Does anyone have a opinion on the "Navigator Pick Set&q

[lancoff]

I was wondering if anyone has this set of lock picks I saw on lockpicks.com. I would like to know what people think about them, and "YES" I tried to do search in the forums before I posted. Are they just a gimmick, or a decent set of picks? I would prefer people with first hand knowledge, but anyone's opinion would be appreciated. The link to the site is listed below.

http://www.lockpicks.com/navigatorlockpickset.aspx

[freakparade3]

The case is cool. Other than that it's a giant waste of money.

[luke42]

out of curiosity what lock would you use number 15 on?

cheers,
luke.

[lancoff]

Beats the @#*& out of me. I have no idea what the number 15 pick is used for. Maybe its supposed to be a bypass tool.

[Squelchtone]

I was wondering if anyone has this set of lock picks I saw on lockpicks.com. I would like to know what people think about them, and "YES" I tried to do search in the forums before I posted. Are they just a gimmick, or a decent set of picks? I would prefer people with first hand knowledge, but anyone's opinion would be appreciated. The link to the site is listed below.

http://www.lockpicks.com/navigatorlockpickset.aspx

That set is made by Dino and sold in those Northern Tool catalogs. I hate the look of those crappy brown plastic handles. As someone else said, the roll up case is really nice, but otherwise, get something that looks a little better made. The steel riveted handled mini set from DINO is pretty decent looking and the price is right.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?xsell=true&storeId=6970&catalogId=4006970&langId=-1&productId=200312513&R=200312513&cm_sp=Testing-_-CrossSells-_-Default-_-1994750

The Lockmasters pickset by Dyno actually has cool looking blue metal handles with holes in them,


or you can go with the usual starter set which is one of the small sets by Southord. HPC also has some sets that are very basic and affordable.

by the way, here's the Navigator Set for those who arent familiar with it:


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Squelchtone

[Legacy712]

Perhaps #15 is supposed to be a wafer reader???

[luke42]

hey legacy, would you mind explaining what this 'wafer reader' is?

cheers,
luke

[barbarian]

If you Google "lock wafer reader" you will get lots of pictures.

They do sort of look the same.

[Squelchtone]

hey legacy, would you mind explaining what this 'wafer reader' is?

cheers,
luke

Wafer locks come in a very limit number of depth cuts, and traditionally they have keyways wide enough to look into and poke around with a tool or probe. Using a wafer reader, which is bent in such a way as to allow a boroscope, flashlight, or other visual aide, the reader lifts each wafer until it stops, and then you can visually determine height of the cutout inside each wafer to see what depth of cut on the key that wafer represents. Let's say you read a lock and it uses wafers 2,4,1, and 3 then you get a blank and file it down to those cuts and the lock will open.

Im going from memory on this so if anyone has corrections, or better wording, please chime in.

Squelchtone

[Legacy712]

Yep, that's what I meant. Your explanation is as good as any.

[reenignE]

Humm... I actually like this set

I find that the definition of a "great set of picks" tends to differ from person to person though.

[reenignE]

Oh, and in case you were curious, I do own the set, and use it often.

If you're looking for a variety of picks though, this probably isn't the set for you. Its almost all hooks, which is great for me, cuz thats all I really use, but might not be good for some.

[Squelchtone]

Oh, and in case you were curious, I do own the set, and use it often.

If you're looking for a variety of picks though, this probably isn't the set for you. Its almost all hooks, which is great for me, cuz thats all I really use, but might not be good for some.

Reverse Engineer,

How do you find the handles? do they feel dry and sharp? is it plastic? rubbery? can they be painted something other than brown?

I like the idea of a roll-up tool kit, but those handles look atrocious.

thanks for your review of the set

Squelchtone

[Brianpojo56]

I dropped 30 bucks on one of these sets at the Clark Security trade show. I don't much care for the chrome plating I think it's kinda tacky and it marrs rather easy. The plastic handles have the same feedback quality as the Rytan plastic handles (which I think might also be made by Dino). I like the key extractor, because the head is smaller than most of the single barb extractors out there. I like the wafer reader but Peterson makes a much nicer one. As far as the picks, I'd say my favorite one is #8. It's a nice small hook with a narrow shank but it doesn't stand up to a Peterson Deep Access.

[Mutzy]

Really sorry to burst everyone's bubble here but, when it's money at stake, you need to get the full details...

The set first mentioned in the first post, one of the guys at work has it. The picks have a flakey silver coating that comes off waay too easily, and the steel they use is quite brittle. Another bummer is that that case is a tri-fold case, with a reinforced plastic (i think) inner, not rollable, unless Dino makes a few different types of Navigator pickset cases. The handles are a hard plastic material, which is fairly good for feedback, and the handles themselves are easy to hold, but it's like having a nice car but no motor. You need both quality handle and quality pick to get the job done. And if you don't like the colour brown, you're *cough* outta luck on a different colour unless you repaint them yourself.

Unfortunately, with that lockmasters set that squelchtone posted, the handles are the only feature that's good about them. Light and funky, they're a blued aluminium material, with the pick riveted in. Similar to the first pickset by way of the pick material being pretty thin, and it doesn't help that the pick design is veery thin too.

Unless you're after the case for the navigator, or the handles for the lockmasters, i'd pass on both.


Like squelch said, you'd be better off going with the usual Southord/Peterson/HPC or a Homebrew/LN21/Raimundo/LP101 member creation. xD