rakes put me off. The Sparrows Tuxedo looks a good small kit, with the benefit of the 0.015 short hook pick.
Great advice, I know a lot more starter kits have come out over the years since this video but I just wanted to share one thing. When I first got into picking I got a Southord PSX 14, it came with a key extractor and my wife said it's a waste of money. Then she broke her key in our front door (Schlage keyway). She called a locksmith and got a quote for 300 USD to show up and replace the lock. When she called to tell me I said wait I'll be right home, had that broken key out in 2 minutes flat (no experience before using the tool). As soon as she saw how easy it was she said wow, I pulled out my phone and showed her the Praxis Dangerfield kit, and said that's what I want in payment, we're still saving 250 USD and I bought it :). I've extracted about 10 keys over the last 1.5 years, they were mainly friends and family but yeah they definitely come in handy.
Thomas Boys Underrated comment! I think beginning lock pickers need a good list of practice locks that are affordable and easy to get. Along with where to get pins for repinning and the tools to do it with. Sparrows makes some great practice locks and their reload kit for them is fantastic as well. learnlockpicking.com has some really good practice locks also. But they are a bit on the expensive side, in my opinion.
If you check out the reddit lockpicking community at reddit.com/r/lockpicking they have a link in their sidebar to their lockpicking belt ranking that has lists of common locks groups like karate belts with easy white belt locks and such. When I started getting serious about getting better I found that the community there and that list of locks really helped me know what locks to buy to match or challange my skill level.
@@LockNoob In my collection so far, I have: 4 x Master 141s (Can usually pick 3 out of 4 on a good day) 2 x Yale YE1/40s (haven't successfully picked either yet) 4 x Yale YE1/20s (Fairly straightforward to pick) 1 x Unknown - looks like a Master Lock 3, unbranded and a pain in the neck to pick (it either opens with the slightest touch on pin 4, or refuses point blank to open, clicks be damned). Aside from the unknown one, I think most of these were a good choice. Those YE1/40s are a definite roadblock for me at the moment.
My first kit was a Southord 14 piece kit which I think I paid like $40 back in 2007. It served me well and I did not break any of the tools with the exception of the case. The stitching for the case was really cheap and ended up coming undone. I eventually "fixed" it by essentially wrapping the bottom of it in duct tape. I still love the short hook out of that kit.
Would highly suggest sparrows's (double sided) Flat tension bar set for 12 cad. Amazing value and the 5 are widely usable. TOK tension lets you pick with insane accuracy. Tension tools can be as important as picks!
As a beginning picker, if I could go back and design a first set, it would have a short hook, a medium or long hook, Bogota, city rake, non-twist BOK tension wrench and a TOK wrench. I think the closest to providing that are Southord, multipick and law lock, depending on if you like the straight BOK or access to a TOK wrench. For me, the twisted wrench isn't THAT big of a deal, and you can easily find a wiper insert to make a flat wrench, so I like the law lock set overall. All of the shapes are useful, and it has multiple BOK and TOK wrenches, so it is the most well rounded. As to the other two, Southord leaves out the key extractor for more useful shapes, and is great value so it gets the nod over multipick, and I would get that set if TOK wrenches were not important. Mad Bob/Dangerfield technically provides all of the things I think a new picker should have, BUT I think the wild shapes are a bit advanced and may be confusing to start with, since they are non-traditional and it is hard enough to learn how to maneuver a pick inside a keyway without it being a big "S" or scimitar shape. But if you're adventurous, or if I'm overestimating the added difficulty of using those shapes, then that is probably the best kit. Sparrows only has a short hook and no TOK wrench, so as much as I love sparrows, I wouldn't recommend that set as a first set because you will almost immediately need to add pieces. Overall, I think the Law Lock and Southord kits are the ones to pick from, depending on if you want TOK wrenches, or straight BOK wrenches. Southord is also the best overall value. Mad Bob/Dangerfield has everything, so long as you like the crazy shapes, or at least don't mind that they might be a bit confusing to work with at first, and you may have to learn again if you ever get a more traditional set (which you probably will). However, I will also note that the Sparrows Spirit set, which was not mentioned in the video, does have multiple useful hooks, a Bogota and a city rake, along with twisted and straight BOK wrenches for $32, and you can add a couple of TOK wrenches to your cart from them for $4. Due to the ease of adding a matching TOK wrench, if you want it, and the lower price point, I would actually recommend the Sparrows Spirit set over Southord's 1500.
i just recently started picking only a week ago and i am hooked. i wish i had known this review was out there because i certainly would have followed this information. i have already purchased my first pick set, it is an eleven pick set with 2 tension bars and a nice leather case. it is a Badus set and it was 24.00 dollars plus tax. so far in the first 3 days i have worn out the clear practice lock, and broken 2 picks. i broke one, the snake in my master lock, the other one i didn't notice when it broke. you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. i am a machinist, woodworker, maintenance technician, or i was, i just retired so this is right up my alley. after your review i went over to the Sparrow site and checked out the kit you introduced which will be my next set. i will continue to use the Badus set to practice and save my Sparrow set for when i improve my skills and technique. i intend to follow you and learn as much as i can. thank you so much for the video, i am now subscribed to your channel and intend to use your information as often as i can. take care and see you down the line. sincerely, jesse bennett.
You can right now get a Dangerfield Praxis kit for less than 50 pounds. I feel it's the most complete kit for the money - dual gauge (.015 and .023) with all the useful profiles and good tensioner selection and you can get individual pick replacements now. When I upgraded from a Chinesium set, it was everything I needed and more. I've added a tool or two since buying it and upgraded to a Multipick leather case but it's still my go-to kit that I carry everywhere with me. God... I sound like a shill but it's just a really nice set.
I was thinking the same about key extractor... But it's a nice thing to have. I got a broken key in a frozen lock three weeks ago on my mailbox. Having the right tools kind of saved my ass.
As for starter locks I suggest looking along old chain link fences. For some reason there often seems to be abandoned locks left behind. I found 5 Abus padlocks that were fairly corroded and messed up. I managed to pick them open and have been cleaning and polishing the brass padlocks. They are now in really good condition and shine like a gold mirror. Truly beautiful. Polish using oiled sandpaper in order; 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, and then switch to a Mag Wheel polish and cloth.
You will not be disappointed..This was my first set and it had opened just about everything except a few exotics I tried just for the hell of it, have not broken a pick yet and I have been hard on them... just pick up some fine grit sandpaper and clean up your edges!
Mike Zemba I have many Sothord picks in my arsenal. I like them because they have a low profile shaft, great for keyways like Yale where you have to work around warding. You did good, you should like them. Peace ✌️
I actually bought the Sparrows EOD Full to start with. It's got a great variety with addition tools like the jim tool, a shank, wafer picks, the pouch looks way better than the tuxedo set imo
I enjoy your videos in general as they are concise with clear video and commentary. This one in particular stood out because you've included a good variety of choices for a beginner with an eye to expanding the kit if the interest in the hobby remains. My first pick sets were purchased around the same time and I mainly chose them because they were cheap at under $30 Canadian each and came with some of the clear locks to learn with. So now I'm thinking of moving up in quality and you've provided a good perspective to complement my meager experience. *As a note on quality, I've found that "You get what you pay for" is a fairly accurate guide when purchasing anything. So while many commenters have said Sparrows products are a bit too expensive, would you say the quality justifies the higher price for a beginner? Good job on the video, thanks for making it. And complements to the thoughtful comments from fellow viewers.
