Tool recommendations, information on your favorite automatic and/or mechanical lockpicking devices for those with less skills, or looking to make their own.
by ford01explorer » 21 May 2008 21:22
Ive never used a pick gun but do you guys think it is worth buying one to see how it works? for $50 i think it would be cool to see how well it works and how fast. does anybody have any experience with a pick gun that would like to share there opinion??
p.s. i know everyone here is a big fan of spp or real lockpicking, but im just wondering how efficient a gun is. 
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ford01explorer
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by Safety0ff » 21 May 2008 21:34
ford01explorer wrote: im just wondering how efficient a gun is.
Are you factoring in the chance of damaging the lock as less efficient? Are factoring the amount of time required to learn as more efficient? Does efficiency, for you, simply consist of the range of locks and the average time to open them?
This should be in "Lockpicks - Automatic/Mechanical" or "Got Questions?" (don't make another thread, a mod can move it.)
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Safety0ff
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by raven252000 » 21 May 2008 21:52
i bought a pick gun its a ez pickgun with the control on the back. in my opinion i payed 50 and i wish i had not. i don't use it at all there no fun in using it. not to say when you have it set to high and blow the springs out of the top.  snappers are more fun. and you can make them 
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by Eyes_Only » 21 May 2008 23:58
For a hobbyist it can be an unneccesary expense. When I was picking just for fun I almost never used it. Now that I'm working as a lockie I find myself pulling out my pick gun once or twice a month.
If a lock is a puzzle, then its key is the complete picture
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by vitti » 22 May 2008 20:47
If your question is how fast can it open a lock, then the answer is of course: depends on the lock.
Your average USA household deadbolt will open within a few clicks/snaps once you've gotten used to it. It is not a skill-less tool however. There is a learning curve and a bit of technique that has to be mastered to use it effectively and to minimize potential damage to the lock.
I rarely ever take mine out of it's case. It was fun to play with for about a day but that's about it. I got mine really cheap so I don't regret the purchase but I wouldn't pay $50 for one, you can use a rock to add unnecessary weight to your toolbox for free.
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by CompFX » 22 May 2008 23:07
vitti wrote:you can use a rock to add unnecessary weight to your toolbox for free.
"Thats funny, I dont care how ya are!!"
If you want the lock opened as fast as possible, use a key
It mostly stays in the truck until you get to that one lock that is more stubborn than a mule, and even then, the gun can still be useless.
Snap guns do the same thing, and only cost a coat hanger.
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by lock2006 » 27 Aug 2008 22:13
i got one of this pick gun and sometimes work really fast,sometimes it take awhile before i can open the locks, master locks or homelocks i hate the loud noise and i think i want to sell the Pick Gun i got not sure yet
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by globallockytoo » 28 Aug 2008 3:49
vitti wrote:If your question is how fast can it open a lock, then the answer is of course: depends on the lock.
Your average USA household deadbolt will open within a few clicks/snaps once you've gotten used to it. It is not a skill-less tool however. There is a learning curve and a bit of technique that has to be mastered to use it effectively and to minimize potential damage to the lock.
I rarely ever take mine out of it's case. It was fun to play with for about a day but that's about it. I got mine really cheap so I don't regret the purchase but I wouldn't pay $50 for one, you can use a rock to add unnecessary weight to your toolbox for free.
Hmmph! Interesting. I use my pick gun all the time. At least 4-5 times a week. It is so much quicker and easier than SPP. If I cant pick it quickly with the gun, I will switch to SPP with a rake first and then a hook. My pick set has all the fancy shmancies but I really only use a gun, rake, hook and sometimes some extractors.
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
IMO any tradesman should not be without one.
One One was a race horse, one one won one race, one two was a racehorse, one two won one too.
Disclaimer: Do not pull tag off mattress. Not responsible for legal advice while laughing. Bilock - The Original True Bump Proof Pin Tumbler System!
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by Legacy712 » 28 Aug 2008 3:57
I bought one many years ago, and I, too, played with it for a few days. I haven't used it since. Don't need to take a chance on ruining a lock, it doesn't really require much skill to use, and it doesn't work for everything.
