fabbed/bought tools question

[unjust]

so there are a number of lists of picks/templates that folks have bought, use the most often etc, and recognizing that everyone is different:

what are the tools that _you_ find yourself reaching for when you need something other than what comes in the standard 14 pick set, a screwdriver or vise grip?

i'm looking for the things that you don't use every day (or that you do if they're less typical) but will get around a few oddball problems for you, NOT, however, the ones that you've used once and probably never will again.

it seems that everyone who's touched one of ray's bogota's is in love.

are the falle tools that great? is there one of them that is a must?

[blake1803]

If I have read this post correctly -- there are a few "non-standard" tools that I find myself reaching for now and then... usually in a very restricted or otherwise small keyway, I might use a Peterson slender gem. Or on very small or otherwise odd padlocks, especially, I might use one of the mini Rytans (although that is a sort of dangerous thing to do -- the mini Rytans aren't the strongest things in the world and I'd only stick them in a padlock as a last resort...).

Sometimes if I just can't get a lock open, I might try some profile picks... if I get one to work, I'll look at the pick I used to try to get a better idea of what the key depths are like inside the lock, and use that knowledge to inform my SPP.

I suppose none of those are particularly odd, but I don't use these tools often and there are definitely locks that I wouldn't have been able to open without them

[Eyes_Only]

Falle Safe picks are nice but most people who have used them tend to say that they like their Peterson pick more. I have the Falle Safe clones from Southern Specialties and even though it's not exactly the same thing as the real deal, I can agree when people say that the Falle type picks takes some getting used to to be able to use it properly.

I only bring out my Falle clones when I'm dealing with a lock that has very tight and paracentric keyways. But for most occasions I prefer the Petersons. Very comfortable, easy to use and offers excellent feedback from the lock to your finger tips.

[Shrub]

I dont have a most often used tool that i dont use often so your post muddles me slightly but what i can tell you is my most used two tools and also my favorites,

The Chris Blecher curtain pick has to be top of the list, used daily on al locks it is the most versitile and useful of tools,

My key machine is a close second, a key machine is a must for any lockie as far as im concerned,
My machine was in profit (i like to know if a toiol has earnt its money back or not and thus worth buying) within its first week and its no cheap nasty single key cutter its a duel cutter that does most keys so wasnt one of the £100 specials you can find,

Cutting keys or modding keys to open locks its used daily the same as the cb tool but as the cb tool is a pick and the machine isnt the cb tool makes top with the machine a close second,

[raimundo]

half inch rotary pick has a large following.

[LockNewbie21]

I still find no lock you can't open with a hook.

I have purchased a set lately becuase everyset I get, I have to file down thinner.

So I would say my hooks and huge assorment of wrenchs. You'll find you tensioner collection to much more important than you pick collestion.

[xboxteen01]

how many dif kinds of wrenches can u make
?

[87ELC2]

how many dif kinds of wrenches can u make
?

Lots... Maybe not so much for practice with a loose lock held in your hand, but in real-world scenarios, you'll find that there is no single turning tool that does it all. How a door is hung (LH, RH, LHR, RHR), if there is an obstacle that prevents you from using your regular hand placement, brand of lock, these things all matter.

Over the years I have custom made several turning tools for a single type of lock mounted a certain way. Spring (light or heavy)/rigid, short/long, designed to place at the top of the keyway or bottom, twisted/untwisted, the variables are near infinite. I keep a supply of flat spring steel in my kit that I use for on-site fabrication to meet a specific need.

[Afisch]

There are quite a few interesting wrenches on this site. I intend to make one of those with a coil in the handle. The ones that grip the top and bottom of the keyway. And as far as specialised, SFIC tools are interesting.

[raimundo]

lately, I have been wondering why there are not more types of tensors, thee is certainly room for some new designs, one type that I will make when I find suitable metal will be made by first creasing the end of the metal stock then cutting it so the blade of the tensor is > shaped, but much less acute of an angle, the other end would be the opposite hand > the edges would be round and smooth, this is an attempt to fit to various wards above the bottom of the keyway and make a blade that will not ground tension into the cylinder wall, there are also variations on the twopoint tensor, neither falle adjustible, nor wishbone, but just a few varients of the two point type, made by cutting into the end of the metal stock leaving points to be bent down.
For those who use windshield wipers, look closely at those secondary parts that are rocker arms, (christie suspension sort) each of them has points coming down and you can relieve the center area with a round file. I have made several of these.

[dmux]

i have the falles and yes i prefer my petersons over them, they are too thin and hurt my hands when i grip them, they do work but they are just expensive. a few of their designs are interesting and you can do a few things with the hooks than you can with other bought picks but the best bought picks are petersons and ray's bogotas, i have some southord and hpc's and lockpicktools but the petersons are the best pre fab and bogotas are the best crafted