Usefulness of the Half Hook

[MaximumCheese]

Hello, all! I have been into the picking hobby for several years now, and have just recently found this site. I wanted to ask if anyone has had my experiences with the half hook. The pick I always reach for is sold by SouthOrd, under the name half hook or short hook. When I first got started, I purchased a 14 piece set, but soon found that I only needed the half hook. Nowadays, all I carry is my half hook and a good tension wrench; I can open pretty much any pin tumbler lock, including ones with mushroom and spool-shaped pins, and any single-sided wafer tumbler lock.

My question is this: does anyone else out there find this to be so? For me, the half-hook is an all-purpose pick. Are there any situations in which I would need round, snake, or diamond picks?

[zeke79]

I too use only the smaller hooks almost exclusively. The only other picks I use at times are a set of diamonds of various sizes.

[NIC]

Hello, all! I have been into the picking hobby for several years now, and have just recently found this site. I wanted to ask if anyone has had my experiences with the half hook. The pick I always reach for is sold by SouthOrd, under the name half hook or short hook. When I first got started, I purchased a 14 piece set, but soon found that I only needed the half hook. Nowadays, all I carry is my half hook and a good tension wrench; I can open pretty much any pin tumbler lock, including ones with mushroom and spool-shaped pins, and any single-sided wafer tumbler lock.

My question is this: does anyone else out there find this to be so? For me, the half-hook is an all-purpose pick. Are there any situations in which I would need round, snake, or diamond picks?

Where the hook doesn't fit !! I take the diamond

[unjust]

small hook or a ... recurve hook i suppose you could call it. i keep meangin to get pics of that up.... man i need more time.

[JackNco]

I think its the tool we all (well most of us) reach for first. although i have some locks that i personally cant get with anything but the long slimline hook. I find I use a mixture of 5 various hooks for most of my locks.

Welcome to the mad house BTW

All the best

John

[hesevil]

With the exception of my bogota rakes (complements of raimundo's design and spossum's materials), hooks are all I use. I use one short hook to open about 80% of all locks I attempt.

-Matt

[MaximumCheese]

Thanks for the warm welcomes. I would say I use my short hook for pretty much 95% of all locks I attempt. I must say that I do need to add some slimline picks for those pesky tiny bike locks, etc.

[freakparade3]

I only use hooks. I know alot of guys here will argue with me, but I just don't find half diamond picks useful at all.

[Knows-Picker]

With the exception of my bogota rakes (complements of raimundo's design and spossum's materials),

As I side note:

I too got some sweeper bristles from spossum, and I haven't found the time to send him a thank you letter(typing one right after this) but I wanted to comment on the fact that he sent me a pack of about 10-15 of perfect condition sweeper bristles and didn't ask me for anything in return. I was so suprised in this world now a days where everyone wants something. He truly deserves to be recognized as just a great guy. Thanks spossum if your reading this!

[Gyrofoam]

I only used the small hook and small diamond pick (beside the rakes), but found the half-ball pick a welcome alternative, especially in some of the smaller of our european keyways. I feel like it's easier to feel and set some of the pins: a diamond will sometimes catch in the lock or next to a pin, making feeling the pins more difficult. The small contact area on a diamond gives me a more "scratchy" feeling in the lock.

I sometimes set high back pins by passing the half-ball under it, then pulling it back gently with little upward pressure. The pin will "ride up" the ball passing underneath, without oversetting the lower pins in front. Helped me out a couple of times, but then a noob like me will try a lot of things......

[MaximumCheese]

I sometimes set high back pins by passing the half-ball under it, then pulling it back gently with little upward pressure. The pin will "ride up" the ball passing underneath, without oversetting the lower pins in front. Helped me out a couple of times, but then a noob like me will try a lot of things......

Good call! I've actually done the exact same thing picking a particularly pesky Master with spool pins.

[SmokieD]

I love my half hook. The half ball would have to be second. The half diamond is good but it seems to get caught on the schlage shapped driver pins too much. Kwikset pins, not so much.

[raimundo]

the half hook is within the sweet spot for pick design, not too big, not too small. Someone mentioned that the diamond would 'hang up' on the lock, this is most likely because of sharp or rough areas on the pic shaft and tip, if the sharp edges were rounded and sanded smooth, the pick will give an entirely better 'feel' of the lock. You won't be feeling the lock reacting to the friction and imperfetion of the tool.

for those who make their own picks, you can make small hooks of slightly different dimensions, within that sweet spot, some of them quite small. if you like hooks and are inclined to change pick to see if that changes the response from the lock (it often does) a number of these small hooks are very useful, slimline, flattop, roundtop, saddletop, some with more sharply angled bend, etc.

[NIC]

the half hook is within the sweet spot for pick design, not too big, not too small. Someone mentioned that the diamond would 'hang up' on the lock, this is most likely because of sharp or rough areas on the pic shaft and tip, if the sharp edges were rounded and sanded smooth, the pick will give an entirely better 'feel' of the lock. You won't be feeling the lock reacting to the friction and imperfetion of the tool.

for those who make their own picks, you can make small hooks of slightly different dimensions, within that sweet spot, some of them quite small. if you like hooks and are inclined to change pick to see if that changes the response from the lock (it often does) a number of these small hooks are very useful, slimline, flattop, roundtop, saddletop, some with more sharply angled bend, etc.

I would love to make a pick like this one !!! Out of what, i don't know!! it's pretty thin!!
http://www.peterson-international.com/s ... LP1-GS.gif

[MaximumCheese]

I would love to make a pick like this one !!! Out of what, i don't know!! it's pretty thin!!
http://www.peterson-international.com/s ... LP1-GS.gif

That pick looks awesome!