Slim line vs. Regular for first pick set?

[TennisStar]

Hi everyone, I am new, so I am sorry if I break some rules. I was wondering, for my first pick set, if I should get a slimline set or a regular set. Here are the ones that I was thinking about. If you have any suggestions, please say so, and give your opinions.

[TennisStar]

Whoops

here are teh links

http://www.lockpickshop.com/C1510.html
http://www.lockpickshop.com/MPXS-14.html

btw, im in the US, so i will be picking mostly american locks

[datagram]

For a beginner I would recommend the regular set, as beginners have a tendency to be heavy handed with the tools and can easily break the slim lines if they are not careful. The slim lines aren't terribly advantageous to begin with, just a bit more manueverable, so stick with regular until you are a bit more comfortable with picking.

dg

[Olson Burry]

I think DG is right so far as beginners can be heavy handed, however I would add that the Slimlines will work much better on the tighter keyways you find on padlocks.

I own both the MPXS-20 and C2010 picksets and never touch any of the regular sized ones. I was a beginner once too and have never bent a pick.

If you do enough reading and take care of your tools I'd say you'd be happier with the slimlines and save yourself some money in the long run because that is what you'll end up using in the end.

[Major Boothroyd]

Personally I only use the slim line picks from MPXS 62 and haven't found a need to switch over as of yet, and the only problem I've had with them bending was when my younger brother and his friends got a hold of a couple of them while I was out. Anyway, no big deal, and if you take care of them and pay attention to what you're doing and the pressure you exert they'll last for years. Whatever you choose, good luck and enjoy the hobby.

[Solomon]

How much thicker are the regular ones anyway, is it really that much of a difference? I'm in the UK so I've got a slimline set, and they're still strong. It's take very heavy hands to snap these things or do any real damage to them.

[Major Boothroyd]

About 1mm at the base where it meets the handle and 0.5mm - 1mm at the tip before whatever shape's used for the pick, so not much.

[Solomon]

So standard picks are 1mm thick the whole way along and slimlines taper to 0.5?

[Olson Burry]

[Solomon]

Cheers Olson, that makes a lot more sense now. A picture really does say a thousand words.

[raimundo]

roughly double the thickness, and less height on the picktip. Use the slimlines, you will learn better if you don't handicap yourself, The too thick picks only encourage newbies to use great force, thats a bad habit. The commercial makers don't care how well they work for you, they just don't want to have to deal with a lot of customer carping, thats why they make picks optimised for the worst possible techniques.

[dmux]

just get the slimlines

[TennisStar]

Thanks guys. I think I am gonna get teh slimline set and just be extra careful

[talbuz]

Im from Europe and have had regular pick sets for years, the Slimline option did not exist in commercial pick sets until relatively recently it seems. Some days ago I took advantage of an offer and got a Southord slimline set. They seemed strange at first as they feel slightly 'weaker' -though they're not really weak as such, just felt a bit more bendy. But then I tried them on a padlock I had which had defied my attempts most of the time, not because of any security pins as it doesnt have any, but because of the keyway. Well voila, I opened it right away, and can do so at will now. So yes the width can make a difference on some locks. I confess Im quite attached to them now, having gotten used to them they have a nice feel about them and they are pretty much my main set (keeping in mind Im not by a working locksmith, but a hobbyist )