If you're accepting discount prices the Dangerfield Praxis kit should definitely get a mention, at £54 it's just above your range but for that you get 8 profiles in .015 and .023 with 3 BOK and 2 TOK tension tools
That's understandable, @@LockNoob. To be honest it's a bit big for a starter kit but, IMO, a better choice than the Mad Bob's/Dangerfield Serenity kit, the lack of a standard hook and the inclusion of the swerve rake, king & queen and the reach profile in those two make me think they're more of an addition
Great video! I can't encourage people enough to have a crack at making their own picks as early as you can into the hobby. Much money can be wasted on disappointing junk from ebay.
I just made my first few picks for fun/expand the set from work. Used banding steel, and traced the profile of the ones I Like out of my mix of picks, and the few I didn't have from the cheap china set at work. Fun little project.
I like a stiffer pick and made some out of old jigsaw blades its a little more work grinding them down but work well and worth the extra work in making them
The only pro kit I have purchased and really enjoy is the Sparrows Ranger with additional Heavy Bars and Ultimate Decoder. If you're going to use shrink tubing I strongly recommend using Marine Grade shrink tubing. While the shrink stuff is still hot press the pick between two very flat steel surfaces with a lot of pressure. This prevents the shrink tubing from feeling 'rounded' or bulbous and slightly lumpy. Instead you will get perfectly flat handles and the excess heat set glue squeezes out the ends and can be cut off.
My first kit was southord pxs14 and I have been very pleased.. it has opened (eventually) every lock I have come across and I have slowly added sparrows and others as I go...
I've had my Chinese starter set for a while. This vid really makes me want to upgrade. I might go with Sparrows because they have the lowest shipping prices. The other companies are really high shipping for Canada!
My tux arrived on Monday. It is a slim everyday carry. I recommend using some colored shrink wrap on eBay as a slim grip on it. It is rather good and I find my Peterson’s being used less.
After watching these videos... I decided to spend $65 on Sparrows products. I got two hooks, the reload kit, the heavy pry bars, and the progressive locks.
ill guit I agree completely. I love their tools but not the prices which is why I go with Sparrows. If Sparrows made their Monstrum XXL set in .018 it would be epic !!
Perfect call on the Petersons, they're my favorite mostly because I find the handles super comfy as it but they're way more pricey than anything else in my kit.
I haven't bought a full set of Peterson picks, but if you buy individual picks they're worth every penny. As far as hooks go, the no.4 and no.7 are exceptional, it's rare that I deviate from them. They have an identical profile, and only differ in thickness/flexibility
Just started into all this and it was the Southord PXS-14 for me. Rubber handles which were essential for the 'frustration power' I sometimes use, only £20 and more variety of picks then you'll need for a long time. Haven't bent or snapped a single one of them yet. I'm learning now though just how much (more?) important a great selection of tension tools are so I've ordered a Sparrows Vorax.
Really nice to see them all side by side, definitely a very helpful video for all the fantastic new pickers joining this awesome community & sport. My favourite from this selection is the Valyrian set from Law Lock Tools. Great video & Have a great weekend. 😎👍
I started with a southord pxs 14 it served me well.. stood up real well to me learning..I've ordered some single picks in between and I just ordered the Dangerfield Praxis kit...
I got the Dangerfield Serenity set now about a year ago, only to open locks & not Locksport back then, which they work very well for that. I got 0.015th. That way it works on many locks since I'm so light handed. 20 Plus years raking will teach you that light hand. I'm very pleased with them. If it wasn't for the shipping expense I'd of got the Mad Bobs. I can only think of the Praxis set for a dual gauge in the Mad Bob design. Great review Ash, have a great one.
I have the Southord PXS-17! I bought it many years ago and only used it twice! The first time I used it to open our Pastor’s office while he was on vacation (we didn’t have a spare key at that time) and we needed some important financial documents for whatever reason! It took me a while to pick it because I didn’t practice much with it! And the second time was just the other day watching your beginner’s lock picking video on a cheap knock off master lock!
I grabbed a Tuxedo a couple years ago and really love it. Throw in a couple TOK tensioners to supplement and there aren't many pin tumbler locks it can't get you in to. A little practice and you can manage some shuttered wafer locks too.
Great video. I am a total beginner and, after a cheap Chinese set, I bought a Southord PXS-14 set. Apart from not having a top of the key tensioner, which I haven’t tried yet!, I am enjoying this set.
Excellent video! Now I'm extra curious to see a similar video about entry level tools, by a different person, and maybe even a different country, just to be able to compare points of view. I expect to rewatch this multiple times, and make notes. Thank you VERY much!!!
I just picked my bathroom lock and I really enjoyed it. How do I start this hobby? I'm really interested now. I want to learn to pick a lock, even deadbolts and stuff, I'd like to make this maybe a side hobby. How do I start? Like do they actually have like "practice locks" and stuff? Where do I buy it? Thanks.
Buy a decent starter set and get some master lock padlocks and start looking for cheap locks on ebay. Join a community or too as well like the lockpicking reddit, UKLocksport etc too.
Lock Noob, i'm a newby but have watched many, many reviews from other lock pickers and yourself. You however provide the best "user" information.👍👏👍👏👍👏👍
For the handles - self sealing heat shrink tube 3/8". I use Grote brand - from a Heavy Duty truck parts department or Industrial supply. My fave picks - Sparrows, the tuxedo is a good starter set. Pry bar tensioner set.
First proper set I started with is sparrows tuxedo set in black with extra tok tension tools Put shrink wrap on handles Got some mad Bob's kit after I purchased dangerfield kit - what a difference - dangerfield unfinished and really sharp edges on picks - mad Bob's so smooth Seeing the lawlock set I would choose that over the sparrows for a starter set now as it has chose of tension tools
@@CAPTDAVO33 I got sandpaper but I had better finish out of the box on a cheap Chinese pick set than a "qualify" set of dangerfield - handles felt sharp on the edges - thought that I was going to get a paper cut using them
Keith Roberts nothing to loose putting in a little time smoothing out the edges and maybe shrink wrap the handles, with a little patience its a phenomenal kit, stick with it 👍
I just picked up one of those cheap Chinese 27 piece set and just broke 2 of them trying to pick a master #5. Thanks for this video. I think it's time to upgrade
I bought one of those 20 piece Chinese sets from Amazon and I'm just sick of it, I want a pro set. Don't think I'm gonna pick a starter set as I'd like something fully comprehensive able to unlock anything. Sparrows seems to have the best selection of jigglers, wafers, tubular picks, warded picks, and regular picks and other neat little gizmos. Gonna go with the vorax and add the other stuff to my cart and buy one of their smaller cases to put my favorites in for EDC. God I am so happy I found this hobby, I'm obsessed with getting better it's SO satisfying.
A key extractor I think is important for beginners just in case a pick breaks inside the lock. Personally I also think the double ball rake is underrated for beginners.
With the Sparrows kit in particular, I like to use a small file and make very small notches on the sides of the short ends of the Z wrenches. They work great for top of keyway. Cheers!
Hello, LN. I have a Southord PXS-14 kit and it's what I bought myself to start. I don't have experience with any other picks but I have got into a few locks with it.
just pick myself up a par!!... been super board, even with video games, and been wanting to do this as a hobby (again), had a set of southord from about 15 years ago I lost at my parents place, and been craving to do this again, excited for it to come.. though I am thinking the Canadian convoy might delay it, I don't mind it being delayed.. i support the convoy movement!
