Best stores?

This would be a lot to expensive. I need a tubular pick because I am the caretaker/concierge of a quite big residental and office building and I often have to deal with bikes which are wrongously locked in the fire department access roads and which I have to remove. Actually, I do not know anything about tubular picking, I just thought that this TLP-7SB would be a useful tool?

So, is there a online store you can recommend? I need a online store as I live in Europe, not in the US.

That is junk, look for a caliope, if you shop around you can get one for $500-$600.

If it is these locksmiths won't tell you. Locksmithing makes you stupid and paranoid. Try Foley Belsaw they have all the popular models of tubular picks and in spite of what they say they will bloody well sell to anyone with a pulse.

The suggested retail on that pick is 107.00 U.S. with the decoder and case and my cost is 90.00. I would not trust a web site that wants to sell you a pick at over suggested retail. You may not get what you pay for.

I just e-mailed you some info but that was based on the thought you were in the U.S. Being in Europe does create problems. I would suggest contacting my supplier. I dont know if they ship to Europe but they answer all e-mails. You can find it at

It's a restricted site so you'll have to contact them for a password and they will require some personal info from you to browse their catalog. They will however be able to tell you what you need to know through e-mail. Hope this helps.

My bloody god a locksmith telling a non-locksmith where to buy bloody lock picks. Will wonders never cease.

PS I have no need to hide my identity as someone bloody well assumed. I bet you all bloody assumed I was male though didn't you?

Yet more proof that locksmithing makes you stupid.

Pick locks - because I don't want to destroys things that do not need to be destroyed, so simple.

You are seriously offending me now, I hope you know what you are talkin there.

We generally don't teach lock picking on this forum. How about you contact your locksmith wholesaler, and ask about prices. Call a couple of the other locksmiths in your area, and see what works for them. Or ask them at the counter at your wholesale house.

Buying a pick allows you to pick locks like buying a pencil allows you to write poetry.

There is a LOT of skill that people don't see.

While I respect your desire to be of service, perhaps your local locksmiths can handle the bicycles? (and post a BIG sign?)

How userful are lockpicks (and tools in general) depends greatly on the skill level of the hands holding them. There are several incompatible formats of tubular locks - and even with the tool suited to the lock at hand, it takes a skilled touch to open them. The reason for the tool is that it makes the process go *much* faster.

We do the same thing like you do, the bikes (and somethings small motorcycles) are put in a small room next to my service room and are kept for some weeks, but usually the owners pick their bikes/motorcycles up mostly on the same or the next day.

Because it's all the times nearly only tubular locks what these cycle/motorcycle owners use, it seems to be the most common type of cycle locks. In cases where one uses a cheap lock I would use a bolt cutter as they worth of these locks is not that high. Can't you understand that I just don't want to destroy things when I don't have to? Although there actually are big signs saying that its forbidden to lock cycles here, I hate to discuss with the owners about destroyed locks even when it's their own fault.

Hmm... Why pick the locks ??? Besides a tubular lock pick will only work on the tubular type locks... Just use bolt cutters on the padlock and chain type locks, and keep a small Oxy-acetylene cutting torch around for everything else...

It seems as if you got the lock pick that you might be able to use them elsewhere to liberate bicycles if you decided to...

Evan the Maintenance Man

It is not that simple... You want to be able to open and close the locks as if they were your own... That is something that you really shouldn't get involved in... If your concern truly is keeping the bicycles out of fire lanes and other areas where they do not belong post signs and keep boltcutters around to cut the locks off, I do understand that not every bike lock can be cut with a boltcutter, so I suggested you obtain a small Oxy-acetylene torch so you can cut off anything that can't be removed with boltcutters... So it isn't as simple as you make it out to be...

I do know what I am talking about as far as this goes, I am a property Maintenance Technician and where I work we deal with this sort of thing several times a week, we also deal with removing vandalized bicycles off of the bike racks that have been abandoned by their rightful owners...

Hmm... So what do you intend to do with the bicycles you remove ??? We only keep the stuff we cut loose for 30 days then it gets compacted into the dumpster...

You seem FAR TOO OBSESSED with picking tubular locks, and one can only wonder why... I know that they are used on everything from cam locks to bike locks to vending machine locks... Again why are you so obessed with this particular type of lock ???

Evan the Maintenance Man

How about adding your own lock instead? If you:

• "boot" the cycle with a lock of your own

• charge a fine to remove your lock

• have a note attached saying you took down their license plate # (if there is one) and will prosecute for vandalism if they cut it off.

it would be a good deterrent. Since I don't know the particulars of your situation, I'm not sure how legal it would be though, so you should ask a lawyer.

I'd also be concerned with getting charged with a crime for possession of the pick (buglary tools) depending on your area.

But not the bolt cutters.................

There is no logic in what you are saying. You first imply that he shouldn't be removing locks that aren't his own and then imply that if he must do so then it's better to destroy them in the process. Also have you ever used a cutting torch? There is molten slag which is blown from the cut, not a good idea in alot of places.

Obsessed? He just asked a simple question regarding a pick.

and one can only

Why are you interested in locks in general? Afterall you aren't a locksmith.

Try A-1 security manufacturing Corp.

I'm not sure what their policy on non-locksmith sales is but if you can provide a valid need and verifiable business contact they will probably work with you.

Hmm... Think for a second at which a person might take more notice of on a street...

A man attempting to pick the lock on a bicycle, or someone carrying a huge set of bolt cutters cutting that same lock off the same bicycle ???

A property owner (or his agent) is well within their rights to possess and use boltcutters to remove unauthorized locks off of anything from doors to gates and even bicycles locked up to places and things that they should not be...

I am sorry, but I just don't buy the sob story about this guy not wanting to destroy the lock when it is so simple to be saved... Hmm... It will be easy for a few people to discover this and then soon he will be on the receiving end of scrutiny when a bicycle goes missing, as he somehow removes bicycles on a regular basis without using keys or destroying the locks... Besides the fact that he is missing the point -- someone who has to replace a bike lock is going to maybe think the next time before they lock it somewhere it shouldn't be more than they will if all they have to do is go find this guy to get the bike back...

So please don't feed your attitude to me PYSH... I am not in the mood for it... If this guy was so legit then why is he obsessed with obtaining a lock pick ??? And then why must such a device be obtained on-line... Pause and think about that, I am not up on European laws but then neither are you -- so if he did have a justified reason for using a pick like this why doesn't he approach a locksmith in his area to ask how to get one ???

Evan the Maintenance Man