Improvised Turning/Torsion Wrenchs .......

[Brian Sandman]

Rigid Brass Turning/Torsion Wrench can be filed to press fit each type of keyway and let the person feel the cylinder move. When slightly underfiled to fit the keyway it is pressed into the cylinder bottom,and the clinder and T/T Wrench moves as a unit.

The CHAPION 6 LEVER padlock when diassembled reveals triangular levers
with a sidebar moving into place as the levers line up. If we look up the Patent Date then a year can be determined. I believe CHAMPION came years before MEDECO?
Making picks for CHAPION Padlocks may reveal some insights into picking sidebar locks? A file paper clip works well and the modified paper clip also works BEST locks, as well as Tubular Locks.

Sandman ..................................
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[FarmerFreak]

I use 2 hook picks to pick tubular locks all the time. (I really like hook picks). Anyway, one for tension and one for picking the pins. I usually use the same hook for turning and nothing else, because it now has a slight bend in it.

[raimundo]

I sorta saw that last phrase in farmers post coming. If your gonna use the hook as a tensor, you might want to make one out of thicker material, such as oil dipstick, or some of the plumbers snake or electricians fish tape.

[w00tb0t]

I have never tried to pick a tubular lock with two hooks, should have been thinking out of the box.

Will try it when I get home using my cheap DX hook for tension.