If you had to choose, what is the one pick (brand, size, hook) you'd say everyone should have in their kit? Assuming they already had a starter kit in 0.025?
I would say the Valyrian kit is probably the best set going bar none. At the price it is an absolute steal and the picks are some of the strongest I’ve ever used. Andy’s customer service is stellar too! 😁🥚
I have no experience with the Law Lock picks but if they are as strong as my Multipicks, I would definitely recommend the Valyrian kit as the best starter kit. So many useful picks. No crap included. Love it.
P L I haven’t used any Multipick picks but I know the steel used in the Valyrian pick set is some of the strongest High Yield stainless money can buy. I have a few of the Valyrian singles and they are hands down the best picks I’ve used. They’re also great to add custom handles too, which I intend on doing soon! 😁🥚
Hi John, ill keep that in mind for the next time i need to resupply. Their picks look really nice. And good customer service is also very important to me!
@@Kappietan I can only second John Egginton. Andys customer service is flawless. The only "downside" of Valyrian for me is... Hmmmm Which hook use. So many to choose from. And I think the city rake is a bit to sharp in the peaks... But then again I prefere SPP so I really dont care about the rakes
I got the + edition this past December. Then ordered the reload kit and top of the key way wrenches. Switching to top of the key way tensioning help me a lot where I can now pick the cutaway locks blind.
Good round up mate. Someone has already mentioned it but I also found the Praxis kit very good due to the selection of picks, the fact you get them all in both thicknesses and a TOK tensioner too.
Great stuff .I bought a generic 0.025 kit from amazon to start so I just ordered the Sparow Tuxedo Royale as my first addition for 30 quid . for narrower keyways and I think I might go for the Sparrow night school kit next after watching your review .I'm addicted to it now and planning on picking my own front door in the dead of night later lol .
@@LockNoob Fair enough.I'll just pick the unused lock on my medicine cabinet for now then lol .Got some master lock 3s coming to practice on soon plus a couple of 140s
ps just ordered the night school set so along with the tuxedo royale cost me 101 GBP .Pretty good value and should be a great investment ,Cheers for some excellent reviews.
It's not that far out of the range for this review and if discounted by even just 10% it'd be inside. Since it's dual guage it could be the best value of all
I went for the Sparrow Spirit. More hooks. I would love if they had thrown in a heavy bar or two but few extra dollars isnt bad. This will be my first store bought kit.. My first is my DIY. Been trusty, learned a lot. Now I want stregnth
If I was a new picker just starting out I would have a hard time deciding! For everyone who will read these comments can someone PLEASE tell me what the lil tool is that lpl always uses on DD locks to turn the discs clockwise????? p.s hey Ash I think we're all sad about madbobs closing!! Their products were great and well priced. If I had the money I would of bought a shit load of beginner sets and used them for giveaways for new pickers. I'm just glad I'm lucky enough to own some of their products!
My personal favorite is the Valyrian kit, no to little finishing needed out of the box. Great customer service. The handles are great. The case is sturdy.
This is a great review and will be very useful for beginners. When I first bought picks, I decided to buy singles from Sparrows. Watching this I see that I got the same seven picks and rakes in the Sparrows Tuxedo, the same tensioners plus their flat five TOK tensions and the two heavy pry bars for the TOK. I didn't need the case and with the handles Sparrow puts on them, I think they would be a tight fit in the Tuxedo case. I got the Sherman case later. I like getting single picks and add one or two a month. That's a good way to build a good set if you are not burdened with an over abundance of coin. :):) As if... It seems to me that seven or eight picks, a mixed of hooks and rakes is all I actually need or will need for the time being. Those and tensioners, top and bottom of key way seem to be enough to go pretty far with your learning curve. Of course, that natural desire to own shiny tools will not allow you to stop with just what you need.:) It is also a very good idea to budget for buying locks, the actually expensive part of this hobby.
I love single picks, but the shipping charges add up really fast. My approach is to pick a manufacturer and buy a bunch of their pick at a time, then wait for a bit and do the dame with a different manufacturer.
I started with the covert instruments FNG and that was a great set. However, I would currently recommend starting with the covert instruments complete tension set or just the 2 in 1 with top of key way set. (For tension tools) For picks I would then get 4-5 Sparrows single picks with handles. I would get a short hook, offset hybrid, steep hook, monkey paw and maybe an extra shorthook (just because they are kind of thin and I have bent a couple) I think the sparrow’s tension tools aren’t that great but their picks are good. I only bent the short hook because I’m pretty heavy handed with my picking but their short hook is fairly precise so id still recommend it
got myself a starter set of clear locks and the multipick elite 11 set bc it looked well done. Am very happy with them, just getting into it but glad i bought a good set without seeing the video haha.
I love my Sparrows Tuxedo. I was surprised to not see any Peterson here but as another commenter mentioned, they are probably too pricey to make the cut here. And I find it hard to justify expensive picks, at my skill level at least, as they tend to get lost or broken. I already lost and replaced a rake from my Sparrows Tuxedo kit while on a job.
UncleDeadly75 I recently got the Dark Shift set as well. I also got the expansion set to go with it. I added heavy bars, warded picks, some BOK tensioners and a decoder I made from a .006 feeler gauge. It’s my daily carry set and love the thing. In my job I travel around my state and often need to get into areas or things where property managers have lost keys or aren’t present at the time. I’ve yet to be kept out of anything or anywhere.
I personally think the Sparrows EOD set is a better starter kit than the Tuxedo, though I am looking at it more from a practical security standpoint than pure locksport.
Lock Noob Eod is my favourite small kit but I’ve got issues with the size of the knife in the kit and the handle seems marginally short and awkward, what’s your thoughts?
Love, love, love the Mad Bob's set. Shame their not around any more...😥 Any idea if anyone else makes those particular profiles? . I would love to put together a Sparrows "Art" kit. All the named Sparrows picks with the pretty pictures on the handles, like Monkey Paw, Warlock, Medusa, etc. Not sensible, maybe, but you would still get a pretty good range of picks and rakes. And it would look awesome.
Nicely done. I have a whole raft of great picks, some bought as sets and some as individuals. I love my tuxedo, praxis and particularly the Mad Bob's picks, sharing your sadness at their decision to cease production. I have to say though, as my go-to pick of choice, which I try first before breaking out the more exotic ones, are my Southords. Their hooks are excellent and are cheap enough to stock up on a few spares. When I break or bend one, it's no great loss. Just pull out another. Excellent value. I do wish all kits would include TOK wrenches though.
i was given a southord set as a gift over 5 years ago that came with removable rubber handles, i was just shopping around and they still offer similar handles. the picks without the sandwich handles are probably intended for the removable rubber ones. why they had a mix of those types of handles? no idea
Better grip, plastic ones in my experience have easier to hold onto grips vs metal grips which are typically more slippery and or grease easier. You get me?
honestly price aside the valyrian kit is the best IMO just for the variety of tension tools. I carry almost as many tensioners as I do picks because theyre just as if not more important than the picks themselves
I think you did well here. Considering price range and kit size. Personally I don’t care much for pick sets with so many rapid entry tools and so few hooks but most sets are like these here.
