Buying individual picks from lockpicks.com...

[demorgan]

I've been having weird trouble with posting to ANY forum lately. I thought I had posted before, but when I searched for posts by my username, there were none. So here I am again.

lockpicks.com is one of the few places I've found that sells picks individually and ships to Canada. However, I'd like to know if anyone has tried out their stainless steel picks with and without reinforced handles; the ones with cost about 3 times as much as the ones without. Is it really worth it?

Yes, I'm on a budget... besides, those extra $2.50 US per pick adds up real quick! Especially in Canadian dollars!

[Romstar]

You want the handled ones.

Go slim-line as well.

Romstar

[digital_blue]

It may be worth noting that http://www.lockpickshop.com also sells individual picks. Since they are the site sponsor, they offer a 10% discount to forum members. They do ship to Canada as well.

Happy picking!

db

[demorgan]

You want the handled ones.

Go slim-line as well.

Romstar

Are the handled ones more durable? Do they feel better in the hand?

I thought that the slim-line ones were only really necessary for european/JP locks? Since I'm just playing around with locks you'd typically find here in Canada, is their thinner profile actually useful?

[Romstar]

Are the handled ones more durable? Do they feel better in the hand?

I thought that the slim-line ones were only really necessary for european/JP locks? Since I'm just playing around with locks you'd typically find here in Canada, is their thinner profile actually useful?

The handled ones are generally more durable, and they certainly do feel better in your hand. At least in my opinion.

As for the slimlines, you can hold off on those until you decide that you are really interested in the hobby, or you have the extra money.

Generally though, standard picks will work, but become more difficult to use on higher security locks because of the shape of the keyways.

Romstar

[CaptHook]

The handles do feel better and are easier on your fingers.
Chuck

[Sabin37]

I agree that the picks with reinforced handles are nicer to use, but the plain picks have a very slight increase in feedback because your fingers are directly on the same piece of metal that's in the lock. Has anyone else noticed this? I still prefer the handled ones though.

[pretender]

Unless you're gonna drop more cash than most people would for a lark (which, hey - lockpicking often is for a lot of people - they all assume the tools make the task, and I do too, still, isn't always wrong...) you either buy SouthOrd picks (in the US) or just make your own. HPC, Falle...find a good supplier, after a good week's worth of effort, then still pay more than you want...it doesn't seem like something most people will do. Given the trade it involves, you're hard pressed to know that lockpicks even friggin' exist.

Security by obscurity seems kinda dumb, but it certainly exists. You're nearly screwed as a hobbyist, were it not for sites like these.

Personally, I think the SouthOrd picks are trash. A 3/8" hook pick isn't gonna fit in very well unless you're freakin' Houdini, the rakes will shred tumblers unless you work on them, they're what people expect and want...I don't agree that they're a good choice. Too big, too conventional, and usually with a huge amount of rough edges or sharp points you don't wanna touch a usable lock with.

I have a simple rake - will supply pics on request and if someone gives me a host server that can't be traced back to me - that has opened a lot more locks than any commercial piece you can get. Seems like it'd fail, but it works.

Look at the tapers - you have a neat tip, and 1/8" of metal to kludge up pins left and right. I dunno about commercial picks - I'm more inclined to see what is really, really necessary, and build specialized tools. Not cheap to buy, but easier to build up...and if you want to pick everything, it isn't a big deal.

Anyway, I banged out 4 good picks - great picks, aside from figuring out how to smooth them out to get that "polished glass" finish - in around three hours, total novice. It took some windshield wiper blades and some tenacity...Pyro is correct in suggesting these to make them; and junkyards probably are desperate for you to give them $5 for 30 windshield wipers, if they'd charge.

They deal a lot better with heat, tempering issues, and with a high-speed wheel, they cut easily.

If I had the choice and the knowledge I do now - I wouldn't bother purchasing picks - it isn't rocket science, and it isn't all the patented shapes...I've got 20 megs worth of images from this site...and I did my picks all freehand from what I know.

It takes about 8 minutes of work with a Dremel and a cutoff wheel (props to Pyro for illustrating just how effective those wheels are...!) to make great, nearly perfect picks...the rest depends solely on knowing what shapes really work for you, and what specialty ones you want.

I still beat the locks I pick to death, to some extent - single pin picking isn't my forte yet - so I use rakes, smoothed out hook picks, and vary them whenever I want to make something I hope will work.

As a beginner - and I'll be disagreed with - avoid the half diamond. It shreds pins, has little feel for the beginner, and you can't learn much raking from it, like it or not. Either use a proper, smooth, oriented rake, or use a feeler pick and do it right, and use it to rake.

I just advocate making picks; I'll give advice via email if anyone wants to know my whole one secret...but it isn't all impressive. Freestyle your picks, your technique, and use good materials.

Hacksaw blades are great, but you need care to detail to really smooth them out.

Best of luck, everyone...this lockpicking thing isn't easy, but building the tools should be easier than this, I think - I just had a breakthrough.

[zeke79]

Well, I guess I will be the one to put my neck out here and say that Southern Ordinance has done an outstanding job putting together durable, usefull, affordable, corrosion resistant picks that are attainable by most anyone. Their slim line sets are nothing short of quality tools. Thier standard sets are next to indestructable even in the hands of the inexperienced. The finish is far superior to any pick I have ever obtained from peterson which is held in higher regards by most pickers. In fact peterson picks are on of my favorites after some rough edges are cleaned up and deburred. In fact the finish on my Southern Ordinance picks are just as good as any pick I have received from HPC. I do agree that Souther ordinance makes some picks that to me have absolutely no use whatsoever but that is besides the point. The way I look at it is I have owned a set of Falle Safe picks along with just about every other set out there and the finish quality on them was about the same as the HPC's I own. I figure if a glass smooth finish on the picks was going to aide in picking locks then for the cost of the Falle Safe picks John Falle would have already covered that option.

[stick]

As a beginner - and I'll be disagreed with - avoid the half diamond. It shreds pins, has little feel for the beginner, and you can't learn much raking from it, like it or not. Either use a proper, smooth, oriented rake, or use a feeler pick and do it right, and use it to rake.

I disagree with you on all of that, but most of it is opinion. Half diamonds aren't quite as effective as other rakes, but since it can be used to pick single pins, it's a favorite of mine. I believe it was a picture PYRO1234321 posted, but it demonstrates that a half diamond and a hook both interact with a pin similarly. I'll find it if anybody wants it.

As for the half diamond shredding pins, I'm sure your half diamond is far too pointy. It shouldn't be messing with your lock, even if you are raking with it.