5 Hook Picks Compared From 5 Manufacturers

[Bud Wiser]

I know I have a similar post floating around here some where but this is a update and includes more accurate measurements.

This is a study and comparison of how each manufacturer has slight variation in the same style small hook, my pick of preference. The variations of actual shape of hook, size and thickness. I think it's worthwhile this be pointed out as I see many noobs question how to make their own and ask for templates. I'd like to show that those templates are just guides and don't be afraid to deviate a little from them.

I've also included two of my own hooks I made from hacksaw blades. They are not pretty, but I get excellent feed back from them! So this is actually a look at 7 different variations of the small hook.

There are many more too! The Dino Navigator Set includes 7 different variations of the small hook!





You may laugh all you want at my home made picks, but you might be interested to know I get the best feed back and success with mine

I also have the Dino Navigator set, and also use them as well. It's really interesting how some hooks just work better in some locks, much like tension wrenches! I use them all at one time or another, my least favorite is Southord because they bend too easily and I don't like the size of the hook. You can even see a slight bend on the SO in my next picture. Say what you will, but it is what it is and none of my other picks have ever bent accept a few hacksaw blades that got over heated.

HERE IS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BLADES



For those of you who like SO picks, you will notice that Southern Specialties is verry close to it. I like to put it this way, SS picks are like SO on steroids. The extra .005 really ads a lot of strength to them. I don't care how heavy handed you are, you won't bend the SS. I just find the SO too soft for me.

The best steel is of course Peterson, HPC, Majestic.

I prefer the slimmer shape of the hook on Peterson, HPC, and Majestic. It's what prompted me to try even slimmer hooks with hacksaw blades.

Compare the radius and shapes of the hooks closely. The thickness also is important. I prefer .020, but not on SO.

Hopefully this visual aide will help you decide to experiment with your own hook designs! I've done a fair amount and am finding there is lots of room to play with.

This comparison is hardly complete as there are other manufactures that are worthy that I just don't have at this time. I draw no conclusions accept to state what my experience has been.

Jim

[funboy79015]

For clarification for the noobs that might actually read this. Where are you taking your measurments?

[iNtago]

its thickness i beleave

[New-York-Locksmith]

yes- it's the thickness...

[raimundo]

Small differences are important. the actual ball park is just a keyway, so subtle shape and thickness and size differences really do mean a lot. Notice how falle has so many different long hooks, that is because the few thousandths of an inch difference is significant. I make my own picks and so I can make sets of size variations. Think about it, the difference between a long and a short pin is not so much

[Bud Wiser]

Yes deminsions are thickness of blades, which is important.

Speaking of Falle Picks, John Falle's belief that the ball, diamond aren't really very useful in practice, is carried over in the Dino Navagater 18 pc Pick set that has only one double ball pick and all the rest are hooks, and specialty picks, no diaminds.

I was a big fan of the half diamond for a while! But discovered that any thing I could do with the diamond, I could do even better with the correct hook!

The diamond was the most popular pick for a long time, and I read in one of those learn how to pick books (forgot which one) that it use to be referred to as the CIA pick because it can be used to rake and pick at the same time. But it's weakness is in SPP. I can do the same with a small hook, and it's strength is in SPP.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating you abandon your diamonds and balls and start using hooks only. If your having good results with them, by all means carry on. Still this information may be interesting to some.

[stlbolt]

Are you talking about a snowman pick? The only reason I would ever use those would be on a wafer lock to rake it open... So you use those on regular pin locks to? hmm... interesting. But yeah I noticed the difference of success rate when I made my own hooks and then used southord or different sets of hooks that some wouldnt work as nearly as good on some locks as others. interesting indeed.

[Bud Wiser]

I've never used any balls (or lost any for that matter) on pin tumblers. However the half ball seems to work nice ons some of the cheaper masters

[Peter Martin]

FYI: I used a micrometer and measured the thickness of a few of my picks from the HPC set. All measure .025" for thickness.

[Bud Wiser]

well good for you, I also used a digital caliper accurate down to .001, tested against feeler gauges.

Mine average .027-.028

on the double end picks .020-.022

measurements tested against feeler gauges were identical to the gauges.

[Schuyler]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Manual section, rather than the auto-mechanical section?

[Bud Wiser]

If a mod wants to move it to manual it's ok with me. I actually thought thats where it was. Old age you know.

[Knows-Picker]

I agree BTW. The diamond is a good pick, and before I knew that you can "scrub" or "rake" with a small or long hook as well, I used the half diamond for most of my raking. Now-a-days though I usually use my peterson slim line "slender jem" small hook for spp and for my scrubbing. The main advantage being when I feel the lock is about to go after I have scrubbed it, I can use the slender jem to feel which pin is let unset and set it to get sucsess.

[ForFun]

I've also included two of my own hooks I made from hacksaw blades. They are not pretty, but I get excellent feed back from them! So this is actually a look at 7 different variations of the small hook.

There are many more too! The Dino Navigator Set includes 7 different variations of the small hook!

..............
Glad I found your post. I'm pretty much down to using just a hook and was thinking about getting various brands of it. I've got a Southord 32pc set and a locksmith gave me two identical HBC hook picks. I prefer the HPC of the two brands I have. Wonder what it's going to cost to get the various brands in what all the variations that might appeal to me.

Why the name "Bud Wiser"?
After the McDonalds coffee law suit I was wondering if I could sue Bud Lite for all the ugly women I went home with.