Silly newbie comment but when I was looking at the 1500 I saw this in the description: "Like all our Euro sets, this Southord Slim Line fifteen piece set is made for European and Japanese locks, and U.S. locks with small or narrow keyways." If I'm in the U.S., are there other pick sets that are geared more toward U.S. locks?
No it a silly comment. You could go for something like the PXS 14 from Southord - a lot of people rate that kit highly and is a more robust set good for wide keyway American locks and new pickers. That being said, I recommend the slim sets to intermediate pickers as they will pick both wide open Americankeyways like standard, Masterlock, Kwikset and Schalge as well as other more paracentric keyways.
@@LockNoob thank you for your input/advice. New to picking myself and have been binge watching your channel since I came across it. Keep up the great and informative content!
I am curious about the various handle types. Sparrows for example appears to have more of the rounded thermoplastic handles on some of their more expensive/complete pick sets. It would seem to me that one piece metal would be more robust and impart better feel, but perhaps the rounded shape is better and less fatiguing? Also the thin metal handles would take up less room in a case and be more portable. There are also the riveted type handles; are these mostly low-end not likely to hold up long term? How do they all function in terms of feel etc? I personally am just starting in Lock Sporting and haven't bought any tools yet, but am looking at the Sparrows Tuxedo set one-piece metal design as my first set. What are your thoughts on best handle materials and styles? How about for beginner versus more advanced? Thank you, I like your videos!
Cant recommend high;y enough my Southord c801 set O.022 gauge seems perfect for most lock types and was very impressed with the quality and finish Btw I anyone buys a Sparrows tuxido like I did [Royale 0.015]] and don't like the bare handles Southord sell rubber /plastic handles that fit perfectly for about 10 quid.
Very helpful thanks. The Sparrow Tuxedo looks like a good kit. Bosnianbill also seems to like them. Prices have gone up quite a bit though, now £38 posted, some are charging £55 🙄.
@@LockNoob My statement is a bit blunt, I know, but even as a beginner you're either heavy handed or not. The less sideways friction I experience, the less distraction.
My kit is growing slowly but surely. I want to buy a set from multipick because the handles look amazing in quality and the leather cases that roll open with all the TOOLs neatly packed in are nice af.... but, last i tried they wanted euro and paypal wouldnt let me run it so my online cart went in the bin
![[1089] My EDC Lock Tools Explained](/img/n.gif)
These are my choices for the BEST starter lock pick sets. Do you agree? Did I miss your favourite? Let me know in the comments 😃 Links to all the kits are in the description, but shop around and look for a bargain 👍
Lock Noob Thanks for this video. I have been looking for this kind of video for quite sometime now.
Great Job 👍🏻
excellent selection of kits i was debating the tuxedo but spent an extra few pounds and got the dual gauge praxis set 5£ over your criteria but well worth it after some finishing.......... also i thought madbob was not selling commercially any more??? i been trying to get my hands on some of his work to accompany my TOK set i was lucky enough to get
ViolentClimax I love my praxis set. Well worth going over that limit
As an experienced picker, I would highly recommend at $32 the _Sparrows_ _Tuxedo,_ as it has the best range of tools one actually uses in the field. Most of the other kits have a lot of 'filler' picks that most will never use. Plus, for just under $12 more, a _Worm_ _Rake,_ _Steep_ _Hook_ and _Euro_ _Hook_ (great feedback) can be added. This gives the beginner a complete set of usable tools. With its quality case, the _Tuxedo_ makes a great EDC kit.
With that being said, if one should wish to invest $65 in a first kit (with handles), the _Sparrows_ _Wizwazzle_ is as complete a kit as can be found...no 'filler', just usable tools. With 11 picks, 18 wrenches and a _Sherman_ _Case,_ this is perhaps the best 'bang for the buck' kit out there, and it is _Sparrows_ quality...developed by pick designer _Wizwazzle._
Just some friendly advice from a longtime lock enthusiast.
Cheers and God bless... :)
Have to add one. This is one of my favorite starter kits. lockpicktools.com/12-piece-2500-series-lock-pick-set/
Personally, I consider a variety of tensioning tools more important than picking tools. My first was the Sparrows Creeper set, loved it!
Good set! 👍
Good thing most of those cases have a little spare room, to add a special extra pick of choice.
Absolutely :-)
I'm still looking for the perfect case. Multipick has a really cool trifold leather case I think. But it only has 1 pouch for stuff larger than a pick. I want a case for picks and tools too. I've seen people use colored pencil cases, wrench pouches Like plug followers, clip removers, tweezers, etc..I'm almost tempted to have a seamstress sew me one out of leather.
@@pdxlockpicker7796
_Sherman_ _Case_ from _Sparrows._
@@TotenAuge eh, I have the night school kit. It's aight but not exactly what I'm looking for.
@@pdxlockpicker7796
The _Night_ _School_ case is modified to accommodate locks and is not a _Sherman_ _Case,_ which has 18 pockets. I have many tools in mine.
I agree.
A lot of newbies gravitate towards these huge kits. Little do they know, you can get a lot done with just a short and deep hook.
Edit: I really like the tuxedo kit because it adds a pick in .015" I wish more kits added variety of thicknesses instead of pick profiles.
Thanks for watching 😃
Exactly. I was looking at the cheap and cheerful large kit, but could see that they looked rough. The Southord PXS-14 looked good, but some reviews regarding the robustness of the rakes put me off. The Sparrows Tuxedo looks a good small kit, with the benefit of the 0.015 short hook pick.
Great advice, I know a lot more starter kits have come out over the years since this video but I just wanted to share one thing. When I first got into picking I got a Southord PSX 14, it came with a key extractor and my wife said it's a waste of money. Then she broke her key in our front door (Schlage keyway). She called a locksmith and got a quote for 300 USD to show up and replace the lock. When she called to tell me I said wait I'll be right home, had that broken key out in 2 minutes flat (no experience before using the tool). As soon as she saw how easy it was she said wow, I pulled out my phone and showed her the Praxis Dangerfield kit, and said that's what I want in payment, we're still saving 250 USD and I bought it :). I've extracted about 10 keys over the last 1.5 years, they were mainly friends and family but yeah they definitely come in handy.
Cool!
Wait you charge your wife?
I just purchased the SouthOrd PSX-17 as my first kit. Still waiting for it to arrive im excited
The Praxis is a superb set, agreed.
Sparrows Tuxedo: $32
Multipick Elite: $55
Mad Bob Ghost Pro: $23
Southord C1500: $26
Law Lock Tools: $62
Pickology X 1000: $19
Having settled on a starter set of picks, maybe a selection of starter locks to work on?
Thomas Boys Underrated comment! I think beginning lock pickers need a good list of practice locks that are affordable and easy to get. Along with where to get pins for repinning and the tools to do it with. Sparrows makes some great practice locks and their reload kit for them is fantastic as well. learnlockpicking.com has some really good practice locks also. But they are a bit on the expensive side, in my opinion.
If you check out the reddit lockpicking community at reddit.com/r/lockpicking they have a link in their sidebar to their lockpicking belt ranking that has lists of common locks groups like karate belts with easy white belt locks and such. When I started getting serious about getting better I found that the community there and that list of locks really helped me know what locks to buy to match or challange my skill level.
locksaway on eBay makes good re-pinnable cutaways for about £22 if you're in UK.
