First pick set

[LightJedi]

When you say "standard Southord small hook"
you mean the the pick that found on this set:
http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=24?

[Keyring]

Well, for what it's worth, that's exactly the set I first bought. So yes.

[LightJedi]

so, I can buy this american/regular set:
http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=24
and then to add 2 or 3 slim-line picks?

what about the tension wrenches? do I have to add a slim-line tension wrench?

thank you

p.s: this is the 333 lock that I was talking about:

it looks pretty small :O

[Keyring]

Sounds like a good plan to me. Something like the 'Slim Line - Short Hook Pick' is probably a good choice for a individual pick. After that it depends what you want to spend. I imagine you pay slightly more buying individual picks, so don't go mad!

Tension wrenches - I never got on with the ones in the set - way too big. So I ground down the end of a small Allan Key to about 1.6mm x 0.8mm. I use this at the top end of the keyway (where the pins are) and this leaves the whole of the rest of the keyway open to put your pick into. It also forces you to use light tension, because it's so short the torque has to be less.

it looks pretty small

Looks pretty big to me

[LightJedi]

So the 4 Tension wrenches that you get in this set:
http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=24
aren't good (too big)? can I buy something smaller - individual?
because I can't ground down things, I don't have any good instruments for that.

and... if I'm going to buy the american pick set it will work almost on all of the locks? (like... from your experience, does the american picks pick all/most of the locks in uk?)

thank you

[Keyring]

Don't think I've got much more to say really.

Buy the set - plus a slimline hook maybe. Try it out. Maybe you'll like the 'tension tools'. If you don't, buy a 'file'. You can get a file and a set of Allan keys for a very low price in any do-it-yourself store. I'm guessing they have these in Israel too. But all of this is personal taste and you need to take the plunge, and then decide for yourself. The picks are the tricky bit to start with, and the set you are looking at will be just fine for you.

I think you're just thinking too hard!

[LightJedi]

I have a non- mechanical file, is it good?

and... is there any small tension wrenches that I can buy, or they are all in the same size?

hmm... I don't want to buy an american set and find out that they are all too big for my locks - from your experience in the UK locks and Yale locks,
can I pick them with american set?

thank you, and I'm sorry if I'm bugging.

[Keyring]

No idea what other wrenches you can buy. Never tried. I think I have been saying all along that the 14 piece set you were looking at works on all the locks I have ever seen, but occasionally I prefer the slimline hook.

(Non mechanical file? )

[LightJedi]

ohh... a regular file, just a peace of rough metal

[Wolfman]

Hi, i own the MPXS-14 and it has 4 tension wrenches, one very small, slim one, two thickish ones (the kind i use on almost every lock ive run across here in america), and another thickish one that has a twist in the handle as to provide more of a spring-y play in the wrench. What im tryin to get at is that i think you should be able to get away with the realy thin tension wrench.

Oh, a word of advise, if you dont think picks are legal, dont ask people if they are, this will arouse susspicison... Not that i support illegal activity, im just sayin. I realy dont know what the laws are there and i dont want to see you get into troubble over picks.

[LightJedi]

Can you tell me the size of the small one? (especially the width)

thank you

[LightJedi]

ok, I decided to buy this set (MPXS-14):
http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=24
that costs 29.71$, but I saw this set (MPXS-11):
http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=23
and that one costs 29.95$, why does the smaller set costs more? (and all the MPXS-14 picks are with reenforced handles, when the MPXS-11 has only 3 picks with reenforced handles.

aswell, I want to buy 2 or 3 slim-line picks (with reenforced handles):
http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=275
which one is better? and what about the tension wrenches? are the american tension wrenches and the slim-line tension wrenches are the same size?

oh... and I want to buy this cd:
http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=431&strVarSel=&strCompare=

Thank you

p.s: can you give some sizes of the tension wrenches and some more picks (like diamonds)? again, thank you

[master in training]

If you look at my website, you can see the scans I've made of my picksets, I've got both the PXS-17 set and the C500 set, which is a set of slimlines. That should show you the exact sizes of both the standard and slimline sets, both sets are in the same scan, the ones with "SouthOrd " on the handles are the slimlines. The scans are actual size, so click the small image and it will open a link to the full-sized image. You can print them and use them as templates for making your own picks if you ever get the means to. Search the site on homemade picks and tension wrenches, you'll see how suprisingly easy it is.

If you want to buy a few slimlines, I'd get a slim hook, 1/2 diamond and a tension wrench, something like this, this and this.

You may also want to consider shopping at lockpickshop if they ship to Isreal, it may work out cheaper since all members get 10% discount with the coupon code lp101.

If you want to get that CD, its up to you, but personally I wouldnt waste the $3 they want for it, I'd spend it on another tool and use this website, since it contains all the information you could need (of course if connecting to the internet is a problem, the CD may be a good investment, I dont know whats on it though).

I nearly forgot, the smaller set on that site probably costs more because the larger set appears to be on sale, note the price crossed out next to the current price).

I hope this helps a little

[LightJedi]

nah, Im going to buy the picks in lockpicks.com because their MPXS-14
costs 29.71$ (here)
and lockpickshop.com sells them in 39.95$ (here).

I found the [url=http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=234]slim-line
tension wrench[/url], but I don't know which hook is better (list)
and I only found this slim- line half diamond - without Reenforced Handle, so I will buy another slim-line picks - which one should I add?

thank you

p.s1: I didn't found the slim-line scans at your site, where are they? (btw, thank you for that great site)
p.s2: I'm not a locksmith, and I'm only 14 years old,
did the customs ever took the picks that you ordered or they usually get to you without problems?

[master in training]

To be honest, the slim line hooks you showed are weird, I know theres some long hooks and some short, but the 2 short hooks 2nd row from top, the 1 in the middle and the 1 on the right seem the same to be, yet they're different product codes. can anyone else enlighten me?

You should be able to get most picks without reinforced handles, personally I prefer the reinforced ones, it gives you something to grip when you're picking, they dont cut into your hands so much either, I've pretty much stopped using my regular, non-reinforced picks now, I just use the wrenches and know they're there if I need them.

In terms of what other pick to buy, Id get either a longer hook or bigger diamond, for those higher setting pins, it makes life a bit easier sometimes.

I'm not a locksmith, Im 18 now but I was 16 when I brought my picks back from america, they were in the luggage I checked in, the american customs searched it and did nothing about the picks. Picks being sent from America tend to get to the UK without problem, but I was talking to a guy my dad knows and he said Isreali customs are very strict on people coming in, so it may be the same on picks, I'm afraid I couldnt really advise you there, sorry.

The website is just something I made up one day when I was bored, for some reason the whole server seems to be down right now, unless my computer is messed up

Anyway, the first picture of my picks, has the slimlines on the left of the scan with reinforced handles, then the normal ones on the right without the reinforced handles (I think thats right, it could be the opposite sides but you get the idea, reinforced handles=slimlines ).

Hope this helps!

~ MiT ~