Left handed pickers

[Onz]

Hello all,
I'm a left handed person so I naturally use my right hand to hold the lock then the left hand (More stable to hold) to pick the lock.

This way feels a whole lot better but I can't control the tension as well.
http://i.imgur.com/aAmJ3w1.jpg
I tried this way http://i.imgur.com/lOe7zi0.jpg It feels like I'm getting a better control on the amount of tension I'm doing but holding the pick in the other hand just feels weird.

Is there a way to hold it in the right hand but give the thumb more room/control like I do in the left hand or should keep practising using the left hand to hold the lock? If there is any lefties out there give us some tips please?

Thanks in advance, Onz

[bmc1284]

I too am a lefty! I use the EXACT same grips as you do, and it has worked for years. Just remember that your thumb is stronger than your other fingers, so when turning CW go obscenely light on the pressure!

Lots of practice and good luck!!

[Onz]

Thanks, Just wanted to check if doing it right etc.

[easy-e]

Is there a way to hold it in the right hand but give the thumb more room/control like I do in the left hand or should keep practising using the left hand to hold the lock? If there is any lefties out there give us some tips please?

Thanks in advance, Onz

Seriously bro... I was trying to get some work done, now I'm playing with locks at my desk again.

First, I noticed you are tensioning in the clock wise direction using both hands and different posture. So I tried to tension counter clock wise with the same tensioner you have and my tensioner kept sliding up the warding into the pins and not staying put. Do you have any flat tensioners instead of the ones that has a 90 degree bend? I like the peterson pry bars and I ended up with their flat 5 set as well. I've never tried off handed picking but the only way I can tension the lock with my opposite hand is with a flat tensioner.

While I was taking the pictures below I realize with BOK tension I use my index finger and thumb to tension in opposite directions. For TOK I use both my index finger and my thumb to tension in the same direction. I tried tensioning TOK going the opposite direction and it felt awkward because I'm not used to picking upside down/euro style. Then I remembered how I tensioned the Commando locks to remove the shackles. I tension TOK but from the bottom side essentially blocking the keyway. There is still plenty of room to get my pick in there

BOK - Index finger and thumb turn opposite directions


TOK - LH favoring CW, RH favoring CCW


TOK - Thumb, opposite direction


TOK - Thumb, opposite direction with tensioner across the keyway


*edit* my 100th post! At least I didn't waste it.

[Onz]

Ease-e thanks for the detailed post and sorry to keep you from you work. I've got a flat Southord but the 90° one is great since it's a medium length and gives me a lot of room to move the pick around. The photos give me a better look at it so I'll try it out when I get home.

P's congratulations on 100 posts!

[easy-e]

Ease-e thanks for the detailed post and sorry to keep you from you work.

While I was at lunch USPS dropped off new locks so my lunch break had already gone from 30 minutes to an hour

I've got a flat Southord but the 90° one is great since it's a medium length and gives me a lot of room to move the pick around. The photos give me a better look at it so I'll try it out when I get home.

Don't get me wrong, I have a bunch of different 90° tensioners as well as flat ones. I'm just saying that if you are having trouble finding something comfortable you may need to try a different tensioner. The first time I picked a lock in a door it was some deadbolts no-one has ever had keys to on our storage room door. It was horribly awkward because I was used to padlocks, rim, or KIK cylinders that I could hold in my hand. Fast forward until 2 months ago when I had to pick a door that some tenants had rekeyed and now I'm dealing with the door jam, kneeling in a cold staircase, and trying to pick a Schlage Everest LFIC to control. I picked it to operating no problem, but I was getting cold and frustrated with trying to get it to control so I decided to just pull it and switch it out for another LFIC housing and IC core that I had control and operating keys for. Having practiced with a bunch of different tensioners in different positions really helped me. As a lot of locksmiths on this forum have said, picking a nice clean lock in your apartment or shop is easy but picking locks in the field introduces a lot of other challenges.

P's congratulations on 100 posts!

Thank you very much!

[Onz]

That makes a lot of sense. I ordered a bunch of new tensions from thinkpetersons and we'll see how that goes.

Thank man!

[GWiens2001]

Is there a way to hold it in the right hand but give the thumb more room/control like I do in the left hand or should keep practising using the left hand to hold the lock? If there is any lefties out there give us some tips please?

Thanks in advance, Onz

Seriously bro... I was trying to get some work done, now I'm playing with locks at my desk again.

First, I noticed you are tensioning in the clock wise direction using both hands and different posture. So I tried to tension counter clock wise with the same tensioner you have and my tensioner kept sliding up the warding into the pins and not staying put. Do you have any flat tensioners instead of the ones that has a 90 degree bend? I like the peterson pry bars and I ended up with their flat 5 set as well. I've never tried off handed picking but the only way I can tension the lock with my opposite hand is with a flat tensioner.

While I was taking the pictures below I realize with BOK tension I use my index finger and thumb to tension in opposite directions. For TOK I use both my index finger and my thumb to tension in the same direction. I tried tensioning TOK going the opposite direction and it felt awkward because I'm not used to picking upside down/euro style. Then I remembered how I tensioned the Commando locks to remove the shackles. I tension TOK but from the bottom side essentially blocking the keyway. There is still plenty of room to get my pick in there

BOK - Index finger and thumb turn opposite directions


TOK - LH favoring CW, RH favoring CCW


TOK - Thumb, opposite direction


TOK - Thumb, opposite direction with tensioner across the keyway


*edit* my 100th post! At least I didn't waste it.

Nice Commando lock. The other is a Brinks, isn't it?

Gordon

[easy-e]

That makes a lot of sense. I ordered a bunch of new tensions from thinkpetersons and we'll see how that goes.

Thank man!

You can never have too many tensioners!

Nice Commando lock. The other is a Brinks, isn't it?

Gordon

Yup! The Brinks padlock was the first lock I picked with security pins.