Bogota Rake - Wow!

[Hardliner]

So I made me a set of bogota picks that turned out quite nicely...

...and they then sat in my toolbox for a month and a half because I had zero luck opening even the easiest of my locks with either the rake or the half-diamond/hook. The other night however, I decided I was going to figure out how to rake, so I clamped a cheap Garrison deadbolt cylinder in my vise and 5 minutes later I was raking it open in seconds each and every time! I guess I was just missing the point or else my general skill level and feel has improved because it was just not happening when I first tried. Now opening this lock with the rake is almost as fast as using a key.

One thing I will probably do though is make a second set of these picks, replacing the half-diamond with a real hook since I have one medium hook that I made that opens pretty much anything. I can't seem to adapt to using the half-diamond/hook pick (as a hook that is, and I could never understand where one would use a diamond over a hook anyway).

PM

[zeke79]

I have found that in locks with keyways the are restrictive enough that you cannot get the hook pick under the pin that the diamond pick can come in handy. The leading angle will allow you to slowly push the pick in and lift the pin and either set it or if more lift is required than the diamond can provide a hook pick can now be used to set the pin. Just my $.02 .

[Shrub]

I agree, its also easier to move sticky pins and its a stronger design as well dur to the shape.

[raimundo]

the rake works best if its sanded really smooth and the edges are rounded if anyone else is making them. I know, that's what I always say, but just sayin'

[Hardliner]

raimundo,
I indeed rounded the edges and have sanded it to maybe 320 grit. I haven't totally sanded my current set down to 600 because I over filed one of the rake teeth (rounded it off too much compared to the others) and the shape of is not as even as I would like to see. It still works, but if I'm going to sand something for a half hour I'd like it to be perfect to begin with

zeke/Shrub,
Thanks for the pointers. I have in fact bent a hook on a deadbolt cylinder that had a couple of stubborn pins. A diamond would be more durable for sure, and I had never though of pushing one inwards to set a pin.

I guess I discounted the use of half diamonds due to the fact that I made one early on, and while I managed to open some low-end Master padlocks it felt like I was just randomly mashing the pins until it opened rather than a refined pin-by-pin approach as with a hook. It was only after I switched to a hook did I feel that I was really manipulating and feeling each pin and my picking progressed quickly from then on. Now that my technique has improved somewhat I'll have to make up a new half-diamond and play with it for comparison.

PM

[raimundo]

undercutting on the rake makes it slim and skeletonized, as well as distributing any pressure rather than letting it concentrate on a weakpoint. the undercutting of the half diamond, is skeletonization, if you are goint to put something in a keyway on a thin shaft, the thing you put in should be as thin as the shaft to prevent it becoming jammed in some complication of the keywayand pindrillings, if you have ever jammed a pick, you will understand what I mean, another benefit of the sanding is to make jamming less likely. I recommend sanding the sharp edges of the commercial picks also, and I expect that some day, the commercial pick makers will sell picks that have the edges rounded, if they are in an eternal battle to one up the competition and charge more for the product.

[vector40]

I like the Bogota diamond as another rake, that's all. Nice for ripping and for scrubbing that maybe the B-rake wouldn't be able to accomplish on certain bittings. The two tools work together in my mind; after all, the tip of the rake is really just a diamond, and the diamond's pretty much just a cut-down rake.

[illusion]

Has anybody had any success using the hald-diamond for single pin picking?

[bprzybyl]

Any Success?

I learned single pin on a half diamond and then raking on a larger half diamond. Both started life as hacksaw blades. It wasn't until I got a Stainless Steel knife I ground down into a hook and then thinned it out that I started using a hook. I still prefer the half diamond, but this may change because I just haven't made a nice enough hook yet to really judge.

[raimundo]

yeah, I have, I always use the half diamond first, for single pin picking, its often faster than the rake.

[illusion]

Oh.... now that's interesting, I always struggled, the handle seemed to get in the way. I'll just play about with it untill I can get it right.

[hippy5749]

My first pick was half diamond, and i loved it. They are still the first one I reach for on a new lock. Then I try a snake. then the hook for last, if the first 2 didn't work......

Let's hear what other people's picks of choice are!!!!

[vjbeau]

The hook for me. "Get the Hook!"

[peachey16]

get a pick and put it in the bogota hall of fame.
that goes for any one else with bogotas as well.

[Exodus5000]

I made a set of bogotas, and I couldn't get them to work properly. That is until I took a Brinks dead bolt (5 pin stacks with 2 spools) and used DB's method of learning to pick to learn how to use my bogota 1 pin at a time. I suggest others to do this as well.