Starter Picks

[NinjaJake]

I'm looking into buying some lock picks from SouthOrd. I keep hearing people buying a pick set and get picks they rarely use. So I decided to single order picks. What are some good picks to get for a beginer?

[melvin2001]

just buy a hook, and a half diamond. then spend the rest of the money you have on tension wrenches. if you still have some more money left over, try and aquire some peterson/hpc/southern specialties hooks and half diamonds....

once you become skilled with the hook and half diamond you may find use for various rakes, balls, dimple picks... whatever. tension wrenches and how you use them are just as important as the pick you use.

[NinjaJake]

Thanks but what kind of tension wrenches should I buy?

[Exodus5000]

A couple different sized standard L wrenches, and a few different sized twist flex wrenches should do it.

[Gordon Airporte]

Thanks but what kind of tension wrenches should I buy?

I have to chime in that windshield wiper inserts make excellent wrenches, and they're free if you go to a body shop or some other place where old blades are thrown out. There are a variety of sizes, which is good because there are a variety of keyways they'll need to fit in.
The only other thing you need is a way to cut and bend them: a hacksaw and pliers or a vise.

[Eyes_Only]

A set of these kind of tension tools are all you need to start off with, http://southord.com/images/fullsize/TW-03-15%20.jpg . Your taste for other kinds of tensioners may change as you progress in the hobby but keep it simple in the beginning.

[n00bking]

I would just get a short or small hook, a small diamond, a snake rake, and a saw tooth raker. A half ball and a camel back you could get but optional. Also as for tension tools. Get a standard tension wrench and a twist tension wrench. That seems like a good set for beginners. www.lockpicktools.com

Get them in either plane handle or ripple handle.