Top 5 most versatile picks to SPP

[Asoamylacetate]

Hi guys

If you had to choose the 5 most versatile picks to SPP with, what would you get
i.e. the Peterson short hook, a Peterson gem and maybe a Southord deforest?

Thanks

[doublez]

Not going to use brand names, but here's what I'd go for:

• standard medium hook
• standard small hook
• standard offset (deforest) diamond
• standard half diamond
• slimline small hook

[ggpaintballer]

Standard medium hook
Standard medium hook thin stock, aka slender
Peterson Gem
Peterson gem thin stock, aka slender
Deforest Diamond any brand. I prefer peterson or southord.

[cheerIO]

short hook 0.021
short hook 0.018
short hook 0.015
gem 0.021
gem 0.015

[Robotnik]

For me, it's the order below:

1) Short Hook (Peterson)
2) Small Half Diamond (SouthOrd or Peterson)
3) Peterson Gem (if the short hook isn't doing its thing)
4) SouthOrd DeForest Diamond (occasionally)

Aaand, if I'm getting nowhere with any of the previous four,
5) Switch to raking

[nite0wl]

For the most versatile SPP tools?
Standard width flat-tip hook
Standard width half-diamond
Thin (~0.018") flat-tip hook
Thin half-diamond
Extra-thin (0.015" or less) flat-tip hook

Tools like the Peterson Reach and Gem or the Deforrest/offset diamond are great for those time you need them specifically but for day-to-day SPPing I find those tools are surplus to requirements.

[YouLuckyFox]

I almost exclusively use the Peterson Reach. I once picked a Yale with a very extreme high-low bitting, and had to modify a Peterson Reach to keep from raising the front pin, so I generally use the normal and modified Peterson Reach's for just every lock they can fit in. I have heard about it having a weak spot, but I have never even bent the pick unless it was intentional (as was the case for the Yale and a mistake I made with trying out comb picks.) Once I get to tough warding's though, I use a Peterson Gem or Slender Gem. I have sold most of my other picks, as I just don't use them: what I've mentioned is all I've needed. I have a Peterson Lifter pick, but I have found it is really tough to move around in the lock (even with a KW1,) so I don't use it. I also have a Peterson Deforest Diamond, but it does the same thing as my Reach, so I don't use it much. I know I've heard that the advantage of a Deforest Diamond is that you can incrementally push forward and finesse a pin to shear position, but I get the same by putting a Reach on the other side of the pin and pulling towards myself slowly. Can you tell I am a loyal Peterson customer? As far as rakes go, sometimes I'll get a rake that just seems to have the right profile; but Bogotas and their variations are the only rakes that seem to be consistent and versatile. Of course, I've been on this forum long enough where I should try out picking some of my fancy schmancy high-security locks and then I'll probably have a different perspective on what picks work best for me.

[Asoamylacetate]

Thanks guys

[tacit_guardian]

It's interesting to form the mental picture of what people are picking based on what they put in their top-5.

I (fortunately or unfortunately) run into a wide variety of locks in my travels so I have to generalize a lot. I also don't have all of the tools I would like, so there are some missing from my collection (de Forrest especially) that I would include in my list.

Also interesting that people put in "traditional" SPP tools in.. I would say a bogo, or a bogo-like rake is one of my favorite tools for SPP, as I can rake to a false set and then pick the remainder. Or have I missed the point?

Very interesting thread, I look forward to putting my 5 on it later.

[Squelchtone]

It's interesting to form the mental picture of what people are picking based on what they put in their top-5.

I (fortunately or unfortunately) run into a wide variety of locks in my travels so I have to generalize a lot. I also don't have all of the tools I would like, so there are some missing from my collection (de Forrest especially) that I would include in my list.

Also interesting that people put in "traditional" SPP tools in.. I would say a bogo, or a bogo-like rake is one of my favorite tools for SPP, as I can rake to a false set and then pick the remainder. Or have I missed the point?

Very interesting thread, I look forward to putting my 5 on it later.

ok... there is no "bogo" Please call it a Bogota like everybody else.. I have to ask you don't muddy the water around the forum with your own made up terms.. that does not help things with people making up their own terms for stuff that has established names.

triple hump or triple rake also acceptable in lieu of or in combination with calling it a Bogota as a Bogota implies the entire pick shape, built in tension wrench handles and nesting features, not just the pick's working end profile and/or geometry.

[BSG_314159]

It's interesting to form the mental picture of what people are picking based on what they put in their top-5.

I (fortunately or unfortunately) run into a wide variety of locks in my travels so I have to generalize a lot. I also don't have all of the tools I would like, so there are some missing from my collection (de Forrest especially) that I would include in my list.

Also interesting that people put in "traditional" SPP tools in.. I would say a bogo, or a bogo-like rake is one of my favorite tools for SPP, as I can rake to a false set and then pick the remainder. Or have I missed the point?

Very interesting thread, I look forward to putting my 5 on it later.

How did we go from SPP to the amazing raking powers of a bogota pick.

My list
1. Peterson Slender Gem PR-SG-1
2. Slender Peterson Reach Pick SPR-1
3. MAX-07B Individual High Yield Lock Pick (.023")
4. MAX-10B Individual High Yield Lock Pick (.023")
5. MAX-05B Individual High Yield Lock Pick (.023")

http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-To ... -inch.html

Tension wrench of choice for SPP
1. Peterson Pry bar .050 (sanded to about .045 or .046) **fits in padlock key ways better than the lite
2. Peterson Pry bar light .040