this screams newbie post.
here are all your common pick types:
hook
short hook
deep (or long) hook
half diamond (large, medium, small)
full diamond (though rarer.........)
ball
half ball
double ball
double half ball
L-rake (also known as a sawtooth)
snake rake (also known as a c rake, though not as commonly)
S rake (not a snake..... it looks like the batman symbol)
w rake (we, as a community, have found it to be an excellent back scratcher)
most commonly used by experienced users: hook. short/long depending on the situation and lock. some prefer the half diamond, as it works as both a single pin picking tool, and a rake. multi purpose.
other than that, its the not so experienced users that use rakes more often. typically, this is because rakes are meant to open fast, and not for the hobby side of this.
however, there is no rule saying you have to use any type of pick. you dont have to use hooks, and you dont have to use rakes. you can use a plastic spoon for all i care, but more experienced hobbyist will tell you what they know, based on their knowledge. like right now.
ultimately, you want to experiment with all types of picks. learn the mechanics of it all with single pin picking (hook/half diamond) and use that as a fallback, as it is WAY more reliable than raking. but once you have the mechanics down solidly, experiment, goof around, and see what really fits your likings and what works for you.
i guess all of this really depends on your take on this hobby. if you're really just trying to open locks just to open them, then you will end up just raking, but if you're here for the fun in manipulating a lock and knowing, not guessing, but knowing whats happening ever pin click, you will really enjoy single pin picking, and eventually, you will start to use a hook/HD more and more often. trust me.
ok, enough for one post. i have to get to bed. i have school tomorrow.