I genuinely say people should goo for master lock padlocks first :-)
@@LockNoob In my collection so far, I have:
4 x Master 141s (Can usually pick 3 out of 4 on a good day)
2 x Yale YE1/40s (haven't successfully picked either yet)
4 x Yale YE1/20s (Fairly straightforward to pick)
1 x Unknown - looks like a Master Lock 3, unbranded and a pain in the neck to pick (it either opens with the slightest touch on pin 4, or refuses point blank to open, clicks be damned).
Aside from the unknown one, I think most of these were a good choice. Those YE1/40s are a definite roadblock for me at the moment.
My first kit was a Southord 14 piece kit which I think I paid like $40 back in 2007. It served me well and I did not break any of the tools with the exception of the case. The stitching for the case was really cheap and ended up coming undone. I eventually "fixed" it by essentially wrapping the bottom of it in duct tape. I still love the short hook out of that kit.
Would highly suggest sparrows's (double sided) Flat tension bar set for 12 cad. Amazing value and the 5 are widely usable. TOK tension lets you pick with insane accuracy. Tension tools can be as important as picks!
More important
As a beginning picker, if I could go back and design a first set, it would have a short hook, a medium or long hook, Bogota, city rake, non-twist BOK tension wrench and a TOK wrench. I think the closest to providing that are Southord, multipick and law lock, depending on if you like the straight BOK or access to a TOK wrench. For me, the twisted wrench isn't THAT big of a deal, and you can easily find a wiper insert to make a flat wrench, so I like the law lock set overall. All of the shapes are useful, and it has multiple BOK and TOK wrenches, so it is the most well rounded. As to the other two, Southord leaves out the key extractor for more useful shapes, and is great value so it gets the nod over multipick, and I would get that set if TOK wrenches were not important. Mad Bob/Dangerfield technically provides all of the things I think a new picker should have, BUT I think the wild shapes are a bit advanced and may be confusing to start with, since they are non-traditional and it is hard enough to learn how to maneuver a pick inside a keyway without it being a big "S" or scimitar shape. But if you're adventurous, or if I'm overestimating the added difficulty of using those shapes, then that is probably the best kit. Sparrows only has a short hook and no TOK wrench, so as much as I love sparrows, I wouldn't recommend that set as a first set because you will almost immediately need to add pieces. Overall, I think the Law Lock and Southord kits are the ones to pick from, depending on if you want TOK wrenches, or straight BOK wrenches. Southord is also the best overall value. Mad Bob/Dangerfield has everything, so long as you like the crazy shapes, or at least don't mind that they might be a bit confusing to work with at first, and you may have to learn again if you ever get a more traditional set (which you probably will). However, I will also note that the Sparrows Spirit set, which was not mentioned in the video, does have multiple useful hooks, a Bogota and a city rake, along with twisted and straight BOK wrenches for $32, and you can add a couple of TOK wrenches to your cart from them for $4. Due to the ease of adding a matching TOK wrench, if you want it, and the lower price point, I would actually recommend the Sparrows Spirit set over Southord's 1500.
i just recently started picking only a week ago and i am hooked. i wish i had known this review was out there because i certainly would have followed this information. i have already purchased my first pick set, it is an eleven pick set with 2 tension bars and a nice leather case. it is a Badus set and it was 24.00 dollars plus tax. so far in the first 3 days i have worn out the clear practice lock, and broken 2 picks. i broke one, the snake in my master lock, the other one i didn't notice when it broke. you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. i am a machinist, woodworker, maintenance technician, or i was, i just retired so this is right up my alley. after your review i went over to the Sparrow site and checked out the kit you introduced which will be my next set. i will continue to use the Badus set to practice and save my Sparrow set for when i improve my skills and technique. i intend to follow you and learn as much as i can. thank you so much for the video, i am now subscribed to your channel and intend to use your information as often as i can. take care and see you down the line. sincerely, jesse bennett.
You can right now get a Dangerfield Praxis kit for less than 50 pounds. I feel it's the most complete kit for the money - dual gauge (.015 and .023) with all the useful profiles and good tensioner selection and you can get individual pick replacements now. When I upgraded from a Chinesium set, it was everything I needed and more. I've added a tool or two since buying it and upgraded to a Multipick leather case but it's still my go-to kit that I carry everywhere with me. God... I sound like a shill but it's just a really nice set.
Chinesium 😂 yeah it's a fantastic set
I’ve not seen it for under £50 personally, I might feature it another time though :-)
I was thinking the same about key extractor... But it's a nice thing to have. I got a broken key in a frozen lock three weeks ago on my mailbox. Having the right tools kind of saved my ass.
Yes, it can be good to have
As for starter locks I suggest looking along old chain link fences. For some reason there often seems to be abandoned locks
left behind. I found 5 Abus padlocks that were fairly corroded and messed up. I managed to pick them open and have been
cleaning and polishing the brass padlocks. They are now in really good condition and shine like a gold mirror. Truly beautiful.
Polish using oiled sandpaper in order; 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, and then switch to a Mag Wheel polish and cloth.
This is true. I don't see it a lot but a few weeks ago I did rescue an old warded Master lock from the fence at my local park.
@@tracyrreed I'm hoping that someday I can spot a MulTlock with a Medeco core. Hey, a person can dream can't they? LOL.
They sound nice :-)
Can you do an updated video on this? Or alternatively and even better, a video on upgrading beyond this level of pick set :)
My first kit was an amazon kit but I just found a southord 32pc at a yard sale for $1, and I really like it
I just bought the SouthOrd pxs-14 set. I bought it on Cyber monday, 20 percent off. I can't wait til it gets here!
That was my first set. You'll enjoy it.
I'm upgrading from the daniu banggood I believe I bought on eBay. Cheap set. Only been picking almost 2 months.
You will not be disappointed..This was my first set and it had opened just about everything except a few exotics I tried just for the hell of it, have not broken a pick yet and I have been hard on them... just pick up some fine grit sandpaper and clean up your edges!
Happy picking 👍
Mike Zemba I have many Sothord picks in my arsenal. I like them because they have a low profile shaft, great for keyways like Yale where you have to work around warding. You did good, you should like them. Peace ✌️
1. Sparrows - Tuxedo
2. Multipick - Elite 11
3. Mad Bob - Ghost Pro
4. Southord - C1500
5. Law Lock Tools - Valyrian
Tough choices!
I actually bought the Sparrows EOD Full to start with. It's got a great variety with addition tools like the jim tool, a shank, wafer picks, the pouch looks way better than the tuxedo set imo
I enjoy your videos in general as they are concise with clear video and commentary. This one in particular stood out because you've included a good variety of choices for a beginner with an eye to expanding the kit if the interest in the hobby remains.
My first pick sets were purchased around the same time and I mainly chose them because they were cheap at under $30 Canadian each and came with some of the clear locks to learn with. So now I'm thinking of moving up in quality and you've provided a good perspective to complement my meager experience.
*As a note on quality, I've found that "You get what you pay for" is a fairly accurate guide when purchasing anything. So while many commenters have said Sparrows products are a bit too expensive, would you say the quality justifies the higher price for a beginner?
Good job on the video, thanks for making it. And complements to the thoughtful comments from fellow viewers.
