My bag should just have Hooks.

[Punt]

I've been picking for just a couple years now and I've realized that I only use Short hooks (and Gems). I feel like I can get rid of all my other picks and just keep my hooks. No matter what I do, whether I'm raking, jiggling, spping etc. the hook always works no matter what.
All I need are hooks!
Anybody else feel this way?

[Comrade627]

Generally I'm the same way, though I still carry a half diamond, and some bogotas.

[nite0wl]

I'm with Comrade627 on this. I use a pair of short flat-tip hooks on almost everything but my 'minimum carry' kit still includes a pair of half diamonds and a bogota to help things along or for those moments when a hook just won't work.
Of course when you try to pick things other than common pin-tumbler designs you end up needing a little more variety, and non pin-tumbler mechanisms demand something else most of the time (although a hook that you don't mind mangling can work on occasion).

[cheerIO]

For hobby picking at home I pretty much just use a short hook, Gem, and sometimes a Reach.

If I get a new lock I will try a bogota in it to make sure it's not a piece of cake.

But if I am working and have to get the door open, I try everything I have in this order:

4 different bogotas
two city rakes
a smooth wavy thing, supposed to be for car doors or something
and then I'll go to the SPP with a hook

(Also carry a snake rake thing for wafer locks.)

Thing is, on most of the house locks I've run into, I've haven't needed to go past the 2nd bogota. The only locks I've had to SPP to re-key have been Schlages.

I wouldn't get rid of your other picks, cause in the wild they work super fast. Although without as much sense of accomplishment.

Oh, and I forgot. You can also take some of your other picks and file them down into other hook variations. I've done that to a couple of mine.

[Pintickler]

If I was only allowed to carry one pick it would surely be the short hook. All the locksmiths I have ever known ( seven guys ) say the same thing, that they use one pick for 99% of everything they open. In my opinion, nothing is more versatile, or for that matter, more durable than the short hook.