can picks break?

[urgroßmutter]

Hi

I've heard that especially cheap picks can break while they are in the lock. Did this happen to anyone of you? Do I have to figure on the picks breaking all the time or can only very bad quality picks break?
If a pick breaks, is it possible to get the broken pice of pick out of the lock?
P.S. I'm not English, so please fogive me the mistakes I probaby made somewhere.
thx4help
Urgroßmutter

[Kaotik]

Hi

Did this happen to anyone of you?

Me personally, no.

Do I have to figure on the picks breaking all the time or can only very bad quality picks break?

Not really, only heavy handed unexperienced users break picks in locks.

If a pick breaks, is it possible to get the broken pice of pick out of the lock?

Yes

P.S. I'm not English, so please fogive me the mistakes I probaby made somewhere.

I forgive you!

[paulvalente]

I've yet to break a pick in a lock, but I've heard it can happen!

If one get's stuck then I guess you could get it out with some broken key extractors which are readily available online.

Paul

[adamd]

Yes picks can break if forced, get jammed in the lock or suffer metal fatigue after frequent bending. I bought the 9 piece southord set which haven't broken on me yet (all though one of mine did bend slightly when I first started). I would have thought that if they do break you were putting far more pressure on them that is required, unless you get them caught in the lock.

[MacGyver101]

The "Official LP101 Pick Cemetary" thread offers some other people's experience with broken picks (and a fair amount of amusing and irrelevant chatter in between).

You're more likely to break picks when you're first starting out, and it often happens when you're being rougher than you should with the picks. Properly sanded, smooth picks and a gentle technique should keep your picks in excellent shape.

Broken bits of picks can be a real pain to get out -- especially if the lock is mounted on something. This is one of the main reasons that people advise you to not start learning on "in use" locks, in order to minimize the risk of you damaging something as you're first figuring things out.

Welcome to the hobby, and to LP101: there's lots to learn here, so keep reading and asking questions.

[Bandit_b]

The "Official LP101 Pick Cemetary" thread offers some other people's experience with broken picks (and a fair amount of amusing and irrelevant chatter in between).

You're more likely to break picks when you're first starting out, and it often happens when you're being rougher than you should with the picks. Properly sanded, smooth picks and a gentle technique should keep your picks in excellent shape.

Broken bits of picks can be a real pain to get out -- especially if the lock is mounted on something. This is one of the main reasons that people advise you to not start learning on "in use" locks, in order to minimize the risk of you damaging something as you're first figuring things out.

Welcome to the hobby, and to LP101: there's lots to learn here, so keep reading and asking questions.

Couldn't have said it better myself

[JackNco]

I have broken a few. strangely its more often picks that are known to be stronger. www.lockmsters.com to a set that is guaranteed although I am not sure how that would work.

John

[Afisch]

If your told its strong maybe its the tool you use when you need extra force? Or just using it harder because it said you can. This kind of effect seems to be the way with alot of objects in use.

Only time i slightly bent a pick was using it as a screwdriver to remove the screws in a circlip. It is a bent pick which wont overly be missed and is still useable.

[superchicken]

I thought I was going to break one because it got stuck and bound up with my tension wrench in a tight key hole. I managed to get it out after sometime without breaking it, but it did slighty bend my pick a little bit.

[bumber]

I have broken a few. strangely its more often picks that are known to be stronger. www.lockmsters.com to a set that is guaranteed although I am not sure how that would work.

John

or they may be made out of harder metal that will snap before it bends, and for the guarantee I would imagine they have you send in the broken pick, and pay shipping for the new one they send you.

[Mutzy]

Broken picks are still just as useful, from a locksmith point of view... Guys at work use them to depress the hole in the side of know/leverset handles to remove and rekey them. And I had a broken pick ground down with a curved edge to remove the reeally hard-to-remove circlips. (Any lockies from Australia would probably remember the old 530 cylinder circlips)

... And tbh, i've never actually broken a pick. I've always scavanged the ones that my (heavy-handed colleagues) use, which is usually the main HPC rake in most simple sets.

[CVScam]

I had some my early homemade hacksaw picks break because I had let them get too hot when I was grinding them. I had a friend bend one of my Southord picks using it to pry the back off his watch.

[eurolock fan]

Aren't wafers more likely to break then pins?

[oddity]

"then pins"? Then pins what? What did the pins do?

[robotmaxtron]

"then pins"? Then pins what? What did the pins do?

ahem, i think he ment to say than pins.