Thanks for the great comment 👍😃
If you're accepting discount prices the Dangerfield Praxis kit should definitely get a mention, at £54 it's just above your range but for that you get 8 profiles in .015 and .023 with 3 BOK and 2 TOK tension tools
Only accepting discount prices if full price is under £50 :-)
That's understandable, @@LockNoob. To be honest it's a bit big for a starter kit but, IMO, a better choice than the Mad Bob's/Dangerfield Serenity kit, the lack of a standard hook and the inclusion of the swerve rake, king & queen and the reach profile in those two make me think they're more of an addition
Great video! I can't encourage people enough to have a crack at making their own picks as early as you can into the hobby. Much money can be wasted on disappointing junk from ebay.
It’s great fun to do too :-)
I just made my first few picks for fun/expand the set from work. Used banding steel, and traced the profile of the ones I Like out of my mix of picks, and the few I didn't have from the cheap china set at work. Fun little project.
I like a stiffer pick and made some out of old jigsaw blades its a little more work grinding them down but work well and worth the extra work in making them
The only pro kit I have purchased and really enjoy is the Sparrows Ranger with additional Heavy Bars and Ultimate Decoder.
If you're going to use shrink tubing I strongly recommend using Marine Grade shrink tubing. While the shrink stuff is still hot
press the pick between two very flat steel surfaces with a lot of pressure. This prevents the shrink tubing from feeling 'rounded'
or bulbous and slightly lumpy. Instead you will get perfectly flat handles and the excess heat set glue squeezes out the ends and can be cut off.
Good tips :-)
My first kit was southord pxs14 and I have been very pleased.. it has opened (eventually) every lock I have come across and I have slowly added sparrows and others as I go...
The PXS-14 is great for wider keyways for sure :-)
I've had my Chinese starter set for a while. This vid really makes me want to upgrade. I might go with Sparrows because they have the lowest shipping prices. The other companies are really high shipping for Canada!
I use a lot of Sparrows stuff :-)
@@LockNoob that's what i'm purchasing soon here
My tux arrived on Monday. It is a slim everyday carry. I recommend using some colored shrink wrap on eBay as a slim grip on it. It is rather good and I find my Peterson’s being used less.
After watching these videos... I decided to spend $65 on Sparrows products. I got two hooks, the reload kit, the heavy pry bars, and the progressive locks.
If Peterson was more reasonably priced they would be one of the most desirable picks out there, however everything they sell is overpriced.
I don't mind their prices as much as their shipping fees.
Sorry. It should be their price that makes them desirable. Try them. They're worth it.
Yes , the quality is there , but I agree
ill guit I agree completely. I love their tools but not the prices which is why I go with Sparrows. If Sparrows made their Monstrum XXL set in .018 it would be epic !!
@@AlbertLebel Exactly. I like Sparrows as well and a full line of .018 would be awesome.
Perfect call on the Petersons, they're my favorite mostly because I find the handles super comfy as it but they're way more pricey than anything else in my kit.
I love them but way too pricey 👍
I haven't bought a full set of Peterson picks, but if you buy individual picks they're worth every penny. As far as hooks go, the no.4 and no.7 are exceptional, it's rare that I deviate from them. They have an identical profile, and only differ in thickness/flexibility
@@robertbates3737 not with there shipping rates, making there picks cost something like four times that of something like sparrows.
Just started into all this and it was the Southord PXS-14 for me. Rubber handles which were essential for the 'frustration power' I sometimes use, only £20 and more variety of picks then you'll need for a long time. Haven't bent or snapped a single one of them yet. I'm learning now though just how much (more?) important a great selection of tension tools are so I've ordered a Sparrows Vorax.
Really nice to see them all side by side, definitely a very helpful video for all the fantastic new pickers joining this awesome community & sport. My favourite from this selection is the Valyrian set from Law Lock Tools.
Great video & Have a great weekend. 😎👍
Thanks Daz, you have a great week too mate:-)
I started with a southord pxs 14 it served me well.. stood up real well to me learning..I've ordered some single picks in between and I just ordered the Dangerfield Praxis kit...
Nice kit for more open keyways for sure!
I got the Dangerfield Serenity set now about a year ago, only to open locks & not Locksport back then, which they work very well for that. I got 0.015th. That way it works on many locks since I'm so light handed. 20 Plus years raking will teach you that light hand. I'm very pleased with them. If it wasn't for the shipping expense I'd of got the Mad Bobs. I can only think of the Praxis set for a dual gauge in the Mad Bob design. Great review Ash, have a great one.
Thanks friend 😃
Really appreciate the thought that went into your criteria here.
Thanks 🙏 😀
I would just like to say that your extremely good at making videos and explaining things. Its super understandable and exceptionally well made.
Thanks 😊
I have the Southord PXS-17! I bought it many years ago and only used it twice! The first time I used it to open our Pastor’s office while he was on vacation (we didn’t have a spare key at that time) and we needed some important financial documents for whatever reason! It took me a while to pick it because I didn’t practice much with it! And the second time was just the other day watching your beginner’s lock picking video on a cheap knock off master lock!
I grabbed a Tuxedo a couple years ago and really love it.
Throw in a couple TOK tensioners to supplement and there aren't many pin tumbler locks it can't get you in to. A little practice and you can manage some shuttered wafer locks too.
Good choice 😃
I have been considering the Valerian set, I need to look at shipping costs again.
Thanks, I am buying my first ever and would like to start with these recommendations.
All of these are good choices IMO 👍😃
My favorite recommendation would the the Sparrows Tuxedo og Multipick.
Good choices:-)
Great video. I am a total beginner and, after a cheap Chinese set, I bought a Southord PXS-14 set. Apart from not having a top of the key tensioner, which I haven’t tried yet!, I am enjoying this set.
Cool 😎
I am happy to say I am moving on from my trash starred or lock pick set to the sparrows tuxedo set
Excellent video! Now I'm extra curious to see a similar video about entry level tools, by a different person, and maybe even a different country, just to be able to compare points of view. I expect to rewatch this multiple times, and make notes. Thank you VERY much!!!
Thank you, very helpful, just bought the Sparrows.
Awesome
All those seems like quite good sets but in my opinion the dangerfield praxis kit is the best for a beginner
Good kit but well over £50
@@LockNoob but worth IT tho
I just picked my bathroom lock and I really enjoyed it. How do I start this hobby? I'm really interested now. I want to learn to pick a lock, even deadbolts and stuff, I'd like to make this maybe a side hobby. How do I start? Like do they actually have like "practice locks" and stuff? Where do I buy it? Thanks.
Buy a decent starter set and get some master lock padlocks and start looking for cheap locks on ebay. Join a community or too as well like the lockpicking reddit, UKLocksport etc too.
Lock Noob, i'm a newby but have watched many, many reviews from other lock pickers and yourself.
You however provide the best "user" information.👍👏👍👏👍👏👍
For the handles - self sealing heat shrink tube 3/8". I use Grote brand - from a Heavy Duty truck parts department or Industrial supply. My fave picks - Sparrows, the tuxedo is a good starter set. Pry bar tensioner set.
I went with the Sparrow Tuxedo, I had a budget of $100, and got that, and the CI adjustable trainer lock. Very excited for my first set!
I decided to go with the sparrows kit
Nice!
