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Lock Picks in Australia — Why Buy Local vs Importing from Overseas

April 14, 20260 commentsBeginner, Intermediate

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If you’ve spent more than five minutes researching lock picks online, you’ve probably landed on an overseas site. Sparrows out of Canada. SouthOrd from the US. Prices look reasonable — until you actually do the maths.

Here’s an honest breakdown of what buying local actually means for Australian locksport enthusiasts, with real numbers.

The Import Reality Check

Let’s use the Sparrows Tuxedo Set as the example — it’s one of the most commonly recommended beginner kits online, and for good reason. It’s a solid set.

Here’s what it actually costs an Australian to get it:

Cost Amount
Sparrows Tuxedo Set (USD) USD $32.00
International shipping to Australia (USD) ~USD $15.00
Subtotal in USD ~USD $47.00
Converted to AUD (at ~0.70 exchange rate) ~AUD $67.00
Potential customs/import duties ???
Wait time 2–4 weeks

And that customs question mark is the one that keeps people up at night. Australia’s low-value threshold means small parcels often slip through — but sometimes they don’t. If you get hit, you’re looking at GST on top of everything else, with no way to predict it at checkout.

So that “cheap” overseas kit suddenly isn’t so cheap.

What the Same Money Gets You Locally

At Bare Bones Lock Picking, a comparable beginner kit starts from AUD $67 — manufactured right here in Australia, in AUD, shipped from Australia.

No conversion rate to check. No international shipping fees. No customs lottery. No 3-week wait.

The picks are made from 301 high-yield stainless steel — the same spec used by professional-grade manufacturers. Full tang through the handle. Built to last.

The Five Real Reasons to Buy Australian

1. AUD pricing — what you see is what you pay
No surprise conversions at checkout. The price on the site is the price you pay, in your currency, with Australian GST already factored in.

2. Shipping that actually makes sense
Local orders ship fast. We’re talking days, not weeks. If you’re keen to start picking, waiting a month for an overseas parcel is genuinely frustrating — especially when you’re a beginner who just wants to get into it.

3. No import fees or customs surprises
Australian-to-Australian is simple. There’s no threshold to worry about, no import declaration, no getting slugged with unexpected charges after the fact.

4. Local warranty
If something goes wrong with your picks — a tip snaps, something’s not right — you’re dealing with an Australian business that can actually sort it out without the headache of international returns. Bare Bones has a warranty and stands behind every pick they make.

5. You’re supporting Australian manufacturing
Bare Bones picks aren’t imported and relabelled. They’re designed and manufactured in Australia. When you buy local, you’re putting money back into a small Aussie business, not into an international supply chain.

“But I’ve Heard Overseas Brands Are Better Quality”

Honestly? It depends what you’re comparing. High-end overseas brands like Multipick make exceptional picks — but they’re also priced that way, and a beginner doesn’t need a $150 set to learn the basics.

For entry-level to mid-range picking, Australian-made picks at Australian prices make more sense. Once you’ve got the fundamentals down and you know exactly what you want from a pick, that’s when it’s worth exploring specialist international options — if you still feel the need.

Most people find they don’t.

The Bottom Line

Imported picks aren’t bad. But when you factor in currency conversion, international shipping, potential customs charges, and multi-week wait times, the real cost is almost always higher than the headline price suggests.

Local picks — same material spec or higher in some cases, made here, shipped fast, priced in AUD — are a smarter starting point for any Australian getting into locksport.

Browse the Bare Bones kit range →
Got questions before you buy? Check the Beginner Questions page →

How to Start Lock Picking in Australia — A Complete Beginner’s Guide

April 14, 20260 commentsBeginner

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So you’ve fallen down the YouTube rabbit hole watching someone silently open a padlock with two tiny pieces of metal, and now you want to know how to do it yourself. Welcome to locksport — one of the most satisfying hobbies you’ve probably never heard of.

Here’s everything you need to know to get started in Australia, without the fluff.

What Actually Is Locksport?

Locksport is the hobby of picking locks as a skill — think of it like a puzzle hobby, but the puzzle fights back. It’s practised by hobbyists, security enthusiasts, and locksmiths worldwide. There’s a whole community around it (more on that below), competitions, and a surprisingly deep rabbit hole of technique and lock knowledge.

The key word is hobby. You’re picking locks you own. No one’s breaking into anything.

Is Lock Picking Legal in Australia?

Short answer: yes, as a hobby — but with a few things to keep in mind.

Lock picks are legal to own in most Australian states for hobbyist use. The critical caveat — and this applies everywhere — is the golden rules of locksport:

Never pick a lock you don’t own or don’t have permission to pick.
Never pick a lock that’s in use or that you rely on.

In some states, carrying picks in public without lawful excuse could attract attention, so keep them at home for practice. If you’re ever unsure about your specific state’s rules, a quick check with local legislation is worthwhile. As a hobby practised at home on locks you own, you’re on solid ground.

What Gear Do You Actually Need?

This is where beginners often overthink it. You need two things to start:

1. Lock picks
These come in two main types:

  • Hooks — used to manipulate one pin at a time. More skill required, but works on more locks.
  • Rakes — rock in and out to quickly set multiple pins at once. Great for beginners.

For Australians picking common locks (Lockwood, Master Lock, standard padlocks), a .023″ thickness is the best all-round starting point. It fits most local keyways without being too floppy or too chunky.

2. Tension wrenches
These apply rotational pressure to the lock core while you pick. You’ll use two types — TOK (top of keyway) and BOK (bottom of keyway). Most kits include both. Don’t skip on tension tool quality — bad tension control is why most beginners struggle.

What you don’t need to start: a massive 32-piece set. Seriously. More picks just means more things to get confused by.

What Lock Should You Practice On?

Start with a basic Master Lock No. 3 or a cheap Lockwood padlock — something with 4 pins and a wide keyway. Pick it hundreds of times. Once you can open it reliably, move up. The Bare Bones Beginner Questions page has a great guide on what locks to buy and in what order.

Why Buy Australian Picks?

This is worth a mention because a lot of beginners go straight to overseas sites like Sparrows (Canada/US). Here’s the real-world maths:

The Sparrows Tuxedo Set — a popular beginner recommendation — is USD $32. Add ~USD $15 international shipping to Australia, and you’re already at ~USD $47. At today’s exchange rate (roughly AUD $1 = USD $0.70), that’s around AUD $67 before any customs charges or import delays.

Compare that to picking up a local kit from Bare Bones Lock Picking — made right here in Australia from 301 stainless steel — for from AUD $46, shipped fast, no currency conversion, no customs lottery, and a local warranty if anything goes wrong.

When you’re just starting out, that difference matters.

Where to Actually Learn

Once you’ve got picks in hand, the fastest way to learn is:

  1. Read the basics — check out the Bare Bones Beginner’s Guide for a solid rundown of lock types, pick types, and tension technique.
  2. Watch YouTube — check out Other Resources for the Aussie channels –  Thousands of hours of free content.
  3. Join the community — r/lockpicking on Reddit has a belt ranking system that’ll keep you progressing for months.
  4. Practice, practice, practice — seriously, it’s a feel-based skill. No amount of reading replaces reps on a lock.

Ready to Start?

If you want to skip the guesswork, check out the Bare Bones kit range — all picks are manufactured in Australia from 301 high-yield stainless steel, built for both Australian keyways and the budgets of people who aren’t sure if this hobby is for them yet.

Have questions before you buy? The Beginner Questions page covers the most common ones — thickness, which kit, where to start — all in plain English.

Welcome to locksport. You’re going to love it.

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