Sorry if wrong section, but is this a good buy???

[Squelchtone]

I do know how to handle my tools, I also hold it not far from the actual picking part. And I am not going to go spend $50 on a set. I have learned a lesson that a set of picks for $20 is total crap. squelchton can you give me some advice on where I can buy a set of picks that have never broken on you and are still a good price?

Unfortunately all pick sets break, it just depends on how much you pick, how careful you are, how rough you are while picking, and if you are not using them correctly, like me using a Peterson Gem trying to pick a Medeco Keymark which ends up with a snapped pick because it got stuck inside the lock and trying to get it out got it broken.

I guess what you're probably asking me is which pick set will last you a good while and not break on the first day or during the first week. I think for the money, the answer is going to be Southern Specialties located at lockpicktools.com or Southord which you can buy at southord.com or lockpickshop.com The only Southord pick that always breaks for everyone is the one shaped like a W (which for some reason they call the S rake, and most of us call their "c rake" the S or Snake rake) But anyway, here's a pic of it, this is the one that will break on you if you aren't careful http://www.lockpickshop.com/SP-11.html

Otherwise, a little occasional bending is bound to happen, and as you pick more often and gain experience, you won't bend your picks at all, and none should ever break if you buy a $20-$35 dollar set of Southord or Southern Spec. HPC is nice too but will cost you $20-$50 and more for the larger sets and nicer leather cases. This is a great Southord set that should not break on you, if it does then you'll know there's something up with your technique. http://www.lockpickshop.com/PXS-14.html The BD-14 on Lockpicktools.com http://lockpicktools.com/lockpicks.htm is very nice too for the price, but I'm presonally not a fan of the rippled handles.

The Euro style picks have much thinner tangs so those are easy to bend and break, but when you are ready to move up, this is a nice set at a very good price: http://www.lockpickshop.com/C801.html
You'd want Euro style picks for smaller and tighter keyways. You wouldn't need a Euro set for something like a Master lock or a Schlage deadbolt, but you may want to get a set for BEST cylinders, Medeco, etc.

Hope this helps,
Squelchtone

[CalBears]

Thank you. Where would the best place to buy individual tools that are very sturdy for the money? And sorry for asking you all these questions, I just don't want to throw $20 bucks down the drain again.

[Squelchtone]

Thank you. Where would the best place to buy individual tools that are very sturdy for the money? And sorry for asking you all these questions, I just don't want to throw $20 bucks down the drain again.

Build your own kit, about $1.95 to $2.45 per pick
[url]http://www.lockpickshop.com/BTKSP.html[url]

here are the tension wrenches $1.95 each:
http://www.lockpickshop.com/BTKTT.html

need a pick case? +/- $10.00
http://www.lockpickshop.com/Tool-cases.html

Here are the shipping costs, about $8 in the USA:
http://www.lockpickshop.com/CS.html#Shipping-Method


I consider this topic closed, I don't think I could possibly provide any additional details, so I really hope this is something you can work with.

Squelchtone

[Legion303]

Thank you. Where would the best place to buy individual tools that are very sturdy for the money?

I stand by Peterson, but shipping is going to kill you unless you order several things at once.

I have never broken a pick. I did bend a homemade hacksaw one when I was starting out, but then I learned to be more careful. And since I still have this cheapo set, I just attacked a half-pinned Medeco Classic with it, and even through the twists and turns of the keyways I sense no danger of it breaking (the metal is pretty floppy, though, not springy enough). Work on your technique.

-steve

[TriannaX]

Thank you. Where would the best place to buy individual tools that are very sturdy for the money? And sorry for asking you all these questions, I just don't want to throw $20 bucks down the drain again.

Southord has a nice a-la-carte section and they also have a shipping deal when only ordering single picks. You can get a decent set on the cheap from them this way. No case though.