First proper set I started with is sparrows tuxedo set in black with extra tok tension tools
Put shrink wrap on handles
Got some mad Bob's kit after I purchased dangerfield kit - what a difference - dangerfield unfinished and really sharp edges on picks - mad Bob's so smooth
Seeing the lawlock set I would choose that over the sparrows for a starter set now as it has chose of tension tools
If you get some 800-1000 grit sand paper it’ll only take 15 mins to get the Dangerfield set to the same smoothness as Mad Bobs set 😬
@@CAPTDAVO33 I got sandpaper but I had better finish out of the box on a cheap Chinese pick set than a "qualify" set of dangerfield - handles felt sharp on the edges - thought that I was going to get a paper cut using them
Keith Roberts nothing to loose putting in a little time smoothing out the edges and maybe shrink wrap the handles, with a little patience its a phenomenal kit, stick with it 👍
All good choices :-)
I just picked up one of those cheap Chinese 27 piece set and just broke 2 of them trying to pick a master #5. Thanks for this video. I think it's time to upgrade
I bought one of those 20 piece Chinese sets from Amazon and I'm just sick of it, I want a pro set. Don't think I'm gonna pick a starter set as I'd like something fully comprehensive able to unlock anything. Sparrows seems to have the best selection of jigglers, wafers, tubular picks, warded picks, and regular picks and other neat little gizmos. Gonna go with the vorax and add the other stuff to my cart and buy one of their smaller cases to put my favorites in for EDC. God I am so happy I found this hobby, I'm obsessed with getting better it's SO satisfying.
A key extractor I think is important for beginners just in case a pick breaks inside the lock. Personally I also think the double ball rake is underrated for beginners.
Its great for wafer locks!
With the Sparrows kit in particular, I like to use a small file and make very small notches on the sides of the short ends of the Z wrenches. They work great for top of keyway. Cheers!
Thanks 🙏
Hello, LN. I have a Southord PXS-14 kit and it's what I bought myself to start. I don't have experience with any other picks but I have got into a few locks with it.
I need to review that!
just pick myself up a par!!... been super board, even with video games, and been wanting to do this as a hobby (again), had a set of southord from about 15 years ago I lost at my parents place, and been craving to do this again, excited for it to come.. though I am thinking the Canadian convoy might delay it, I don't mind it being delayed.. i support the convoy movement!
I bought a cheap set from wish and I found its pretty good....and then bought a practise lock set that came with everything else and are still good
Some cheap kits can be very good value
Just purchased the Sparrow...thank you for the info
If you had to choose, what is the one pick (brand, size, hook) you'd say everyone should have in their kit? Assuming they already had a starter kit in 0.025?
Easy. Peterson Gem in 0.018 👍
@@LockNoob cheers!
What is the diffrenc betwen c 1500 and the c 1510 ??
I would say the Valyrian kit is probably the best set going bar none. At the price it is an absolute steal and the picks are some of the strongest I’ve ever used. Andy’s customer service is stellar too! 😁🥚
I have no experience with the Law Lock picks but if they are as strong as my Multipicks, I would definitely recommend the Valyrian kit as the best starter kit. So many useful picks. No crap included. Love it.
P L I haven’t used any Multipick picks but I know the steel used in the Valyrian pick set is some of the strongest High Yield stainless money can buy. I have a few of the Valyrian singles and they are hands down the best picks I’ve used. They’re also great to add custom handles too, which I intend on doing soon! 😁🥚
Hi John, ill keep that in mind for the next time i need to resupply. Their picks look really nice.
And good customer service is also very important to me!
@@Kappietan I can only second John Egginton. Andys customer service is flawless. The only "downside" of Valyrian for me is... Hmmmm Which hook use. So many to choose from. And I think the city rake is a bit to sharp in the peaks... But then again I prefere SPP so I really dont care about the rakes
It’s a good choice for sure :-)
By luck I got the southord pxs-05---the short hook is still a go to if possible
Not bad for wider keyways :-)
I just ordered the sparrows night school tuxedo set myself really like your opinion on them.
Great kit when you get tired of it order the reload kit and repin with security pins and learn that don't forget tweezers
Good choice :-)
I got the + edition this past December. Then ordered the reload kit and top of the key way wrenches. Switching to top of the key way tensioning help me a lot where I can now pick the cutaway locks blind.
@@jcf20010 very cool so far I've been pretty happy with it
Good round up mate. Someone has already mentioned it but I also found the Praxis kit very good due to the selection of picks, the fact you get them all in both thicknesses and a TOK tensioner too.
Good shout :-)
@@LockNoob It was £41.65 when I bought it..... looks like the price has gone up a little, otherwise it fulfills all of the other requirements
Great stuff .I bought a generic 0.025 kit from amazon to start so I just ordered the Sparow Tuxedo Royale as my first addition for 30 quid . for narrower keyways and I think I might go for the Sparrow night school kit next after watching your review .I'm addicted to it now and planning on picking my own front door in the dead of night later lol .
Seriously though, don’t pick a lock that’s in use or that you rely on. You risk damaging the lock
@@LockNoob Fair enough.I'll just pick the unused lock on my medicine cabinet for now then lol .Got some master lock 3s coming to practice on soon plus a couple of 140s
ps just ordered the night school set so along with the tuxedo royale cost me 101 GBP .Pretty good value and should be a great investment ,Cheers for some excellent reviews.
What about the praxis kit dual or is that way out of budget dual gauge though
It's not that far out of the range for this review and if discounted by even just 10% it'd be inside. Since it's dual guage it could be the best value of all
Just a little out of budget but good kit i hear :-)
Can you do an updated video
I went for the Sparrow Spirit. More hooks. I would love if they had thrown in a heavy bar or two but few extra dollars isnt bad. This will be my first store bought kit.. My first is my DIY. Been trusty, learned a lot. Now I want stregnth
If I was a new picker just starting out I would have a hard time deciding! For everyone who will read these comments can someone PLEASE tell me what the lil tool is that lpl always uses on DD locks to turn the discs clockwise?????
p.s hey Ash I think we're all sad about madbobs closing!! Their products were great and well priced. If I had the money I would of bought a shit load of beginner sets and used them for giveaways for new pickers. I'm just glad I'm lucky enough to own some of their products!
wes the lockpicker sometimes he just use a tension wrench, or any cheap dimple rake. A filed down hacksaw blade is all you need.
Yes, it’s really sad 😔
My personal favorite is the Valyrian kit, no to little finishing needed out of the box. Great customer service. The handles are great. The case is sturdy.
All true :-)
This is a great review and will be very useful for beginners.
When I first bought picks, I decided to buy singles from Sparrows. Watching this I see that I got the same seven picks and rakes in the Sparrows Tuxedo, the same tensioners plus their flat five TOK tensions and the two heavy pry bars for the TOK. I didn't need the case and with the handles Sparrow puts on them, I think they would be a tight fit in the Tuxedo case. I got the Sherman case later.
I like getting single picks and add one or two a month. That's a good way to build a good set if you are not burdened with an over abundance of coin. :):) As if...
It seems to me that seven or eight picks, a mixed of hooks and rakes is all I actually need or will need for the time being. Those and tensioners, top and bottom of key way seem to be enough to go pretty far with your learning curve.
Of course, that natural desire to own shiny tools will not allow you to stop with just what you need.:)
It is also a very good idea to budget for buying locks, the actually expensive part of this hobby.
Great comment, thanks :-)
PM
I love single picks, but the shipping charges add up really fast. My approach is to pick a manufacturer and buy a bunch of their pick at a time, then wait for a bit and do the dame with a different manufacturer.
