Newbie Lockpick Kits

[asgardschosen]

When I first got interested in lockpicking (relatively recently), I searched the web high and low for information on what specific tools/kits to buy. I think it'd be great if we could put together a list of the most basic entry level tools that a new aspiring lockpicker should buy. Also I would like to post some resources for new pickers. I believe there are already threads with tutorials and the like, but I'd like to focus on resources specifically about choosing the right tools.

I'll of course put my own personal opinion here, however since I truly am relatively new to this, I hope very much that some others will come and post their opinions (and perhaps let me know if I'm off base). I'm going to try to put alternate names for picks down too, as that was majorly confusing to me when I was trying to follow people's advice on getting picks.

The number one tool that every beginner lock-picker can use to successfully open a lock:

-A Key

Okay, no really the basic beginners pick set:

Standard/Thick Thickness (.30in)

- Standard Short Hook (AKA a Peterson Gem)
- Hook 1 (or small hook)
- Half Diamond (AKA Diamond Pick)
- 'S' Rake (AKA a Triple Rake)
- Bogie 1 or Bogie 2

Euro/Thin Thickness (0.18-0.15in)

- Standard short hook (AKA a Peterson Gem)

Tensioning

-3 Tension tools (thin, medium, thick)

Now possibly useful additions but not necessary

Standard/Thick Thickness (.30in)

- 'C' Rake (AKA a Double Rake)
- Bogie 1, 2, and 3
- Hooked Diamond
- 'L' Rake (AKA a Long Ripple)

Euro/Thin Thickness (0.18-0.15in)

- Hook 1 (or small hook)
- Half Diamond (AKA Diamond Pick)

Tensioning

- Peterson Pry Bar / Peterson Pry Bar Lite

It's important to keep in mind that the above list is only my personal (limited) opinion. However many people can and will make do with less than that. It isn't worth it to spend a ton of money on picks only to find you can no longer afford to buy locks to use them on!

Now resources to help you determine what to get:

Youtube Channel: Bosnianbill (this guy is awesome, he's done videos on how to use/choose tools and he also has a lot of picking videos)

Basic Lockpick Info http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYOTJh7NV68
Tension Tool Info http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_77po2iXY

Youtube Video: PherricOxide - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PBZWSA0xbs

Also, LP101 is a great site. If you're not sure what to get you can always ask here and some nice person may help you.

Good places to buy picks include:

Peterson
Southord
Sparrows
Lockpickshop (who have the distinct honor of supporting this wonderful site)

Lastly for those of you with little money and much motivation it is VERY possibly to make your own lockpicks. I won't go into a lot of detail about that here because there are so many good resources on lp101 alone. Making your own lockpicks however is a great way to save money, and you can end up with a very nice looking (and fully functional) pick. In fact I'd say some of the lockpicks that I've seen in the guides on this site look better than the ones you can buy from stores. A notable example of this is Raimundo's Bogotas.

If I've missed anything or if someone disagrees with my list, please let us know. I'd like this to be a communal effort. I hope somewhere in the vast world of the magical interwebs, someone will benefit from this info. Have fun!

-asg

[doublez]

The number one tool that every beginner lock-picker can use to successfully open a lock:

-A Key

Standard/Thick Thickness (.30in)
-snip-
Euro/Thin Thickness (0.18-0.15in)

wrong. The difference not in the thickness of the sheet, rather in the width of the pick.

Tensioning

-3 Tension tools (thin, medium, thick)

Add a TOK tension tool. also, skip the thin tool. Make sure to have twisted and non-twisted tools available.

Now possibly useful additions but not necessary

Standard/Thick Thickness (.30in)
- 'L' Rake (AKA a Long Ripple)[/list]
-snip-
Tensioning

- Peterson Pry Bar / Peterson Pry Bar Lite

Add these to the first list.

Other than that, it's a nice list

-dz

[nite0wl]

Standard/Thick Thickness (.30in)

- Standard Short Hook (AKA a Peterson Gem)
- Hook 1 (or small hook)
- Half Diamond (AKA Diamond Pick)
- 'S' Rake (AKA a Triple Rake)
- Bogie 1 or Bogie 2

Euro/Thin Thickness (0.18-0.15in)

- Standard short hook (AKA a Peterson Gem)

Tensioning

-3 Tension tools (thin, medium, thick)

Now possibly useful additions but not necessary

Standard/Thick Thickness (.30in)

- 'C' Rake (AKA a Double Rake)
- Bogie 1, 2, and 3
- Hooked Diamond
- 'L' Rake (AKA a Long Ripple)

Euro/Thin Thickness (0.18-0.15in)

- Hook 1 (or small hook)
- Half Diamond (AKA Diamond Pick)

Tensioning

- Peterson Pry Bar / Peterson Pry Bar Lite

Personally I would suggest that all tools be Euro/slender heights in the standard 0.030"-0.028" thickness for an absolute beginner set with copies of some of the tools in slimmer thicknesses (ie Peterson's new 0.018") as additions for future advancement.

My absolute minimal kit is as follows:
Picks (Euro profile in 0.025"):
Hook 1 (Flat tipped small/medium hook)
Half Diamond
Bogie 2/Bogota

Tension tools:
Peterson Pry Bar
Pry Bar Lite
Medium width/thickness long twist handle standard tensioner

As an introduction to raking and jagged lifter techniques I might add:
Long Ripple (City/Computer Rake)
Mini-Ripple 1, 2, 3

And a tool with deep reach might be useful:
Deforest/offset half-diamond

For more advanced locks/techniques/etc I would simply add the following in a thinner steel (ie ~0.018"):
Hook 1 (Flat tipped small/medium hook)
Half Diamond
Bogie 2/Bogota
Deforest/offset half-diamond

And some additional varied tensioners such as Peterson's Flat-5 or some varied widths and thicknesses of standard tensioners.

In my personal opinion most other tools outside of this list are useful in a full collection or someone expecting to encounter some fairly specific challenges. Of course personal preferences in materials, handle design, and so on come into play but shouldn't significantly alter the tool designs.

[asgardschosen]

Okay, so it seems the consensus is as follows:

Tension Tools:
-Peterson Prybay/Prybar Lite (For top of the keyway)
-Tension tools (incl. a twist)

Standard/Thick or Euro/Slender in either 0.028" or 0.030"
- Standard Short Hook (AKA a Peterson Gem)
- Hook 1 (or small hook)
- Half Diamond (AKA Diamond Pick)
- 'S' Rake (AKA a Triple Rake)
- Bogie 1 or Bogie 2
-Long Ripple (AKA City/Computer Rake)

Euro/Slender 0.018"-0.015"
- Standard short hook (AKA a Peterson Gem)


Possible Additions:
Mini Ripple 1,2,3
Offset Half-Diamond/Deforest
Variety of tensioners both twist and normal
Bogie 1 or Bogie 2 (whichever you didn't get before)
0.018" Copies of these various picks

[asgardschosen]

asgardschosen wrote:
Standard/Thick Thickness (.30in)
-snip-
Euro/Thin Thickness (0.18-0.15in)


wrong. The difference not in the thickness of the sheet, rather in the width of the pick.

Huh, okay. So what you're saying then is that Euro/Slender is the width of the pick body, but the 0.030" and 0.018" are the thickness of the sheet it was cut from?

[doublez]

Huh, okay. So what you're saying then is that Euro/Slender is the width of the pick body, but the 0.030" and 0.018" are the thickness of the sheet it was cut from?

Exactly. Here's an image that shows the difference:



The one on the right is slimline, the others are standard.

- doublez

[asgardschosen]

Okay gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.