All About The Lockpicking Belt Rankings System

[@shaunokeefe]

Can’t believe I only found this in 2024. It’s really given me the push to get some more locks and start. Spent ages buying tools and never tried ! Thank you

[@faemike55]

Thank you for explaining the rankings. I was directed to this video by Ryan Martin of PacLock. What blows me away is that I was kinda joking about the rankings and Ryan sent me the link to this video. I am now following you to learn more about picking. Thanks again.

[@JonLock]

PacLock is an awesome company, I’m so impressed with their finger on the pulse of the locksport community.

[@norlin76]

Fun listen :) Beyond black we have the Dan system as well, so you can keep going after attaining black! Hope this gets some views, I don't mind getting more belt requests :)

[@JonLock]

Thank you! I honestly don't know too much about the Dan system (yet) - it's a little beyond my sights for the moment... Blue belt is almost done and now I'm looking forward to dedicating some time to purple!

[@PocketWomen]

Really well explained and edited. Good having this information all in one video. This answers a lot of questions. Thanks for doing this video

[@JonLock]

Thank you so much for the encouragement!

[@BoldSooner058]

Great video. I had looked through the belt rankings and used the lists to guage where I was in my luck picking journey but was not aware of some of the extra steps required above blue belt. Really enjoyed this. Thank you for the video.

[@irishjerseyguy]

Great video, very well done. 👍

[@bikkies]

Excellent video, thank you. I've just had my first belt application (green) granted, for AL1100 family locks, so I'm starting to get myself out there. Onward and upward, as they say.

[@lockmakertattooer1045]

This is great! Thank you for doing this!

[@JonLock]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@marciaw5132]

Thanks so much Jon, so interesting! Love it!!

[@JonLock]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jpmcpinning4255]

Nice video. Personal credit goes to Ith and Tumbl3r and I may be missing one or two but these two for sure were users that were responsible for the beginning of the belt system. I was invited to join by Tumbl3r , I believe a few months after the belt system was started. Edit: oh ya, I believe KOD (kitten of doverje?) also was involved.

[@JoePicksLocksport]

I’m not sure that I was subscribed to your channel when you made this. It’s a shame it took me so long before I watched it. What a fantastic overview and explanation of the belt system!

[@Cris-ih3jx]

Good video! Question for you: I recently opened a 5 spool kik using a wire bent with a triple peak profile. What belt would that make me ? Thanks 😊

[@BeercanBushcraft]

Very interesting indeed Jon - stumbled upon this video whilst searching for something else! Anyway, I obviously need to get involved with this, so I'll do a more research. Great video mate, thanks very much 😎👍👍👍🍻

[@AIKineticNRG]

I've been able to SPP an American 1100, but never gutted any locks. This video makes me want to atleast get myself up to the blue belt. Thanks for the video!

[@JonLock]

You can do it!!! Watch some gutting videos on the exact lock you are doing for your first few… some locks have “gotchas” and you can brick a lock.

[@AIKineticNRG]

@@JonLock I just need the tools and I'm sure I can get it. I've watched quite a few guttings but never tried it myself. The most I've done is remove the core from my 1100 😂

[@jonholistik]

Love the breakdown video, i have a question however....im curious as to why the brinks brass body padlock is in yellow and the master 3 is white....im fairly new to picking since i took a few years hiatus since messing with it but i have a brinks nonremovable core that i can pick in 2 seconds while the master 3 i have has been giving me trouble for days now(spp not zipping it or raking)

[@minmatenx]

This is awesome! Will be coming back. Rn I'm working on a brinks brass bad boy. Think I can get yellow w it if I can figure it out!

[@brianhackit7900]

Tx man. Found this in the SR. I've been procrastinating on getting my Yellow Belt because I picked a KW1 Mortise Lock for my White Belt. No reason I can't use a Schlage Mortise Lock for my Yellow. Tx again. GD motivation.

