Ball picks: What styles work when? Which ones to buy?

[hda7]

I have been interested in locks and locksmithing for awhile, and am now thinking about getting into picking. I am trying to select pick styles for my first set (I am thinking about buying individual picks and wrenches from SouthOrd). I have read that the ball-style picks are for wafer locks (correct me if I am wrong). What determines which style -- half ball, ball, half double ball (would that be a whole ball? ), or double ball -- should be used in a given situation? Does it depend on the lock? Or is it personal preference? Finally, which of these styles (if any) would be good to get for a first set?

Also, is the long hook from SouthOrd useful, or is it just too big for most locks?

[nsquidc]

Hi hda7, and welcome to the site.

Ball-styles are indeed good for wafers. Ball-types are better than half-balls for double-sided wafers, but truth be told most wafer locks don't really need specific picks per say. (They generally have poor tolerances and rake open easily.) The bigger issue with wafer locks is finding the proper tension tool, as most of them have small keyways and your standard tension tool may take up most of the free space. I've never really found a use for double balls or snowman type picks.

For a first set, all you really need is a medium hook, a small half diamond, and a snake rake. Everything else is pretty much never touched, especially if starting out. A long hook is worthless in my mind, but you can file it down to a pretty decent gonzo. More important than picks is having a good selection of tension tools of different thicknesses.

I personally dislike Southord's lower end kit. The steel is pretty flimsy and gives poor feedback. For the same price, you could pick up the TOOOL starter kit (http://toool.us/equipment.html), which is pretty decent and has a good selection. Alternatively, Peterson makes a kit of just the 3 picks mentioned above, but at very high quality, for a decent price.

Just my 2 cents.

[hda7]

Hi hda7, and welcome to the site.
The bigger issue with wafer locks is finding the proper tension tool

Are there descent wrenches for this available? Or is this best done DIY?

For a first set, all you really need is a medium hook, a small half diamond, and a snake rake. Everything else is pretty much never touched, especially if starting out.

That's why I planned to buy picks individually. Would it also be good to have something like Peterson's hooked diamond (DeForest?) pick?

More important than picks is having a good selection of tension tools of different thicknesses.

Any suggestions on obtaining (or making) these?

Alternatively, Peterson makes a kit of just the 3 picks mentioned above, but at very high quality, for a decent price.

How to Peterson picks compare to SouthOrd?

[raimundo]

ball picks are superfluous, those who tout their use on wafer locks are trying hard to find an excuse for them, a thin shafted half diamond properly sanded and used with light tension will easily out perform any ball shape pick. there is a reason for this, its because the ball is blunt and always will affect adjacent wafers, while the diamond is peaked and can depress one tumbler at a time. spacing is tight, but the full stroke of a tumblers limits of movement is also tight.

people who think ball picks are necessary are people who bought them in the big sets and want to believe that they are good for something.
they are good for something, if you have no decent half diamond, you can still get a lot of wafer locks with the ball, its just not as easy.

[hda7]

I think I have decided against getting ball picks in my first set. I am thinking about these picks and torsion wrenches from SouthOrd:
SP02
SP03
SP06
SP09
SP12
TW01
TW02
TW11
TW23

What do you think?

[Doctor Hexagon]

I think That's a good kit you've pieced together overall. Here's just a few thoughts of mine on the tools you've selected.

For SP02 and SP03: I like both of these tool quite a bit actually. They are quite small though, so I hope you'll be comfortable with them. I don't use mine very often and I can't complain about their size, but I can imagine why some people might complain, especially those that prefer handles on their picks.

SP06: I don't use this tool often, but it's useful

SP09: This is usually the first tool I pick up when I start picking. I use it -very- often, so I can definitely recommend it.

SP12: I rarely rake but this is rake I normally go to first when I do. It has served me well.

TW01 and TW02: These are both great, and typically the ones I use most.

TW11: This is essentially a longer version of TW01. I have used it before a few times but I don't know that I've ever needed to use it. Get it if you want to.

TW23: I like these. I don't use mine very often anymore only because I have enough single sided turning tools to allow me to grab and use only the one I need at a time. I definitely recommend it for a starter kit though.

That's just all my opinions on each tool. If you get all this I think you'll have a well rounded set that should enable you to open most any lock you come across.

[hda7]

@Doctor Hexagon:
Thanks for the input. I'm going to hold off on the set for the moment. I figured I'd try to make something myself first, and I ended up with a half-diamond pick (pictures in this post) that I have been happy with so far. I also just bought a Schlage Dexter deadbolt on ebay, so my extra cash has somewhat dwindled .

[dls]

If you are looking at a set which contains some ball picks and think they are no use think again, think of them as blanks to make half diamonds out of.
The double balls can be used to make short rakes and if you remove the ball altogether you can bend the end to make a hook this means you dont have to modify the proper picks and can hone your skills on the useless balls.