Some beginner questions

[Todok]

Hello, i recently got involved into lock picking. I've read the MIT-handbook, the LSI comic and about every other article i found for beginners and some questions remain:

1. i made myself some picks and tension wrenches and have now all the tools to make whatever i need. Now, since I've only seen bought picks on photos and never had one in my own hands, i was wondering if there are any criteria to know if my picks are any good or if they just plain suck compared to bought ones.

2. i think i got it figured out how to judge if a pin is set correctly, but I'm having a real hard time to tell if a pin is set too deep or not deep enough and just stuck. In both cases the pin is just stuck tight , are there any additional tips how to figure that one out? releasing tension causes the set ones to come up again, i have to start over and i'm none the wiser.

thanks for any advice

[Wizer]

Hi!
To your first question, your picks are good if they are small enough to manouver in the key way, but high enough to lift each pin inividually to the top.
About binding pins, EVERYONE uses too much tension when learning to pick, so ease yours.
You need only enough torque to bind one or two pins, and not so much that they would not move at all.

Read this forum, use time and not force, and have fun with your locks!
-Wizer

[Josh K]

Nothing plain "sucks." If it works for you that's great. I found a lot of benefit in getting a set of "standard" picks from SouthOrd.

[Eyes_Only]

You could also check out this sticky viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17326 where all the templates for a variety of pick designs are at and use that as a comparison. I know that when you're new to this hobby you can sometimes feel unsure if the tools you made yourself is up to par with commercial picks or not. I still feel that way a lot of times when making tools myself.

[Todok]

thank you all for your answers.
for tool quality i think i'm unsure if i got the right material, i already ruined my first 2 hooks i made, but that might as well be me using way too much torsion. thanks too for the templates, i had already found those and used them to make my picks (mostly after southord slim line since euro locks tend to have smaller keyways from what I've read). i think i'll also check out a local lockpicker meeting to compare tools and get some tips if i can make it, there is one in 2 weeks in my city.
I can now open 2 noname padlocks without a problem and have managed to open a stabilit euro-cylinder once. the 2 abus padlocks i have lying around (85/40 and a 84/40) are still way too hard for me but maybe with time...