I had one which I got really good at picking so I got another to challenge myself. Another reviewer said these looked used and rusty, but it was just brass dust from the key which wiped right off revealing that the lock was in perfect new condition.

I bought this lock to help increase my picking skills based on what I'd heard about it from fellow locksmiths. It arrived only five days after order (with the free shipping!) and the first thing I did was tear it apart to see what the pinning looked like. This is an incredible pick for the money.

If you are the type of person who is looking to buy a lock with incredible pick resistance, this lock is hands down one of your best choices at this price point. An Abus Titalium would be close, but those don't tend to have nearly as many security pins in them. I took some pictures to help document exactly what you will receive in your lock, as well as to help those who may not understand what a security pin looks like.

If you are uncertain of how a security pin works, I will explain: those ridges bind when someone is attempting to pick open the lock, creating what we in the industry call "a false set." The more ridges, the more false sets and thus, more difficult and time consuming it is to pick. Only one pin in the picture here is a standard (non-security) pin. For comparison, most common locks, especially around this price point, have few to no security pins. I hope this is useful information for anyone considering this lock.

Use it for work for lock out at work

I do locksport for fun. I received this lock configured with 5 pins and the last pin chamber empty with a non key retaining actuator. I did not get a anti-bypass wafer meaning that someone can use a bypass tool to open this lock about as fast as with the key. When picking, this lock feels easier to pick than older locks even with the security pins equipped.

When I first got the lock it was a little bit stiff. The shackle would take some good effort to push back into the locked position. It's nice and lightweight which can be useful if you need to carry it around. I wouldn't use it for anything high security. The shackle looks pretty thin and the aluminum body does not inspire much confidence. I use it for my locker even though the shackle was a bit long. For $15 I'd say this is a worthy upgrade from a master lock.