Brinks Brass Padlocks

Difficulty Notes

Difficulty varies significantly by model size and manufacturing batch. 40mm models are often rated Yellow Belt, while 50mm and 60mm models are rated Orange Belt. Some users report them as 'sleepers' with high pick resistance despite appearance, while others find them easy to open consistently.

Sources (r/lockpicking):
- u/myktylgaan (5pts): 'I picked the 60mm and it is definitely not like the ones in the belt rankings as yellow belt. I'd rank it a solid orange belt.'
- u/invisiblebob8616 (7pts): 'If you're looking for practice locks, I would recommend picking up some Brinks bras'
- u/Pooldiver13 (6pts): 'those things are sleepers when it comes to pick resistance since they look'
[confidence: medium]

Picking Notes

Surprisingly tough to SPP due to sloppy tolerances; rakeable in about the same amount of time as turning the key; can be difficult and frustrating with poor feedback; cores can be loose and seize up. Some users find them more difficult than Master Lock No. 3.

Sources (r/lockpicking):
- u/invisiblebob8616 (7pts): 'Master locks can be surprisingly tough to SPP just because of the sloppy tolerances... but they are usually rakeable in about the same amount of time as turning the key.'
- u/Lonely_Cause_9958 (2pts): 'They don't give very good feedback, and the cores are loose and seize up using bottom of keyway tension... It's just a frustrating little lock.'
- u/CyclingDavis (5pts): 'I have found the Brinks brass padlocks to be more difficult.'
- u/badomen57 (5pts): 'I can reliably get this open within 20 seconds everytime.'
- u/myktylgaan (5pts): 'I picked the 60mm and it is definitely not like the ones in the belt rankings as yellow belt. I'd rank it a solid orange belt.'
[confidence: medium]

Tension Tips

Use heavy tension to overcome sloppy tolerances. Bottom of keyway tension can cause the core to seize up, making it difficult to feel when the lock is picked.

Sources (r/lockpicking):
- u/invisiblebob8616 (7pts): 'the best advice is to use heavy tension'
- u/Lonely_Cause_9958 (2pts): 'the cores are loose and seize up using bottom of keyway tension (meaning it can be picked and you won't know it).'
[confidence: medium]

Bitting Variance

Manufacturing variations exist between sizes (40mm, 50mm, 60mm) and batches, affecting difficulty ratings from Yellow to Orange Belt. The 40mm version has 4 pins, while the 50mm version has 5 pins. Some cores are non-removable. They are widely available at Walmart, Ace Hardware, and other big-box stores.

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