Let's play, hunt the spool! How to pick the American 1100 padlock

This is a guide to help pick the American Lock 1100 padlock. Mostly aimed at folks who are new to picking these or struggling to pick those pesky serrated security pins 😁👍🏻

[@toddnunan]

So I commented yesterday morning thanking u for the great advice.I received my 1100 three hours later and used ur advice and I literally opened it within 1 minute!I have had around 7 opens since while practicing!I was dreading this lock as it’s my first green belt lock and I love it.Thanks again Dmac lad👊🏻

[@Dmaclocksport]

@@toddnunan that's great news. The 1100s are a real milestone as well as being good fun to pick. You'll have to buy more now to see if it was a fluke 😆👍🏻

[@hindsy112]

Still to this day, my favourite lock picker! You the man dmac… made that look easy as always!

[@Dmaclocksport]

Aw, thanks mate. Good to see you getting back to it recently 😄👍🏻

[@thecompguy]

That was a great walkthrough on the 1100's! I love mine! I only have 1 so far, LadyLocks is sending me some spool pins so I can pin it up with all spools to have some fun with it! I would love to get a few more so that I can get some differences in bidding to practice more! I'm sure the different biddings will make for a good challenge and help me gain more experience! Thanks for the great videos!

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks, glad if it helps. They're great locks to pick. Have fun when they arrive 👍🏻

[@Madlintelf]

Thanks DMAC, I started picking with a bag of locks 2 years ago, they had American 700's, American 2000 puck locks, and of course a bunch of master locks, and knock off's. I made it through them along with some SC1 cores, then got an 1100 and yeah brick wall. My first open was using the SSDEV pointy Euro hook, but it was a fluke. Now watching this video I get it, I've been trying to pick off the warding on the bottom, not directly from the bottom. Got my Monkey paw and I know what I'm doing after breakfast tomorrow morning. Thanks for the insight, it's greatly appreciated!

[@Dmaclocksport]

Glad if the video can be of any help to you. Thanks for watching 👍🏻

[@RamDiesel93]

Thank you so much!!! I've been trying to pick my first 1100 off and on for the last 8+ hours, just sitting here. You perfectly explained the overset I was feeling and then the spool feeling and I got it open!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!

[@Dmaclocksport]

Congrats! 😎👍🏻

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Just used your tips to get into an hardened steel American 5200 series lock that I received in a mixed junk bag. The shackle had been cut and it had no key, Picked single little clicks at a time with a fair bit of tension, when I got into a false set I knew I'd struck gold because I used your tip and found the counter rotation, lightened up on the pressure and was able to get pin 3 set which is where the spool was that had me in the false set. After that went back through and put the pressure back on, one last serration and it popped open so fast my tension tool went flying! lol.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Excellent picking and congrats on the open 😎👍🏻

[@toddnunan]

U made that look so easy.thanks for the advice Dmac.I’m waiting on my 1100 arriving today so this will help loads once it lands👌🏻

[@toddnunan]

I’m one step ahead I have a green one in my Amazon basket lol.Thanks for the reply mate it’s always appreciated 🤟🏻

[@NiqScott]

That blue one was never that easy when I owned it 😉. I've got one at the moment that I bought from Nathan without a key, and I'm 100% sure it's all serrated. I've spent hours over the past month & a half, and can't come close to opening it. I might engrave my name on it & send it out as a CL. Great video as ever. This should now be the default video for 1100 advice.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks Niq, the ones with serrated pins only are tougher imo. You'll get it with your swanky lpu belt 😄👍🏻

[@NiqScott]

@@Dmaclocksport 😂 - don't be so sure, it was that easy blue 1100 I used for the video 😉

[@LockFumbler]

Brilliant video, thanks for sharing 👍 Loved the panavise loaded with these 6 locks. Cool idea to browse through them 👍 👍

[@Dmaclocksport]

Cheers 😁👍🏻 I only did it for the video but it worked out very comfortable so I think it's going to be my standard approach from now on!

[@sotonlock7894]

A master class on how to pick the AL1100, good video with plenty of tips.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks mate 🙏🏻😎

[@seth4171]

Great vid, thank you sir. Helped me through my 1100.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Awesome! Happy picking 🤘🏻😎

[@UnrulyHousewife]

Cool! Picked my first 1100 within 24 hours of getting it. Always good to get tips though.

[@Dmaclocksport]

So you did! Congrats again. They're fun locks to pick 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@LockSpaz]

Just got my first 1100s today, this will help tremendously. Fantastic job on those locks. I was thinking I might want to use a .019" pick on these but it appears that isn't necessary.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Congrats! They are fun locks to pick 🤘🏻😎

[@PickSmith122]

Nicely done D! You make them look easy. 😁 On the ones that you don’t feel spools in, there are probably spools in there but over the minimal lift pins. I have yet to open one that didn’t have a spool in it. Move the spools around for the fun! 😆✌🏻🌶🌶🌶

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks bud. Pretty sure we did a group buy recently on the uk discord for the brown ones. I think a few of those came without spools if I remember correctly.