[@JonLock]

You don’t even have to go in order - you can jump in at any belt level! If you have the requirements fulfilled for yellow, you can start there.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Cracking presentation 👍🏻

[@JonLock]

Thanks 👍

[@3D_foos]

thanks for this, I've been watching lock pickers on youtube for years and finally decided to give it a try, been playing with some clear and cutaway locks for 2 weeks and just picked up my first "real lock" an american 1100 i see it's on the blue belt list and was wondering if i submit a video will i get a green belt until the other requirements of blue are met or no belt until i complete locks in order from white on?

[@JonLock]

First and foremost - welcome to an amazing and fun hobby! I really love it, and hope you do to! To answer your question, you can jump in at any belt level, you don’t need to go white first. The only thing is that you need to achieve the special requirements required for that belt level to get the belt. So if you pick a blue belt lock but don’t make a challenge lock you don’t get a green belt (as far as I know). That is a bit of a special situation and there would be no harm in contacting the mods over on Reddit.. maybe they would give it the thumbs up for a green belt by picking a blue belt lock

[@angulion]

Very good and clear video, thanks. I very highly doubt I would ever get to blue belt, not because of lacking skill in the trade, but because I am very much not a social person and have never posted on Reddit etc. and don't think that will change.

[@JonLock]

You posted here :)

[@clusumruptor]

Thank you!

[@michaelstann3390]

Loved it. Great info. And dine so well

[@thekiltedlockpicker5270]

This is pretty cool! I'mma get involved in this now. :-)

[@JonLock]

If you reddit, the www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking is a pretty awesome community. Also the LPU discord is great too... both places use this beltranking system.

[@evilarchconservative2952]

The pie chart very informative. I was under the impression that yellow was the largest slice of the pie. Of course it might have been at one time. Been working on my Green belt. I'm finding that some of these locks feel like I'm just starting again. Loads of fun. Fortunately I have already gutted a few locks.

[@JonLock]

Green is a challenge!

[@BradHarbin]

Great video and presentation. Very interesting.

[@ppipowerclass]

SFIC all the way on purple? Those are easy to rake, either to control or operating. I've done those and decoded them to make my own keys and I am no where NEAR that " level " of picking.

[@JonLock]

SFIC must be SPP'ed (not raked) to both control and operating in one take to earn purple... I think it's not so easy, but that's pretty subjective... also others think the PIP dimples in purple are pretty easy.

[@MrBlackMagic]

nice done :)

[@JonLock]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@GardenBoat]

I've picked a few Master 410 LOTO so I guess I'm green belt if I send in verification? Do I need to bust one of mine open to show the disassembly?

[@JonLock]

Nah, usually for "ungutable" locks, you don't need to do a disassembly. But Greenbelt does have a requirement that you know how to do that skill... so they have a special rule for this lock: "FOR NON GUTTABLE LOCKS (IE. Master 410LOTO) Video documentation of gutting and reassembling a different lock will be accepted."

[@GardenBoat]

@@JonLock thank you! I need to learn that skill still so im not green belt yet :) but I just started as a locksmith apprentice so it won't be long :D

[@jakeclauson9863]

I'm always wondering what could count as helping a new or experienced picker. What could I do to accomplish those requirements?

[@JonLock]

I think mostly activity on Reddit and/or the LPU discord (links in the video description). I have my blue belt and I haven’t done anything special other than comment frequently on posts and answer questions here and there.

[@BelmontClan]

@@JonLock The Belt system was made to make people spend money on something expensive, or to try and reach the heights of the major shills on KZbin who already have those locks in stock on there shelves examples being - Bosnian Bill, Lockpicking Lawyer, Lock Noob, or even Helpful Lockpicker those who have more money and clout on hand to do something. It’s a waste of money and a fools errand simple as that. eBay might be a friend to some but the channels who buy lots from there end up doing the scumbag reseller routine. Everyone wants to push the single pin picking crap till it’s all they show. The belt system is pretty much pick an Assa lock for nearly every belt, spend more money than you have and submit the video to a specific person to get an imaginary belt. It’s all a crock of shit, and a waste of money. As far as helping mentor others that’s what KZbin channels and leaving comments are.

