SouthOrd Tension Wrench help

[aussiemoody]

Hi everyone, I'm an amateur hobbyist who is upgrading from paperclips to my first proper pick set.

I would like to get a SouthOrd, but one thing I can't figure out is why the tension wrench in their more expensive sets look like this:


Could anyone kindly offer a photo from another angle. I find it very hard to imagine how those flat pieces of metal would act as a tension wrench.

I thought they're supposed to look like this (on the right):


And I have no idea what the piece on the left is for either. Thanks

[tjweaver84]

You are right in what you think a regular wrench looks like. They show a side view of the wrenches and a picture of the tips of the wrenches. The one on the far left is for tensioning the top and bottom of the key way at the same time. The next one is a double-ended wrench-it has a wrench on each end. The next 4 are regular run of the mill wrenches with 2 having a half twist in the handle. I find the half twist allows me to put more pressure on the wrench but have a lighter pressure applied to the face since the handle flexes more. The Wrench on the far right is for locks where the keyhole is slightly recessed like on a doorknob if I remember right (i never use it). The heads are different sizes because as you will find different locks have different size requirements.
I hope this helped shed some light on things for you.

[loki-aka]

The photos you refer to show the profile view of each wrench plus a side-angle view of the wrench tips showing any
bends or twists as well as the proportional width and thickness. Just the mfg. method of providing details about their
product.

Buy the way. I think Southord is a good brand to purchase as a first set.

[milkman22]

pretty much what weaver said but I think the one on the far right is for locks that aren't deadbolts and therefore might require you to put the wrench in the opposite direction which and the extension prevents it from being blocked by a wall or something

[thelockpickkid]

The far right is a Tulip style tension wrench to be exact just as someone mentioned, recessed locks, common on some Kik locks. If you really want some good tension wrenches, make your own out of windshield wiper blades, you can customize them to fit any lock and make your own twists and bends. I have a few homemade ones that I never leave home without.

[MacGnG1]

i have the long and short twist flex. the double sided regular and slim line. and short regular. uh... you dont really need all of them. but i would suggest the short twist flex, short standard and a short slim line. i do use the long twist flex but not very often. the slim line has come in handy with the brinks r70 because of the space of the keyway. the double sided tension wrench is kinda eh... i like using the single much better. well thats about it. southord brand tension wrenches arent expensive so get em all

[UEDan]

Southord was also my first real pickset. I personally like a ridged tension wrench(no twist)
I find that they deliver better feedback when picking security pins. so 2 single ended wrenches, slim and regular. And 1 double sided for my wallet set. Done.

But now I do what thelockpickkid said, use wiperblade inserts to make wrenches, 1, 18in wiper blade gave me 2 inserts. Resulting in 4 great wrenches and a few so-so wrenches.

[raimundo]

Sweeper bristles and some wiper inserts are flat metal that is easily converted into tensors, and this metal is not cut on a slitter, these types of metal have rounded edges that will not readily cut into the cylinder wall at the bottom of the keyway,

find a number of different wipers thrown out at a garage, strip out the stainless steel inserts and take them home, take all you find and go for the variety, they come in different thicknesses, lengths, widths, etc
get them all, dont make any decisions on what you need until you have the stock at home. keep any stock you havent used because you will find a use for it later,

If you can't make a simple tensor with a few simple tools, something to cut the metal to length, sidecutter, file to score and break it, whatever,
a flat file to tame the cut ends, round them so that nothing there will cause a cut finger or a sharp end that will dig into the brass of the keyway, and a couple pliers to make a controlled bend, one plier will make a bend that is too sharp and could break the metal off.

If you cant master this, then you are not mechanical and lockpicking is not for you.