MPXS-62
69-piece lockpick set
MEX-4
key extractors
SO-P1
plug spinner
a few other little goodies like a couple more tension wrenches, pick sleeves, a couple of extra picks to custom-mod, etc.
as of friday afternoon (the 14th) at 1pm, i have these items in my hot hands. i was impressed with the speed my items got here. southern ordnance and ups really must have busted their butts to get them here this quickly.
that being said, let me move on to a quick mini-review of the items i got. (please keep in mind that i have only just unpacked these items and have not yet had a chance to violate a keyway with my tools.
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the MPXS-62 has a (too?) large assortment of both u.s. and euro/jp picks. each pick is included twice. so essentially, there is a copy of each pick that SO sells. in this package, you get (for example) 2 slimline ball-rakes (one with handle [MSL-02] and one without [SLS-02]). this duplication of tools is a double-edged sword in that you DO have to pay for more tools, but it's nice to know i've got a backup in case i break, or render useless, one of the picks.
the edges of the picks were smooth with no real "corners" and they were burr-free. right out of the gate, these tools are ready to get into a keyway and show the lock who's boss.
included in the pick set is a fairly good assortment of tension wrenches flat and twisted as well as a double pronged ("tweezer style"), a double-ended wrench and an untwisted tulip style. the wrenches seem to be a little more rigid that i would like, but they are still a bit springy and would appear to provide a nice feedback nonetheless.
on to the MEX-4 key extractors...
i ran my finger across the teeth of these bad boys. and not surprisingly, (now that my brain is functioning again) the teeth got me. it felt like the time that my pet hamster mistook my finger for a raisin. the teeth grabbed on and didn't seem to want to release any time soon (both the hamster and the key extractor). although i should also mention here that the extractors are branded as "Majestic" and not S.O. the extractors came in their own (nicely made) leather case with a snap-flap. with a little judicious re-arrangement of the picks, the extractors fit nicely into the lockpick case. doing that made it possible to have a case for the...
SO-P1 plug spinner.
this thing is built like a weapon. when i first laid my eyes on it, most of my brain thought, "oh cool! the plug spinner!" but another (darker) corner of my mind called out, "wow! i bet you could jam that through a ram's skull!" this spinner is not some cheap-o plastic spinner (like some of my coworkers have). this thing is built to be used and to last a long time. it's a lot heavier than i expected it to be, and the body is machined as a single piece. it has a nice "heft" and feels comfortingly solid in the hand. the blade is changed by loosening two inset hex screws in the nose section of the tool. it also has a handy pocket-clip, but due to the blade tip, i would like to see a cover for the tip so it doesn't gouge out the pocket of my shirt.
i should also mention that even though it wasn't listed as part of the pick set, the extractors or the spinner, S.O. even shipped me a copy of the booklet "Easy Pickings". although i have easy access to an extremely large library of materials at my workplace, i still thought it was a nice little touch and frankly it just shows me their level of attention to details.
well, there's my mini-review of the MPXS-62, MEX-4 and SO-P1 from Southern Ordnance.
hmmm...
i think i'll send my brother a basic set and some padlocks for his birthday.
