SouthOrd Max High Yield lock picks

[Lauren]

So, day is my birthday, and I decided to treat myself to something nice. So, I purchased a half dozen of SouthOrd lock picks. They seem a bit costly, but the Max High Yield picks look really cool, and appear to be strong according to the description. I can't wait to try them out. I mainly bought into the single pin picking hooks and a couple of rakes. These configurations work well for me.

[lock2006]

Happy birthday Lauren
let's see how the Max High Yield picks work for you
post some pics too thanks.

[raimundo]

Max High Yield, thats the marketing departments name for it. to understand marketing, read a Dilbert cartoon collection.
Just look at em, they are stampings just like the rest of southord stuff, what could be maxhighyield about that.

[Lauren]

Maybe you need to go to Southord's website. There appears to be a significant difference in the strength of these tools in comparison to rest of their picks with a lifetime warranty. I understand marketing just fine.

[thelockpickkid]

yes, but they are still Southord, they just don't have the ability to make picks on the same level as HPC, or Peterson.

[Lauren]

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[thelockpickkid]

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

My opinion is that it is a bad thing, this company hasn't advanced much with there quality, there picks are useable, however, they seem to be doing great in there sales, I just think that after all this time, they should have a product that is comparable in quality to some of the other brands that are more quality. From what I understand, this is really just a big marketing ploy, the whole high yield thing, I have heard that they really are not all that great. But when you get yours, I would be really interested for sure to see how you like them.

[GottFoo]

I got the offset ball and offset diamond max picks. The regular slimline ones had too much flex so I decided to try them out. They definitely have less flex than the original ones. They might be just as stiff as the petersons but you can't really directly compare. They flex a bit more than the reach I have but it still has a huge tang (the slimline was my first "real" set and those normal tangs can seem like they might fill the Grand Canyon after you've used the slimline for awhile) and they flex a bit less then the deep access lifter pick I have that has a slimmer tang. If you have a few favorites from the slimline set, it could worth buying them in the Max. I'm not sure it there is anything out there like them right now. Metal handles, stiffer than normal stainless still, slim tang.
I'm sure The Kid would know (I think he might sleep with his HPCs under the pillow , are the 2000's a stiffer kind of stainless or just the stainless line and normal HPCs are usually spring still? Do HPCs have a "slimline"? The way he talks them up I think I'll have to get a small color coded set. I'm sure they're better then the standard southord.
Oh, also the only really bad thing about the slimline is the hooks. Great if you are going after a curvy little yale but not my favorite when going after padlocks and most other open keyways.

Go Ducks!

[thelockpickkid]

I love to see the Oregon pickers on here! Your right, I do love my HPC's! They are flexible yet light, but strong, the handles are a "just right" feel, nothing special but nothing left out either, I am sorry if I run them up so much, everybody has there own feel and preference. I do have some HPC slimlines, I have also when I first started out, had the Southord slimlines, the Southords seem to belly or sag after a while, the metal fatigues after use and loses it's shape somewhat, the HPC's in all models seem to hold there strength and there form, now don't get me wrong, you can break them, but they are strong, most of the time when they break is after a few years of heavy use and lots of everyday picking practice, they get a little weak and the first time you get a little heavy handed, they crack and break, only happened to me twice so far. I have said it before, if you buy a set and don't like them, I will buy them from you. I stand by them 100% I recently had a couple of custom made picks made by a guy on here, the quality of these is 40 times better than HPC, and if I could afford it, would carry nothing but this guys picks, I never really understood the value of the homemade's but I am growing to love them more than the HPC's.

[Lauren]

Lockpickkid: I respect your feedback, but I find it strange that a company would charge nearly 12 dollars a pick with a lifetime replacement warranty. Did you read the background from Southord's website? It sounds like their expensive to make. I'll let you know how I like them when they arrive. I make some pretty nice picks from bi-metal hacksaw blades. I have not had one break yet. What's the real difference between a 5 dollar pick and a 12 dollar one? Because I could have easily spent less money.

[thelockpickkid]

Lockpickkid: I respect your feedback, but I find it strange that a company would charge nearly 12 dollars a pick with a lifetime replacement warranty. Did you read the background from Southord's website? It sounds like their expensive to make. I'll let you know how I like them when they arrive. I make some pretty nice picks from bi-metal hacksaw blades. I have not had one break yet. What's the real difference between a 5 dollar pick and a 12 dollar one? Because I could have easily spent less money.

I will go over to there site right now and read up, I should have done that to begin with!! The difference between 5 dollars and 12?? Well really I guess it's all preference, but a difference in materials and the life of the pick make all the difference to me. People swear by Peterson's as much as I do about my HPC's, look at the price difference in those!! They are spendy yet, but made of very good quality materials.

[thelockpickkid]

WOW! They want alot of money for a good set of those! They do look pretty good for sure, be sure to let me know what they are like quality wise, and how they feel, I also wonder what there handles are like.

[Lauren]

I will!!

[Lauren]

I got my Southord max picks today. They're made of what appears to be all stainless steel with stainless steel plated handles that are spot welded. I was surprised on how narrow the necks are on these picks. My Majestics are alot wider in this area which helps reduce slipping. In a way, I'm having to relearn on how to balance these picks in my fingers. Having a narrow neck does give alot more manuverabilty in the lock, and that may be a good thing. I was able to pick an American 5 pin lock with my short hook. I guess its like getting a brand new bike; you have to learn how to shift it. Overall, I'm happy with the quality of the Southord max. I wonder if putting handle grip covers will provide better handling?

[thelockpickkid]

sometimes but not always, those rubber grips take away the feedback, I would wait on those, otherwise, you may get all screwed up!!