HELP ME WITH SOUTHORD PICKS PLEASE!!!

[TheNewbie19]

hi. i just got a southord pickset, the most basic one. and i have a question about the tension wrench. am i supposed to file it down to fit into the keyway horizontally? or should it sit in there diagonally. so if it is horizontal, when i put it in, the handle is facing straight down, or when its diagonal the hanle is facing to the right/left. please help!

-TheNewbie19

[rayman452]

Pictues usually show a thousand words. You dont have to file it down, as long as you can apply torsion, and the handle is out of the way.

[TheNewbie19]

yeah but when i apply tension, it seems like i cant get the pick farther back, and my friend says it is supposed to be flat against the bottom of the plug with the handle facing directly down from the lock. is that correct?

[TheNewbie19]

but should it sit in the keyway on a diagonal or on a horizontal line? because mine is diagonal and it seems to be getting in the way of my picks, especially the ball. any other ideas?

[digital_blue]

The simple answer is that the tension wrench should sit however works for you. Don't go filing it down though. If it is diagonal, that is no problem. If it is in the upper portion of the keyway, that is fine too. Wherever you want to put it. THe only thing that matters is that you can apply rotational force to the plug. Your friend who told you that it is "supposed" to sit flat in the bottom of the plug is incorrect. It is "supposed" to apply force to rotate the plug. That is all. If it is in the way of your pick, try putting it in a different position. Bear in mind, though, that sometimes keyways are small and it can be a tight fit to get both tools in there and be able to work. That's just part of the challenge.

Hope this clears that up. Happy picking!

db

[stick]

To sum it up: as long as you're turning the lock, you're fine.

[TheNewbie19]

thanks a ton db. that helped a ton

[master in training]

just out of interest, what lock were you picking? i know that many people will say the ball is one of the least used picks in their set, other picks often to the job better, so try all different picks.

also, you're taking advice from your friend, i wouldn't rely on them too much if they are giving you advice like that, take a read through the MIT guide and look round the forums for info that is definatly right.

[noctorum]

I've used the same two picks for most tumbler locks since I've started. A s-rake, and a half-ball. The ball just wasn't fitting in there well enough for me.

Stick with the basics for now, and once you get a feel for it, move to more advanced stuff.

[glasskey]

if you got the "easy picking" book with your southord pickset and are referring to that booklet then I can see where you are getting confused.. the diagram on page 20 is not correct, you can not turn the plug this way.. the diagram on page 10 is correct

[bigbike]

I don't know what set of southord picks you have but in my basic beginners set they included 3 torque wrenches with different blade widths.

[cat2488]

mine is diagonal and it seems to be getting in the way of my picks, especially the ball. any other ideas?

I wouldn't worry too much about using the ball. It isn't designed to be used in most pin tumbler locks. That's probably why it won't fit. Also, if you're having trouble getting other picks by the tension wrench, especially in a smaller lock, you should try to put the wrench in the top of the keyway, in front of the pins. Sometimes it's harder to keep it there without it moving or falling out, but with a little practice it's a lot easier. This way the keyway is open for larger picks. hope this helps.

i think everybody covered this, but it doesn't matter what angle the wrench is at as long as it's putting tension on the plug.

-Kyle