Useful pick types

[johnny_bombastic]

I have a pretty good pick set that has about a dozen different picks in it. I am not an extremely experienced lock picker by any means, but I've picked a number of locks. I haven't been able to find any use for the vast majority of these picks. Everything I've picked has been with a hook or a snake rake. Are there many locks that one would want to use a diamond, or double ball or any of the other strange looking assorted picks? Is it really worth it to buy a whole set of goofy looking picks if you only need one?

[loki-aka]

Ball pics are good for wafer locks.

Small diamonds can also be used with some wafer locks and the miniature "toy"
type warded locks.

have fun.

-never pick a lock you don't have permission to open-

[UEDan]

Half diamonds are great for small keyways.
An Abus diskus is a perfect example, I like to rake it with a slimline diamond before going in with a slimline hook.
Anything else specific?

[Josh K]

Hooks are basically feeler picks and great for careful manipulation. Half diamonds are another great SPP pick. Rakes are useful, but I've moved out of those and more into the SPP area. I'd say start with a rake, a hook, and a small half diamond with a couple of tension wrenches.

I have a Southord 22 piece set and the only difference is a couple of ball picks (wafer locks) and a half dozen different hooks (used maybe two). If I could do it over I'd purchase a couple of individual picks rather then a set.

[kamikaze1]

Hi everyone!Hooks and Halfdiamonds are also great for Manipulating Dimple Locks(When you have a Little Training with Them!).I Think the usefullest Picks are a Halfdiamond,some Hooks for SPP,a Snake and some Dimple-Picks for Spp and of Course a Wide Range of Tension-Tools.

[Schuyler]

Large S, L Rake, Bogota, Diamonds of every size, various hooks & deforests. Gotta have the deforests. I'm actually working on a booklet that describes the differences & best uses of various pick types.

[kamikaze1]

That looks really great!I´m very Interested in stuff like That.

[Schuyler]

That looks really great!I´m very Interested in stuff like That.

Thanks. Hopefully I'll have it finished in the next month or so. I'll definitely throw it up here for people to check out.

[kamikaze1]

I can´t wait up till it´s Finished!Because i want to make some new Custom Picks.The Problem is i don´t know which ones are the Right ones for me and which not.I Think,that can helps me a Lot.

[nostromo]

OP- You would benefit from having one of every pick Schuyler shows above. And perhaps the Falle sweeps. Question is, if it would take you more than a few days to make them all, in which order would you do it?

Probably in order of what you'd use them for, yes? Here's a rough guide: If your focus is single pin picking pin tumblers, go for the hooks. If single picking single sided wafers, the half diamonds. If raking double sided wafers go for a double ball and the like. If you want to start raking single sided pins or wafers, start with the rakes.

Start basic with what you want to pick or you'll go crazy hopping from pick pattern to pick pattern.
When you're ready to move on from basic patterns you can expand to the more advanced, say from simple hooks to sweeps or angled patterns.

No hurry in making them. There are LOOOOTTTTSSS of lcoks out there to work on. Lots.

[kamikaze1]

Thanks for the Explanation!I´m really Interested in Making some Types of Hook´s,because the most Locks I have are Europrofile Locks such as Abus,Dom,Trelock and some Padlocks.The Pickset i have is from Dino, but it´s not really good. So I decided to Make some DIY in the near Future.

[Schuyler]

Kamikaze - have you connected yet with SSDEV in Germany?

[kamikaze1]

No,not yet.I´m also a Member in Gemanys Greatest Lockpicking site called"Koksa Community" till Oktober 2009.In the next Week i Drive to the SSDEV in Essen/Germany for the first Time.

[kamikaze1]

I was at the SSDEV as a Guest at Thursday,and i must say that it was very Interesting.At that Workshop i get some great Ideas for new Picks/Tools.

[Schuyler]

I was at the SSDEV as a Guest at Thursday,and i must say that it was very Interesting.At that Workshop i get some great Ideas for new Picks/Tools.

Yeah, gotta say, I am very envious that you have access to SSDEV. We do some decent work here in the US, but it's really nothing compared to the Dutch & German groups. I've had the opportunity to sit in on a TOOOL NL meeting a few nights before one of the Dutch Opens and it was an incredible experience.