I started with the covert instruments FNG and that was a great set. However, I would currently recommend starting with the covert instruments complete tension set or just the 2 in 1 with top of key way set. (For tension tools)
For picks I would then get 4-5 Sparrows single picks with handles. I would get a short hook, offset hybrid, steep hook, monkey paw and maybe an extra shorthook (just because they are kind of thin and I have bent a couple)
I think the sparrow’s tension tools aren’t that great but their picks are good. I only bent the short hook because I’m pretty heavy handed with my picking but their short hook is fairly precise so id still recommend it
I got myself an eu version of the tuxedo and cut some of the tension tools to use them as top of the keyway. Works great, i love the set
got myself a starter set of clear locks and the multipick elite 11 set bc it looked well done. Am very happy with them, just getting into it but glad i bought a good set without seeing the video haha.
If you are used to bobby pins the sparrow profile would be a luxurious feel in my hand. Wish i had a set
Thanks, I just bought the Law Lock Tools Valyrian because I'm interested in single pin picking!
Good choice!
I love my Sparrows Tuxedo. I was surprised to not see any Peterson here but as another commenter mentioned, they are probably too pricey to make the cut here. And I find it hard to justify expensive picks, at my skill level at least, as they tend to get lost or broken. I already lost and replaced a rake from my Sparrows Tuxedo kit while on a job.
I LOVE Peterson picks, but yes, just too expensive for a starter set IMO :-)
Used to love those pickology sets
My first was the Sparrows Darkshift. Good range of picks, rakes and tension tools and they are quite comfortable to use.
UncleDeadly75 I recently got the Dark Shift set as well. I also got the expansion set to go with it. I added heavy bars, warded picks, some BOK tensioners and a decoder I made from a .006 feeler gauge. It’s my daily carry set and love the thing. In my job I travel around my state and often need to get into areas or things where property managers have lost keys or aren’t present at the time. I’ve yet to be kept out of anything or anywhere.
A good choice 👍
Sparrows kick start ($24.99CAN) from Lockpick Canada website. Great first set.
Yes another great set there
I personally think the Sparrows EOD set is a better starter kit than the Tuxedo, though I am looking at it more from a practical security standpoint than pure locksport.
I love the EOD kit and it’s my back up set 👍
Lock Noob Eod is my favourite small kit but I’ve got issues with the size of the knife in the kit and the handle seems marginally short and awkward, what’s your thoughts?
@@CAPTDAVO33 I haven't had problems with the length, but it is a little thick, I had to add a different probe to decode combo locks.
kidthorazine ah its a different tool for decoding, the knife in the Eod is for bypassing on unshielded padlocks, some good videos out there on this 👍
@@CAPTDAVO33 Yeah I know, but there are several knives out there that work alright for both.
Wish I'd seen this before buying a kit on Amazon. At least I now know my upgrade path.
Cheap sets can be good too
Love, love, love the Mad Bob's set. Shame their not around any more...😥 Any idea if anyone else makes those particular profiles?
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I would love to put together a Sparrows "Art" kit. All the named Sparrows picks with the pretty pictures on the handles, like Monkey Paw, Warlock, Medusa, etc. Not sensible, maybe, but you would still get a pretty good range of picks and rakes. And it would look awesome.
Nicely done. I have a whole raft of great picks, some bought as sets and some as individuals. I love my tuxedo, praxis and particularly the Mad Bob's picks, sharing your sadness at their decision to cease production. I have to say though, as my go-to pick of choice, which I try first before breaking out the more exotic ones, are my Southords. Their hooks are excellent and are cheap enough to stock up on a few spares. When I break or bend one, it's no great loss. Just pull out another. Excellent value. I do wish all kits would include TOK wrenches though.
Southord have great pick profiles 👍
i was given a southord set as a gift over 5 years ago that came with removable rubber handles, i was just shopping around and they still offer similar handles. the picks without the sandwich handles are probably intended for the removable rubber ones. why they had a mix of those types of handles? no idea
Better grip, plastic ones in my experience have easier to hold onto grips vs metal grips which are typically more slippery and or grease easier. You get me?
honestly price aside the valyrian kit is the best IMO just for the variety of tension tools. I carry almost as many tensioners as I do picks because theyre just as if not more important than the picks themselves
You can never have enough tension tools :-)
I really like that law lock pick set
It's a great set!
@@LockNoob I will accept donations
I think you did well here. Considering price range and kit size. Personally I don’t care much for pick sets with so many rapid entry tools and so few hooks but most sets are like these here.
Thank you 🙏
Silly newbie comment but when I was looking at the 1500 I saw this in the description: "Like all our Euro sets, this Southord Slim Line fifteen piece set is made for European and Japanese locks, and U.S. locks with small or narrow keyways." If I'm in the U.S., are there other pick sets that are geared more toward U.S. locks?
No it a silly comment. You could go for something like the PXS 14 from Southord - a lot of people rate that kit highly and is a more robust set good for wide keyway American locks and new pickers. That being said, I recommend the slim sets to intermediate pickers as they will pick both wide open Americankeyways like standard, Masterlock, Kwikset and Schalge as well as other more paracentric keyways.
Torn between the tuxedo set and the dangerfield serenity. Both seem like good sets, which would you suggest out of those two?
Oh man that’s a hard one but I’d probably go with the Sparrows set. Others would disagree. Both have their merits 👍
@@LockNoob thank you for your input/advice. New to picking myself and have been binge watching your channel since I came across it. Keep up the great and informative content!
I am curious about the various handle types. Sparrows for example appears to have more of the rounded thermoplastic handles on some of their more expensive/complete pick sets. It would seem to me that one piece metal would be more robust and impart better feel, but perhaps the rounded shape is better and less fatiguing? Also the thin metal handles would take up less room in a case and be more portable. There are also the riveted type handles; are these mostly low-end not likely to hold up long term? How do they all function in terms of feel etc? I personally am just starting in Lock Sporting and haven't bought any tools yet, but am looking at the Sparrows Tuxedo set one-piece metal design as my first set. What are your thoughts on best handle materials and styles? How about for beginner versus more advanced? Thank you, I like your videos!
The Sparrows Pro Night Vision Creeper is 55, but I bought that as my starting kit and it is amazing!
That is a great kit for sure :-)
I like the SouthOrd JPXS-6 Jackknife
Cant recommend high;y enough my Southord c801 set O.022 gauge seems perfect for most lock types and was very impressed with the quality and finish Btw I anyone buys a Sparrows tuxido like I did [Royale 0.015]] and don't like the bare handles Southord sell rubber /plastic handles that fit perfectly for about 10 quid.
Very helpful thanks. The Sparrow Tuxedo looks like a good kit. Bosnianbill also seems to like them. Prices have gone up quite a bit though, now £38 posted, some are charging £55 🙄.
Well, yeah, sadly prices hardly ever fall :-(
My favorite picks (and I consider myself a beginner) being 0.020 I'd go for the Tuxedo Royale. If you break a 0.020 you most likely bend the 0.025 ;-)
Not sure I agree about the 0.020 but it’s a great set :-)
@@LockNoob My statement is a bit blunt, I know, but even as a beginner you're either heavy handed or not. The less sideways friction I experience, the less distraction.
My kit is growing slowly but surely. I want to buy a set from multipick because the handles look amazing in quality and the leather cases that roll open with all the TOOLs neatly packed in are nice af.... but, last i tried they wanted euro and paypal wouldnt let me run it so my online cart went in the bin
i just might grab one of those sets, it could be fun
They all are :-)
I have the sparrows love it
Covert instruments puts out the best
The Peterson picks are in the vault. :)
Lol :-)