Any use for practice stand/mounting hand positions

[theTastyCat]

Hey all - a while ago I bought the lockpickshop.com three-cylinder practice stand, and I got it back out again today when I realized that it's much harder to pick a lock when it's not right there in your hand. The few mounted locks I have that are suitable for practice give me a much harder time than the same lock in my hand. This makes sense; I can hold the lock exactly how I want it and get great feedback. When it's mounted, the whole thing turns to slush. Thus, I hoped this stand would replicate mounting.

Well, I got a cylinder in there and it ain't that great. It's really lightweight, so I'm going to try to find something to weight it down with since I don't want to drill holes into my desk. Right now I'm having to hold down the stand, and my tension wrench keeps falling out of the cylinder - it's pretty impossible. How do you all make these work?

Finally, is there a good thread somewhere about preferred hand positions? My favorite on a freestanding lock is sort of upside-down - I hold the pick like a pen and pull it downwards, like writing the number 1. This gives me great control and feedback, but I haven't been able to get anywhere close when mounted.

Many thanks.

[theTastyCat]

Sorry - here's the link to what must be the newer model, but they're basically the same.

http://www.lockpickshop.com/TRIPIK-WS.html



Mine's not quite as tall, so there's not as much room to get something heavy on top of the base. And of course still have some room to operate.

[FarmerFreak]

I recommend getting a vice to clamp the cylinders in. I'd pass on the practice stand.

Here is one of my videos just to show you what I use at home. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5379500/i ... ns_picked/

When I'm at work I use a vice that is mounted to the table and won't budge.

[edsmiley]

FarmerFreak is right. Get a vice and you will be much better off. I picked up one from Harbor Frieght that was like $12 after a coupon. I wanted something that could just sit on top of the table instead of clamping to it. I ended up with this vice and it works great:

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-3-4-quar ... -3311.html

While it does not clamp down to the table, it is still quite stable with most common locks. If I have something heavy, it tends to tip. However, that is not too often. The "vacuum" base is kinda worthless, but the vice still works well.

Good luck!
Ed

[theTastyCat]

Perfect - I'll do exactly that.

Tried some more "non-backward" picking tonight and had more success. I find that my hand position isn't too different from yours, FarmerFreak, but I have been using my picking ring finger as a fulcrum, which wears it out pretty fast. If I wasn't nervous as a crack baby trying to keep the tension wrench from falling out while I'm holding the lock as well, I would probably have a little more room for experimentation.

To Harbor Freight - aka the Chinese Hardware Store!!

Thanks fellas.