How do you hold your pick

[d_goldsmith]

I have been using the bottom of the keyway (or top of the tension wrench) to leverage the pick, and I have done well on a 3 pin cheap lock, and gotten a 4 pin master lock 3 times, but I don't really have that much feal the way I'm doing it. I'm hoping to get pictures of how people hold their pick so that I can try different ways and find a way that gives me more feal.

My tools and the locks. The bottom lock is no problem even with the home made allen wrench tools.

My hand positioning. I use my left thumb to torque the tension wrench while I pick with my right hand.

In this one I'm trying to show how I use the bottom of the keyway to leverage, but I'm actually holding the camera with my left hand instead of the tension wrench.

[raimundo]

the european pickers also put one fingertip on the interface between the plug and the lock shell, not so easy with padlocks, but quite easy with mounted locks, this allows for a fine feedback of the pins setting that is too small to be percieved easily by sight. this is either the first or second finger that is place to feel the tiny jerks.

[d_goldsmith]

Nobody wants to share pictures?

Bump

[zeke79]

the european pickers also put one fingertip on the interface between the plug and the lock shell, not so easy with padlocks, but quite easy with mounted locks, this allows for a fine feedback of the pins setting that is too small to be percieved easily by sight. this is either the first or second finger that is place to feel the tiny jerks.

That is very close to how I pick if not exactly. This was just how I come to pick by preference.

[dsdayl]

What zeke said.

DoubleShot Dayl

[Romstar]

I don't mind sharing pictures. You'll have to wait for an action shot, as I don't have one at the moment.



Romstar

[bumpit]

I hold mine like Romstar unless I get mad I hold it in a tight fist when raking.

[unbreakable]

I don't mind sharing pictures. You'll have to wait for an action shot, as I don't have one at the moment.



Romstar

You have the spys guide to office espionage!!

Its a great book, my friend has it, there's some funny stuff, and maybe even a little useful stuff in there

As for how I hold my pick, I either hold it the same as Romstar, or with it gripped inbetween my middle finger and thumb, with my index on top (kinda weird way of doing it, dunno if anyone else does the same thing....

Unbreakable

[Bud Wiser]

At first I thought this was a silly thread because the obvious answer comes to mind, I hold the pick what ever way I feel comfortable holding it while still getting ultimate pick feel. Then after a little thought I realized that this thread would have some value for noobs if they can see how some of us hold picks.

The way I hold my pick depends on a lot of things. The lock, the pick, the situation. For example sitting in the comfort of my chair holding a padlock I can switch around and hold the pick different ways which ever is comfortable. I hold the pick different when raking too. If I was standing up in front of the door it might be different too.

But to give you an idea, usually I hold it like a pencil, but not always, here are just 3 ways I hold a pick.

[illusion]

Here is my technique: http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b25/jangofett511/DSCF0029.jpg

This was taken a longtime ago, before I got a real Falle set.

[Romstar]

You have the spys guide to office espionage!!

Its a great book, my friend has it, there's some funny stuff, and maybe even a little useful stuff in there

As for how I hold my pick, I either hold it the same as Romstar, or with it gripped inbetween my middle finger and thumb, with my index on top (kinda weird way of doing it, dunno if anyone else does the same thing....

Unbreakable

Yep, I do in fact have that guide. Seriously though, a friend of mine thought it would be a good counterpoint to a lot of the other books and materials I have laying around here. Oddly enough, a great deal of the information is valid and useful. Although there are some interesting mistakes. The very first part of the book starts out with accessing rooms and cabinets. IE: getting past locks. This quote from the book:

"In the movies, trenchcoat wearing spies pick locked drawers and doors in seconds. Thats ridiculous. In reality, picking a lock can require hours of finger-numbing work, and there's no guarantee of success. A much better solution is to create a duplicate key. Since asking to borrow the original key from your boss might make him or her a tad suspicious, you should wait until you have access to the key and then make a quick impression, which can be used to make a duplicate key."

They then of course go on to describe the proceedure of maing a key impression, complete with illustrations. The technique is valid enough of course, but I found the idea that picking a lock could take "hours of finger-numbing work" quite humerous.

Obviously as a discussion on "espionage" the book deals with situations and techniques that in some instances could be considered illegal, or just on the left side of legal. In any case, while the methods are in many cases valid, they are often such that they could lead you into a compromising and potentially illegal activity. Ah, the life of the spy.......

This book, and its techniques are best left to real spies and to the fertile imaginations of fiction writers. For everyone else, it makes great reading and fantasy material. Oh if only......

Later today I will be posting some action pics of me picking a lock or two, and that may help a bit more for those people who are curious.

Romstar

[raimundo]

Try to hold your padlock in the last three fingers and thumb, and use the index finger for tensioning, I think it will be easier for you, and you will only have to hold it hard enough to carry the weight. Using your thumb for tension is not the easy way. work with this idea a little, there are a few different arrangements in holding it this way, so do some experimenting before you reject it. It is my experience that people who have taught themselves to pick in a certain way do not like to change to a different holding style, but if you keep an open mind for a while, you may be pleased with what you learn.

[paul1982]

Im from the UK and i hold my pick like this as i find i get the feel through the spring steel in 3 fingers. It works well apart from after a while my thumb gets uncomfortable.

[d_goldsmith]

Cool. Thanks for all the info everyone. I'll try using my index finger for tension.

[raimundo]

Barry wels has updated his blackbag site, you can find a link at the dutch toool homepage, which also has been updated, there is a charming video of a 9 year old kid picking and bumping some high security padlocks, one, probably an italian viro brand he is shown holding the padlock as I mentioned in my previous post. Look for Toool on google, its easy to find, look for the link along the right hand side. Han Fey has some excellent articles there also.