More picks the merrier ?

[cybus]

Hello, I've been a registered, police vetted and BLA trained locksmith for about 6 months in the UK. Part of my training deal was I was given a few tools to get me started, amongst others these included a 15 piece pickset with 2 tension tools. I found these were ok for opening 9 out of 10 rim cylinders Yale ERA etc, but have not had much luck opening UPVC euro cylinders. I have tended to use other tools, Snappers and the "Bell" plug puller to gain entry but always thought this a heavy handed approach that requires no skill and not worthy of my title as a Locksmith. I asked a question about electric picks a few days back but then got thinking shall I invest in a larger pick set? I have seen some sets of around 80 picks and about 4 or 5 tension tools. Would I get more success buy using more picks or should I be able to open all locks with the 15 piece set I already have? Your thoughts please.

[iNtago]

the 80 peice set you are talking about only has 14 deferant picks
14 normal
14 normal with hadles
14 slim
14 slim with handles

now for you question or more the meryer,

its good to have a nice selction of picks but you will most likely lean to one and not yse the rest.

in my opinion quality is more inportant than quantity

[Krypos]

if anything, you will want more TENSION WRENCHES. that is where it is at. unfortunately, companies dont usually offer a very wide selection of them, so what is probably your best bet is to make your own.

search around the forums for ways and materials to make them, and try your hand at that.

also, stick what the picks you have. just start picking more, and not on the job per se, but as a hobby. if you can learn to pick better as a hobby, then i am sure you will be able to open many many more locks on the job.

[cottonmouth]

I think that every pick requires some training to get used to it. The more you have the more time it will consume. Having more picks may even slow down your progress when you chance the pick to frequently when you don´t succeed immediately. If you find a keyway that doesn´t allow access with your picks you can still make or buy a new one.
I second Krypos. Different tension wrenches are by far more useful. A good fit of the wrench makes picking noticeably easier.

[kodierer]

I think that every pick requires some training to get used to it. The more you have the more time it will consume. Having more picks may even slow down your progress when you chance the pick to frequently when you don´t succeed immediately. If you find a keyway that doesn´t allow access with your picks you can still make or buy a new one.
I second Krypos. Different tension wrenches are by far more useful. A good fit of the wrench makes picking noticeably easier.

No. Most of your "picks" are actually rakes, and rakes are unpredictable. You never know how much success a rake is going to give you. You need a couple of tension wrenches, and a few of picks. Generally normal, and slim. Feelers, and diamonds. Thats it.
As to the electric pick, I don't think its necessary to own one. I have purchased one, and I don't feel it was worth the money.

[cybus]

Thanks to you all, I think I will save my money and start trying to pick all my old replaced locks. I plan on being a Locksmith for the long term so I supose there isn't any rush. If im honest I think I was looking for a quick fix solution but you guys have made me re think my attitude.
Thanks again.

[raimundo]

if you have a lot of picks, you will find that people may try to liberate some of them from you, or you may simply misplace one and leave it behind, the best pickset is the smallest number optimised for universal application. ideally, that would be one pick that works best in all varieties of lock, but that may be impossible, so you want a few very useful picks. You dont want to have to count all 80 picks everytime you have had them out and are putting them away.

[Shrub]

If the BLA are still giving the Majestic cheap set out then yes get rid and at least get some south ords,

Now you say that your BLA trained it explains why you are struggleing so much with basic picking im sorry youve been ripped off by them and that they are still doing it to anyone that gets taken in by their adverts,

You will need to spend a lot of time reading the site and practiceing picking and then you will need to start on the mortice lock picking and either do a real course or simply read up and practice,

Good luck with it, nothing can be rushed though when theres skill envolved,

[cybus]

Thanks Shrub, can you suggest a good all round pick set available from say Multipick Germany please. I have an ICL Curtain lever pick set which I have a good success rate with, I have only ever had to drill one mortice that was faulty and left me no alternative. And Souber Tools 2 and 3 lever jiggler sets have also come in handy. Its just the Euro cylinders I seem to have problems with, as I said before it takes seconds to destroy them with either the Snapper or Bell plug puller so gaining entry is childs play, I just dont like the idea of the brute force approach. Im a firm beliver that the customer is paying alot of cash for your services and im sure they would rather see me skillfully and non destructivly open their lock as opposed to me using the heavy handed method. If you could suggest a good pick set that would be great, then its back to the work bench with some Euros and very sore fingers.

[Belfast_ken]

I use a homemade tension tool about 13cms long whilst using a rake pick and this seems to do the job for me friend. As stated on up the fourm here , Try using different tension tools to see what one best suits.

[jiggler]

I got the small majestik set off my course. I don't think it's too bad - but it aint too good either! You can see that it's emphasis is on raking rather than single pin picking because they've only given one hook pick. I've gone for the HPC Superior Pickset- 32 piece at £37. They also do a good selection of HPC Tension Tools for sale separately. The Peterson picks look very good too. I'd get their catalogue and have a look before you decide. You can register at www.keyprint.co.uk and they'll send you a catalogue.

I had the ICL pick for 2 days and sent it back to SKS!! The quality of the wires was terrible imo. I got a refund and got the Chris Belcher pick from Duffells - what simple and yet elegant and brilliant design that is! I'm suited with it and opening everything for fun.

[Shrub]

I had the ICL pick for 2 days and sent it back to SKS!! The quality of the wires was terrible imo. I got a refund and got the Chris Belcher pick from Duffells - what simple and yet elegant and brilliant design that is! I'm suited with it and opening everything for fun.

I agree,

As for picking euros, basically its practice, read up on this site, click my www button, read Db's picking exorcise and learn to feel the lock properly,

Its true that almost any pick has the potential to open a lock in the right hands but a nice set is a good start, i have a few of most makes of pick but use SO on the job almost without exception but i know many feel they are the crap end of the market, i had to laugh at the recent lockpicking comps, i brought out a simple case of SO picks, most others had cases and cases of stuff and yet i still managed to get 4 points in the comp (although not good enough but some of the ones i was against were bloody fast lol and i failed to pick the first lock as i did zero practice before hand)

Grab yourself a 20 piece set of SO, they wont break the bank but will be useful,

At the comp i bought a load of lockmasters picks to try out and first results look like they are simular to the SO picks but finished a little better,

[cybus]

Thanks Shrub I will order them now. My 7 and 8 pin tubular picks arrived this morning so i've been having fun with these trying out different tensions on the picks, it realy does vary from lock to lock. The wife's starting to look at me abit strange now i've got my cars steering wheel lock in bits on the kitchen table.

[Gundanium]

At least carry a snap gun, if all else fails (before ripping the plug ) try that out.

[2octops]

80 picks? Geeze, you would need a backpack to carry them all

I have a small set of HPC's that I have had for many years. There are 4 picks and 6 tension wrenches. It's rare that I ever run across something that I can not pick with them.