DealExtreme Advanced 9-Piece set

[lifen]

As a first post, immediately a big question!
Is [url='http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16417']THIS[/url] a good starter's set? Does it contain a rake and anything else I need for starting this interesting hobby?

It's really low priced which makes it very attractive for me.


Thanks in advance,

Lifen

[Oaklandishh]

I have bought 2 of those. They don't have a good rake unless you call a very small half diamond a rake. The picks are really hard to feel with compared to my other sets, but if you are picking a really easy lock they work. They are good picks to loan or give to friends, and they are cheap. I hope that helps you.

[datagram]

It's about as good as I would ever expect a $6 set to be...great if you're a beginner but you'll probably grow out of them pretty quickly.

dg

[lifen]

Thanks I think I'll buy it. One has to start somewhere!

[Bad_Jason]

For 6 bucks, you can't go wrong with them.

Obviously you're going to get better feel with a basic HPC or Southord spring steel set, but for the price, I highly recommend them for a first timer.

I bought a set a few months after I bought my very first Southord set mainly out of curiosity, the variations of the different hooks included and the cheap price.

Now that I've moved on to a really nice HPC set, I let my nephew use the cheapos to learn with.

[lock2006]

It's really low priced and really cheap quality
then again you get what you pay for
i would not get this set,i rather go with better quality
if your budget is low
you can't go wrong with them good luck.

[nostromo]

I have found those to be excellent narrow-shaft hook picks, good for tight keyways. There is also a large open-back half-diamond which is good for raking auto wafer locks, a small half diamond with a longer and flatter profile, and a large dimple rake.

The plastic handles are more comfortably handled for long periods than plain steel. I've found that sanding the somewhat sharp edges all around the sides from where the mold halves meet to help the situation.

The tension wrench is made of thicker .05" steel and has two doglegs long enough to seat fully into the keyway, and the doglegs are of different widths to accomodate different keyways. Say, master padlock size and standard Schlage/Kwikset size. The long length provides good control for bottom of the keyway tension. The doglegs are too long to allow top of the keyway tension.

The pick shank metal was not smoothed after being diecut, which the manufacturer makes up for by using a high-temperature vacuum deposition coating that is the same used on industrial sewing machine needles. It cuts down greatly on friction and is pretty smooth. I got curious and did some destruction testing of these and some Kloms to find this out. Try it yourself by attempting to file the metal - pretty tough coating and they bend pretty far before snapping.

The metal, though, is not the full length of the handle but is simply embedded in the plastic of the handle. Like Klom picks, except that Klom puts the metal into a plastic retainer clip which is then embedded into a rubber and plastic sheath. It feels WONDERFUL in the hand. A lot of people like the Klom Navigator pick sets, and this $6 set is the same metal. And I believe may well be from the same manufacturer.

I've had one of these sets for a couple of years and tend to use the hooks for single pin picking of smaller bodied locks and the half diamonds for raking wafer tumblers.

It's a very nice starting set. ESPECIALLY for the price.

That said, you might want to get yourself some windsheild wiper metal and make some tension wrenches and DEFINITELY a Bogota rake or three. Just search the forum. All you'll need is a cheap chainsaw file and an assortment of abrasive papers.

Best of luck to you. And congratulation on finding a great hobby AND a great bargain!

[lifen]

Thanks mate!
I hope they get here soon.