[@chriscapune7873]

Great video on how to pick the 1100!! Will help a lot of people pick them😀 🐈‍⬛🐾🐈🐾👏👏👏👏

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks Chris 😄👍🏻

[@shadowshadow2485]

Good video , good explanation of what you're doing , slow explanations make you a very good teacher , thanks , moe

[@neil3123]

Watched this yesterday, opened my first 1100 today. You da man 👍

[@Dmaclocksport]

Awesome! Glad if I could help at all. Most advice is super light tension all the way but that didnt work out for me 👍🏻

[@neil3123]

@@Dmaclocksport Yep definitely the tension that had me confused, you showed and explained it brilliantly 👍 strange the happiness and trepidation felt when i set the spool and felt the wrench move, hoping it hadn't just slipped 😂

[@azwapicklock]

Nice guide. Will try on my owned American Lock soon 😁.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks, best of luck with it. Theyre great padlocks

[@qutube100]

Awesome video dmac REALLY informative thankyou very much!

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thankyou, hope it helps someone out there 😎👌🏼

[@jmseldon]

Cheers mate. Extremely helpful.

[@Dmaclocksport]

No worries, glad it helped 😎👍🏻

[@cyberwasp461]

Great video. Haven't gotten to this level yet as I'm trying a master 570. Since my tension hand is limited, it may win!

[@j.gabriel8573]

Yes these are my nemesis, I've luckily been able to pick only two 1100 series, five pinners open once each. I'm going to try this method but I'm also going to probably break down and progressive pin. I did recently receive a couple of the 1100 cutaways from covert instruments and I am not too pleased with them. I got one from myself and a few other items for someone that is new into the hobby of locksport. I appreciate the video because I still have issues picking these. Take care brother, my best to you and your family

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks J. I progressively pinned too when I started out on these. What didnt you like about the cutaways?

[@j.gabriel8573]

@@Dmaclocksport wished the covert instruments 1100 shows the sheer line better and not being left handed, the Sparrows, the removal cap definitely not as easy to mess with to gut. I actually did a review I'm uploading, I figured it would give people a heads up. I also bought the stick and I like it so far. Just some items I bought for the nephew of one of my bosses. He has epilepsy and shows interest in LockSport, so I got him a few things, gave him a few locks of mine too and a selection of pins and springs. just doing something nice and keeping in spirit of the LockSport community sharing and helping along the way.

[@rwbcustompicks]

Great video mate. I've always gone light tension from the start but gonna start with heavy now to hopefully speed up the pick 🙏 😃

[@Dmaclocksport]

I am a bit of a bully with these. Works for me though, I know some folks say superlight 😎✌🏼

[@rwbcustompicks]

@Dmac tried it earlier without much success but didn't have the heavy metal picks out. Will try again with more muscle power 😃👍

[@bikkies]

Really useful to me as I've not yet successfully progressed to picking any of my 1100s. I am probably a founding member of the rattle club though. One of the first things I did when I obtained an AL core (outside of a lock body) was to try repinning it. Everything was going fine until I over rotated it, to be greeted by a plink plink plink, as each pin, spring and dead arachnids fell down and out through the holes at the bottom. A mistake I'm hopefully not going to repeat.

[@Dmaclocksport]

We've all been there! I'm a proud member of the rattleclub myself 😆

[@Dmaclocksport]

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. Still, it means the only way is up 😁👍🏻

[@danieldaley9097]

Thanks

[@TequilaDave]

I like to lock the core before closing the shackle to prevent it spinning around.

[@adammfanning3654]

Great posts.

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks for watching 😁👍🏻

[@jfinzo]

Recently found your channel and really enjoy your laid back approach and methods. I've recently graduated to the 1100's and have a few. I've gotten a couple opens but completely random. I'd really like to use TOK as i agree there's much more room at the bottom but I'm a lefty and have to use my right thumb for tension with the lock upside down. The problem with this for me is now I'm pushing the pins down instead of lifting them up. When I use BOK I'm still using my thumb but the lock is right side up. I lose space to maneuver but feel much more comfortable navigating the keyway and recieve much better feedback. I toggle back and forth with both of these methods trying to hone one or the other but so far it's a draw. I have a vise but really haven't gotten into using it, I guess I just prefer to holding the lock,... cause they're so F'n cool! I love locks and so glad I found this crazy Locksport hobby and community! Cheers 🍻 and keep em coming. Great channel!

[@Dmaclocksport]

Thanks. Being a leftie can cause problems when picking in hand. A vice would really help but I understand its not for everyone 👍🏻

[@1970pizza]

Never picked an 1100 even though I have 2 or 3 of them ( I collect locks and don't hardly pick them )

[@Dmaclocksport]

They are great looking too and worthy of any padlock collection 👍🏻

[@SadisticPicker]

Nice collection of em. Bet ya couldn’t put all ur clones and them in it. Probably even have a few ya couldn’t fit huh Dmac😜. Great video! Shit imma put a link to this in my 1100 video if ya don’t mind. Urs is better😂🤣👏

[@Dmaclocksport]

Yeah, couldnt get many more in the vice! 😆👍🏻

[@SadisticPicker]

@@Dmaclocksport 😂😂👏