I agree with jgor; I wouldn’t recommend a jack knife pick set to a beginner. I think these types of sets have their place, but it’s not in learning how to pick. They tend to be a bit wobbly and don’t provide as much feedback as regular picks. Jack knife picks are a convenient size and so I usually carry one for emergencies, but I always prefer to use regular picks if I have them available. If you’re determined to get a jack knife pick set, I’ve tried both of the jack knife sets made by SouthOrd and between their two models I’d definitely go with the steel one over the fiberglass one. I’m intrigued by the FPS-7 set from lockpicktools.com but haven’t tried one yet.
On a regular pick set, I’d recommend getting a set with reinforced handles. I find them a lot more comfortable than the thin picks that are just stamped from a single piece of metal. To show you what I mean, the first picture below is a one-piece pick, the second one has a reinforced handle. Some handles are riveted (like the one in the lower pic), some are welded like the SouthOrd picks, either type seems to work fine.