[@JonLock]

To me it’s something different but we’re all entitled to our own perspective. For sure there are those that want to profit from Locksport (and certainly some eBayers who are less than honest). There are the occasional KZbinrs that are all about the “monetizing”. My experience, however, is that the very vast majority of the locksport community I find on Reddit, discord, and KZbin are extremely generous and are here to enjoy a hobby, not exploit or rip someone off. Belt Ranking is an imaginary attribute - it signifies an achievement of a milestone. To me it’s like earning a badge in Boy Scouts. It, however, doesn’t mean that someone with a blue belt is a “better picker” than someone with a yellow belt or whatever. At the end it’s a hobby for fun, and no one should tell anyone else what the “right way” to have fun is… if belts are fun for you, do belts… if making videos on KZbin is fun for you, make videos… if eating spicy food while picking locks is fun for you, eat spicy food. Just do what is fun for you and don’t do anything that isn’t.

[@BelmontClan]

@@JonLock My milestone is having done KZbin videos for 3 years on a smartphone and a shoestring budget and created original content. And gaining my subscribers through trial and error and putting myself out there to a few different types of people. And gaining my knowledge through research and practice and not being a shill or trying to monetize any videos and no editing and being honest, blunt and straight up with it.

[@JonLock]

@@BelmontClan Congrats on the milestone! That's certainly something to be proud of.

[@PandaFrog]

good video :) thank you

[@piggyfan5486]

Lockpicking Fans!!!!

[@barry-bradford]

Must be blue belt then as a challenge lock maker but opened many on the red list

[@JonLock]

Yes, there are some opinions on the challenge lock requirement… I agree it’s a tangential skill, but also shows some fundamental understanding of lock security. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there that can pick a black belt lock who have no interest in creating a challenge lock.

[@kixpickss]

Do I have to start from white or go up or if I opened something in between I get the rank right away?

[@JonLock]

you can start at any ranking, you don't need to get white first, for example.

[@kixpickss]

@@JonLock Thanks 🙏🏼

[@IanMott]

first time her subscribed

[@JonLock]

Thank you for the support!

[@affinity3470]

Dang this video is going viral, lol. Nice!

[@JonLock]

My most viewed one yet! I think I'll try to do some "presentation" style videos from time to time when I find the right topic.

[@kixpickss]

Mist of locks are American, what if I use Italian and French, maybe German, I mean is other hard lock not listed counted?

[@JonLock]

If it isn't on the list it doesn't count, but I'm in Germany and I have no problem finding locks at each belt ranking... a lot of european locks on the list... a ton of abus, bks, etc.

[@kixpickss]

@@JonLock umm Then I should get started find and picking 👌🏼

[@reviewguru5457]

fun

[@donesixfour]

Why so many padlocks?

[@JonLock]

Why not padlocks? Padlocks are some of my favorite to pick. The lock format really has nothing to do with how hard they are to pick - it’s the core. You’ll see many high security cores in padlock format.

[@donesixfour]

@@JonLock i realize that, it's just I just own way more deadbolts, mortise cylinders, and kik cylinders than padlocks, and was hoping to see something like schlage b60, or angal deadbolts.

[@jaythatguyyouknow5135]

Funny, less than 3% of people in the lock sport community on Reddit participate in this. Sounds about right for any Reddit group participation.

[@JonLock]

I guess a lot of people sub to the subreddit after watching a few lockpicking lawyer videos, but aren’t really active in the hobby.

[@jaythatguyyouknow5135]

@@JonLock yea, that comment was more of a Reddit dig than anything lol.

[@Spazilton1]

This would take the LPL what 20 minutes total :)

[@JonLock]

LPL does some fun videos and brings a lot of attention and interest to locksport and lock picking, and I love that. But LPL doesn’t pick much in terms of ultra high security locks, and to be fair those wouldn’t fit into the 4-5 minute video format that is the sweet spot for KZbin monetization for his audience. He’s a great picker, but in the locksport world there are many with more impressive resumes that are picking locks in the high belt colors.

[@jpmcpinning4255]

Thank you for saying this. We need more attention brought to the fantastic pickers of reddit… Lpl was a damn good picker, he was red belt when he quit reddit. However, It took him quite a while to get there as it does all of us… For those who think Im just talking crap , I was there when it happened. If I remember correctly I was actually a mod at the time he got his red belt.