Thanks for all the comments!
The finish actually wasn't that much work. Sand lightly with 220 grit, then polish with white jeweler's rouge. You should be able to get the rouge at a good hardware store, though I found some at home depot. I did the same thing with my hacksaw blade set.
Romstar- I'm blushing! I have a lot of respect for your work, so compliments from you really mean something. The hook has reasonably good feel. It's somewhere between the southord hook and the hook I have that was made by Raimundo (the gold standard). It's thick, so it's hard to maneuver through tight keyways. It's good for master, kwikset,etc, but not the more convoluted schlages. I've used the diamond a little, but the tip is too big and the shape is not quite right. I've found that I like hooks a lot more so I haven't changed it. The mit guide recommended a steeper front than back but that makes it hard to get into the lock. Maybe if the whole thing were smaller...
bushd- good eye! It's a thinkpad t20 I got from ebay a few months back. I like to get my laptops a couple generations old and the t20's a classic.
The round handles do take a little getting used to. I find they don't cut up my hands as much as unhandled flat picks. I'm building up calluses from my flat picks though, so that's becoming less of an issue. It's nice to have a variety of handles for when your hands start to cramp up.
