slimline or normal sized lockpicks?

[Erdnaseuk]

Not sure if this has been answered yet But I will chuck in my ten pence.
I am from the UK. I have a standard size basic southord set (4pc) and a Goso Slimline set (15pc). I try and use the standard size short hook as much as possible - however one of the UK lock I have to practice on can only be attacked with slimline small diamond (cant even hit the pin properly with a small slimine hook).
So I would personally reccomend getting a standard hook, standard diamond, and standard snake rake. I would also get slimline versions of them with a couple of different sized hook and diamonds chucked in.
The slimline Goso set was the cheapest slimline I could find in the uk - I cant really complain about them apart from the "cheap" feel compared to the southords I have (but hey they were have the price of the slimline southords). however this set has ALOT of rakes which I dont think a beggineer would need (I prefer the snake rake to any of them).

[casper111]

Great, thanks for the advice guys .
Would anyone have any words on the GOSO 24 piece lockpick set.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/GOSO-Piece-Lock ... ckpick+set
It says the set is good for European locks. It also seems to be a very good deal. I know very little on pick sets but this looks like a nice set at a nice price.
Would this set be worth buying ?
Thank you

[Erdnaseuk]

sorry dude, looking at the pictures it looks like I have a different goso set
http://www.amazon.co.uk/GOSO-piece-slim ... 27-3988163
this one seems to have a couple more diamonds - Also It doesnt look like the set you posted are slimlines if thats what you want. This set has alot of rake varitaions though which you many not want.

The picks in the link I posted I own. I can say they do their job fine, they feel quite cheap but my shafts and pick tips are still straight depsite some heavy handed lock picking. Only bad thing I can really say about this set is that the standard tension wrench is a bit flimsy. the other one included in the set is alot sturdyier. hope this helped.

[casper111]

That set was actually the first slimline set (15 piece GOSO) I was looking at buying, then I read that you will need a good amount of hooks to start off with.
I think I'll definitely invest in that 15 piece GOSO later on .Since the 24 piece is no good , what about this set. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lock-Picking-C8 ... +lock+pick
There are other sellers with cheaper prices, but shipping cancels the savings. I think I'll get this 9 piece SO .Would this e a good one to start with ?

[Erdnaseuk]

I think its ultimately upto you what you decide on. Im a noob and I have used anything other than a hook or diaond yet for picking. I have a slimline short hook, slimline long hook, standard half hook, and slimline large, small and medium half diamonds. With this I have been able sucessfully pick a the two Euro style pin tumblers, My wafer lock and a padlock with a small keyway. i tend to mainly use my standard hook and slimline small diamond.
I prefer Southords over Goso's so I say if you got the extra cash go for it seems to have what you need and should serve you well when your starting out (like me)

[Erdnaseuk]

sorry to double post
I dont really like the rakes included with the Goso set. I can rake locks open using them all but far prefer feel and operation of the snake rake (the one pictured in the set you posted) compared to these. Also this style os "jagged" rakes that come with the Goso set didnt seem to get great reviews when I did my research.

[Harchey]

Hello!

Keeping in mind I consider myself after six months of practice still as a beginner yet, I want to share my experience within this forum about
"slimline or normal sized". I started out to make my own picks because I found it more satisfying to work with (and I like to make tools). These homemade picks are still my faforites and most used.
But temptated by the handsome pocket and the overwelming offer of 74 tools in it, I bought the "slimeline" set of Southord.
So it was possible to me to find out there are 4x the same model of picks in it. Some with thicker handles (what I like) but most have the handle the same thickness as the business end. I started out to mesure all the business ends and found out they are all the same thickness!
0.0225". So what is all this "slimeline" about? The handles I believe!
In practice this thickness is far to thick to enter most of our European locks so they are of no use in Europe. Don't understand me wrong: I like the set in the first place for all the different tension wrenches that comes with. They are usefull! I found out that I need more different tension wrenches than different lock picks. Maybe that is because I like SPP and not raking.
All the lock picks in the set I will use them sooner or later as a "blanc" instead of a sawblade to tune them in a usefull pick. Meanwhile the set is fancy to look at!
I want to buy other sets to use them as a template to make my own picks but mutch thinner ore they can't serve...
All this is my own humble opinion but could maybe serve some others to think about. I should say: if you have homemade picks that work, you don't need to buy a set. This is NOT to offset the lockpick dealers!
Also, I apologize for my English writing: I never learned English at school!
Greetings,

Danny

[ARF-GEF]

Hi Danny,

Welcome to the forum.

We usually advice people not to buy those big sets. Buy a smaller set with 8-10 picks tops. You will never use 80% of the picks in the 74 pick set. You get a lot of picks you will never ever use. There are several ones of the same picks included: for example you get the exact same hook 3 times.
If you think about it you will probably never need 4 "snowman" picks.

Slimline picks should be thinner at t the picking end. Plus they have bit different shape making moving the pick in the lock easier.
"Slimline" has nothing to do with handle thickness
The "blade" (the picking end) of southord slimline should be 0.50 mm thick.

If you want to buy further picks I can recommend the HPC Standard short hook as an excellent pick.