Beginner Questions
If your question isn’t covered here, reach out to us at accounts@bareboneslockpicking.com
Should I get 20thou or 23thou?
23thou is generally the better starting thickness. It’s the strongest and gives the most feedback, since more steel means more feedback. The trade-off is that some locks with narrow keyways become harder to navigate, and if that’s the case, you’d want 20thou or even 15thou instead.
A rough (if slightly imprecise) way to think about it: 23thou for beginners, 20thou for intermediate, 15thou for advanced. Most Australian locks use a “C4” style keyway, which is fairly open and well suited to 23thou. You can still pick these locks with 20thou, just with slightly less strength and feedback.
Both thicknesses are genuinely fine starting points, you won’t go far wrong with either. For the full breakdown, including which lock types suit which thickness: Lock Pick Thicknesses, 15thou vs 20thou vs 23thou →
Should I get handles, or picks without handles?
Handles make a real difference to comfort over long picking sessions, and we’d generally call them a must-have. That said, you can buy unhandled picks and add a handle later if you want to keep costs down initially.
Whatever handle material you use, make sure it’s rigid (3D-printed, timber, steel, and similar), not soft or rubbery. A soft handle absorbs feedback like a shock absorber, dulling the exact sensation you’re trying to feel at the pins. You want feedback to travel cleanly from the pick tip to your fingers.
Should I get the beginner set or the intermediate set?
Every option here is a trade-off:
- Intermediate set (20thou, coffin handles): the longest-lasting option if you’re willing to skip most raking and move straight into single pin picking (SPP). The half-diamond profile in this set covers rough raking duty if you still want to try it.
- Beginner set (23thou): includes both hooks and rakes, suited to the wide C4 keyways common in Australia (like the Lockwood). Thicker steel means more strength, more feedback, and more durability while you’re still learning, which is why most people start here.
Either option gets you a long way into the hobby. If you outgrow one, the fix is simple: add deeper 20thou hooks later, or drop back to 23thou rakes if SPP proves too difficult too soon.
For more on the hook-vs-rake decision itself: Rake Picks vs Hook Picks →
I’m new to locksport. Should I buy a Lockwood 119 or 120 to practise on?
Honestly, we wouldn’t recommend either as a starting point. Both are genuinely difficult locks that punch well above beginner level, and it’s easy to get frustrated picking up a hard lock first with no opens to show for it.
Start instead with a few cheap brass locks to get the basic motion and mechanics down. Lockwood locks have tight tolerances (which is exactly what makes them hard), while cheaper locks have looser tolerances and open more easily, building confidence before you move on to something harder.
Once you’re ready to progress, the Lockwood 334B (also sold at Bunnings) is a great next step: it teaches re-pinning and picking shallow spools, holds up to 6 pins for long-term use, and you can start with just two spools pinned before adding a third once you’re confident.
If you want to go straight for a genuine challenge, the Lockwood 120 has a reputation in locksport circles as being “cursed”, so don’t be discouraged if it takes a while. Bare Bones stocks the Lockwood 120/40 (40mm); the 120/50 has identical pinning in a 50mm body and is available from other online retailers.
Recommended Practice Locks in Australia
| Difficulty | Lock | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|
| White (easiest) | Syneco 40mm brass | Bunnings |
| Yellow | Master Lock 140D | Woolworths, RSEA Safety |
| Orange (easy) | Master Lock 150 | Mitre 10 |
| Orange (hard) | Lockwood 110/40 | Bunnings |
| Green | Master Lock 410 LOTO | RSEA Safety |
| Green | Lockwood 120/50 (or 120/40) | Bunnings, Bare Bones |
| Blue (hardest) | Lockwood 334B45 | Bunnings, Bare Bones |
For more on practising with visible feedback rather than working blind: What Is a Cutaway Training Lock (And Do You Need One)? →