For a hobbyist, I always thought of it as a novelty. If you're in the biz, and need to be quick, it can come in handy sometimes, I guess.
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by Mutzy » 28 Aug 2008 22:35
Legacy712 wrote:I bought one many years ago, and I, too, played with it for a few days. I haven't used it since. Don't need to take a chance on ruining a lock, it doesn't really require much skill to use, and it doesn't work for everything.
For a hobbyist, I always thought of it as a novelty. If you're in the biz, and need to be quick, it can come in handy sometimes, I guess.
lol, this is where the fine line between Locksmith and Hobbyist becomes very clear.
I've seen locksmiths in the business for years who are just passing the grade as far as opening locks with pickguns. There is a considerable amount of technique required, you have to know how far the needle moves, in order to not hit and damage the wards of the keyway. The needle should only touch the pins in the keyway, and on some keyways/ profiles, that takes skill. You also need to know how much tension you need with your turning tool, and what setting you should have your pickgun set at.
Yes, for a hobbyist, it's a novelty. It may not require as much skill as hand picking, but some skill is required.
And as for a locksmith using one out on the road; when you can be guaranteed to be in quicker, with a sweaty old man who need his meds looking over (and sweating on) your shoulder, I can tell you what you're gonna pull out of your toolbox, and it ain't gonna be you're HPC/Peterson set.
And most locksmiths carry the quality pickguns, cause they are 10x more reliable, and usually come with a lifetime warranty. And for only $80 AUD. I'd gladly pay the extra $30 for the knowledge that it's gonna hold up to the use i put it through.
Majestic Life Lockaid Pickgun 4lyf.
 
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by Legacy712 » 29 Aug 2008 2:58
I didn't mean to inflame or offend anyone by my earlier post.
1. I realize and agree that it takes a certain degree of skill to operate a pick gun correctly. When I said it doesn't really require much skill to use, I didn't mean to imply that any bozo can use it properly and effectively. I didn't say no skill. And I was comparing it to the skill involved in using spp.
2. I also acknowledge that many people who use them don't know the proper way, and simply zap it over and over until they get it to work. This can damage the lock. But those people often buy it because they think it will allow them to open any lock easily, with little skill or practice.
3. I also remarked that if you're in the business (not hobby), and need to be quick, it can come in handy sometimes. You may have an emergency situation, or need to open 30 locks quickly (time is money), or whatever. I just don't see it as being in many hobbyist's pick bags, that's all. I think a lockie should use whatever is available to him to get the job done in the time frame required.
Around 40 years ago, I studied locksmithing, and worked as one for a few years, mostly rekeys and repairs, very little picking. I then finished college and went in a different direction. But I've always considered picking a hobby of mine. I would never insult a lockie.
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by Mutzy » 29 Aug 2008 4:24
Nah, no offence taken. It was more of a response to the many people, Locksmith or Hobbyist who have/ are looking to purchase a pickgun.
It's just amusing how the lines between the two groups (Lockie/Hobbyist) are unbelievably obscure at times and blatantly (and sometimes painfully) obvious at others.
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by straightpick » 29 Aug 2008 22:18
For a hobbyist, I wouldn't recommend a pick gun. As a locksmith, I wouldn't be without it. For the hobbyist, the thrill is in the learning and experience, for the locksmith, time is money. Used improperly, you can totally destroy a lock in a short amount of time.
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by Arcturus » 22 Sep 2008 23:19
I've heard some brands are total junk compared to the Lockaid.
I bought an Ilco pick gun many years back. Wasn't impressed.
Anyone know how Ilcos compare to the Lockaid?
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by christmas8371 » 30 Apr 2009 4:29
job job i read this forum- i was about to order a pick gun from china (Eagle pickgun) for $29 + $11 postage. i saw a video on youtube of someone picking 6 locks in 60 seconds with one of these pickguns and was really impressed. however since i am a hobbyist, i think i will get more satisfaction out of manually picking locks than using a gun- at least for the time being. one step at a time i think- i want to become proficient in using my hooks and rakes before i start on other methods.
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