Electric vs Manual Pickgun

[Roger E]

Obviously there's lots of information on each type of pickgun on the site, but I'd like to find out if the electric pickgun is significantly better than the manual one to merit the additional cost. I'd like to buy one for my job, but I'd rather not buy a manual pickgun and have to upgrade to an electric one later on. Objectively, which is more effective? And which manufacturer is best?

Thanks for any help!
Roger E

[2octops]

The Lock-Aid manual gun on the best on the market hands down.

I've got a couple of HPC electric guns that work well also.

They both work extremely well but the electric has a much broader learning curve to it.

I normally just use the manual but have a guy that works for me that swears by the electric. I'm sure it's whatever you get more used to using.

I would suggest the manual to start out with. Learn how to properly use it and make enough money from it to buy the electric if you still want one.

The manual is the easiest to master of the two. The electric has a very broad learning curve and I know many locksmiths that have tried them and never got them to work.

[Roger E]

That's exactly the information I was looking for. I want to develop my picking skills, but I also want to be at least familiar with the other devices or techniques out there. I'll order the Lock-Aid. Thanks!

[Roger E]

On second thought, screw it- I'm going to get both. I ordered a Southord 4.5V model which is currently available at $89 due to cosmetic imperfections- much less than the usual $149 price tag.

I'll get the Lockaid snapgun and the Southord electic unit. After trying them both out, I'll try to post some information that will be useful for beginners like me.

Roger E

[Shrub]

Unfortunately the SO epg is the worst on the market and you wont get much of an impression on them with that, the bigger voltage version will put you in good steed though,

[Roger E]

The only reason I chose the Southord is that it was the only one I could find which uses replaceable batteries rather an internal rechargable unit. I recently had to buy a new cordless drill. I already had one that worked perfectly well, but the batteries were getting so that they would no longer hold a charge. When I tried to replace them I found out that it would just be cheaper to buy a whole new drill. I hate stuff like that.

Anyway, this will at least give me something to try out. I recently talked to a guy who had to call a locksmith because he locked himself out of his house. The locksmith whipped out an electric pick gun, tried unsuccessfully for only a couple of minutes to open the lock, then had to drill it. This guy was not greatly disappointed that the locksmith had to drill his lock; he was more dazzled by the fact that he used some specialized gizmo on his lock, and was convinced that if that didn't work, then the drilling must have been necessary. I want to learn how to pick, but a little eye candy won't hurt, either!

[Shrub]

Perseavere with it and you will soon learn how to use it to its best potential,

Dont insert to the lock and hold the button on, pulse it while bounceing the tension,

[Roger E]

Just an update-

I've received both the Lock-Aid manual gun and the SouthOrd electric gun. Based on some initial experimentation, I've been able to pop some locks with the Lock-Aid, but still no success with the electric.

Even though it's battery-powered, I soon found that if I didn't keep the tension way down, there would be evidence of brass particles coming out of the keyway. After playing around with it some more, I have a feeling it's going to wind up in a drawer like others have mentioned.

Also, I'd like to thank Shrub for his reply. I did search, but I couldn't initially find the information I was seeking. I've since found that this has been covered before. It would have been much easier to give me an embarrassing search-fu pointer, but instead my question was answered.

As I've been working through the posts over the last couple of weeks, it's become painfully evident that noobs, like me, continue to ask the same old questions, and that's got to get really old. But it's also important to keep in mind that this site is truly a huge database of information, and regardless of the search function it's hard for a noob to find their way around. Anyway, thanks for your patience, and I'll revert to lurking mode as I continue to work my way through the site.

[SUBJUGATOR]

I'm surprised people have negative comments about the electric pick. I have the SO electric pick and I'm pleased with it. It gives me extremely fast openings on locks that otherwise take me time manually. Unfortunately I don't own a manual pick gun so I can't compare the two. Maybe one of these days.

-S

[Shrub]

A bad workman always blames his tools is an often used saying over here and its so true,

That said everything has its limits to where even the worlds best couldnt achieve somthing,

Its good to hear your get results with your SO gun obviously we dont know what these regular locks you normally struggle on are, it could be a Genimi or Kwikset,

Some things suit some where they dont others i must say your the first ive heard to claim regular openings with it though,

[Knows-Picker]

That suprises me shrub, because since I ordered mine a little over 2 years ago I think, I have used it only in hobby because I am not a pro. However I have a collection of about 150 locks, and about another 100 cylinders; ranging from yale, to weiss, to american. I have the same sucess rate with the SO electirc version that I do with my brockage pick gun if not better. I do have regular opening with it. I adjusted the stroke to maybe 3/8" to 1/2" and instead of leaving it in the lock and pulsing it like everyone suggests, I use the technique of of lock picking for the new millenium and bring it in and out of the lock while raising and lowering the handle. Kind of like the same as the raking motion but slowed down. Works great for me but I have never used any other electric pick so I have nothing to compare it to. But it deffinatly does not stay in the drawer.....

[Shrub]

Of course it MUST open locks or else it would be withdrawn from sale at least in this country for false advertiseing,

I guess 'pros' compare them with all the other guns out there, i guess it would be compareable to a manual gun in a lot of cases where as a differant epg far exceedes the manual guns,

Its also a very differant story in the rain at night in the cold on an old lock thats not been previously stripped or lubed or sat in a warm envoiroment without much and weather gettinginto the keyway,

Theres a big differance between playing at home and working on the door,
I see epg's as trade tools and never hobby tools so when i answer questions such as this its the trade thats in my mind when i answer them and in that case i stand by what i say that the so epg's are below standard,

[butterboy]

Ive bee doing alot of practicing the last couple days and alot of reading hear and just found somthing on epg's and dicided to go to the shop and try it as sence i got it i havent played with it cause when i got it i coudnt even pick a lock by hand .
So i opened a couple, 5 actuly . Its a southord with 3 batteries and i was quite happy, when those lock were poping open.
Im gona start practicing with it more just to be more effecint in all phases of picking.

[raimundo]

about that brass filing power tool, has anyone tried sanding the probe smooth?

[Jaakko]

about that brass filing power tool, has anyone tried sanding the probe smooth?

I have filed it from my own homemade tool. The probe is made from wiper insert, which has the edges all round already, so I had to file and sand only the tip were it was cut It doesn't file brass anymore after sanding it