Bogota Arch pick from Serepick/Raimundo

[dktf]

Hey Guys,

It's been a while since I contributed (my apologies for that) but I was hoping if anyone else has picked up a set of the bogota arches from serepick.com. I've picked up a set (and this may be because of my previous experience with the standard bogotas) but I'm having difficulty determining what style I should actually hold the arches. Because of the standard "jiggling" I've done with the previous bogota picks, I tend to hold the tension area (the part that is bent) and jiggle around, however when SPPing, it's slightly more difficult to get a "feel" for the pins. Perhaps Raimundo could elaborate this for me (preferably with some pictures) or anyone else that has prior knowledge to said topic. Any information would be great =)

Thanks Guys!

- DKTF

[raimundo]

First, thanks for buying the custom picks,

I hold the hook much the same as using the rake, for me its not a problem, though many people cannot seem to make a hook work without the popsicle stick.

I just don't see a problem holding it and using it.

[dktf]

First, thanks for buying the custom picks,

I hold the hook much the same as using the rake, for me its not a problem, though many people cannot seem to make a hook work without the popsicle stick.

I just don't see a problem holding it and using it.

think you can show me a video of you picking a lock using the aforementioned holding style? I'd like to see whether or not the way in which you hold the pick differs from the way how I hold it =). Don't get me wrong, I have SPP'd a lock with them, but it seemed to be more or less trial and error

[edsmiley]

I picked up an Arch set recently. My goal was to keep one of them with my standard bogota and have a small portable set that I can always carry with me.

I have been using them as Raimundo said, just the same as using the bogota rake. I will use move my pointer finger further up towards the end of the pick to get a little bit more control. It takes a little getting used to not having a full handle, but defiantly works great. The bogotas are the only rakes I use, so maybe I just have to get used to SPP with the smaller handle. The feedback is very good also, which was one of the questions I had for Matt at SerePick before I purchased..

Not to hijack the thread, but Raimundo, are you planning on making any more quads? That is the only one I need to have a complete set.

Thanks,
Ed

[raimundo]

Yeah, I have one made now, paired with a three peak bogota, and I will make more quads, soon. really just starting to make them again, after some time off.

[dktf]

don't worry about stealing the topic, Ed (I don't mind at all).

Nonetheless, I have been practicing with the arches, and i can say that the design of it is actually better than most of the popsicle picks I've been using in the past. I suppose the best thing about the design is that regardless of what form of picking one uses, the sheer motion of the "rocking" form of picking allows one to pick each pin easier compared to other forms of SPP.

Raimundo (pardon my language) but you're a " genius". Are there going to be any more designs to the arch in the near future? I've seen some hook picks (I don't have a picture at the moment) that have a little crevice in the middle of it (I'm sure you can imagine what I'm talking about) for easier picking supposedly?

I was hoping for an opinion on a jackknife lock pick that I saw on the internet (I'm not too sure about the reliability on the site but here's the link for the picture: http://www.abc-lockkey.com/05-chanpin/i ... %89%8B.jpg)

it seems to be some sort of jackknife for automobile entry but I would imagine it would be tedious to continue to remove the tension tool from the keyring everytime one would want to test it out on their own vehicle. Nonetheless, any insight would be great!

[raimundo]

I have made a few picks with the dimple top hook,

The reason the short handles of the bogota work well is because you can only get the thumb and two fingers on the handle and this means you cant force them as easily as long lever handles. It literally makes you have to use only your more sensitive touch.

I have seen picks made of seriously strong metal that have shafts twice as wide as any bogota pick shaft, and these things are commonly a bit curved where they started out to be straight. somewhere there are locks with serious amounts of brass gouged out of the keyway. when I look at these things I wonder how they are expected to manuver at all inside a keyway.

[dktf]

besides the dimple style pick (which i look forward to seeing one day and perhaps acquiring via serepick), do you happen to have any plans for a bogota style pick with an offset diamond pick?

[raimundo]

Some of the most effective picks I have ever made are slightly like deforests,

thing of a common diamond tip and cut under the tip at an angle it so that it is about halfway to a hook then round the point and the pick tip and put a slight curve in the shaft that is not longer than one common lock pin spacing, everything on the pick is rounded and the tip is small, its a very subtle design so that its like a deforest but dialed back to a very slight short curve and all very well rounded.

I get the best action from small pick tips, if you have a pick you want to grind into a thin shafted and low tip with good rounding and sanding, you will probably have more success with this and light picking than you will ever get with those popsicle handled wide keyway filling strong prybars that are typcially seen in the swaybacked bend of heavy pressure.

when some prybar pick is slightly bent like that, it means that somewhere a lock has had siginificant amounts of brass gouged out when irresistable force meets immovable object.
I could make a good pick tip out of the wide shafts of some of these things and still have enough for an inch and a quarter of pick shaft tapered toward the tip.
commercial picks are made wide and thick because they dont want the many newbies who are buying them to get upset about forcing them to break.

[dktf]

any chance that serepick will be getting these deforest type picks anytime soon? perhaps even make them out of titanium? =D

[raimundo]

@dktf, you could email Matt Fiddler and suggest that to him. Something like that could be in the works, I don't have the most current information, but contacting Matt could put you high on the list for when something develops I think

[rerun]

Ever since I got my Bogota set in the mail a few months ago I've had a real tough time using my other picks with the large standard handles. I'm with raimundo in that his handle design is just flat out better for picking. After my Bogota set, my next favorite/most useful pick would definitely be a deforest style pick...I'd love to see SerePick start making these with the same design. I just can't seem to get that fine touch with a popsicle handle. In fact I don't think my lock picking skills had evolved much at all until I got my Bogota set. It's so much easier for me to visualize whats going on inside a lock with the fine touch I get from a smaller handle. I'd pay good money to get my hands on a set of raimundo deforests

[raimundo]

I suppos that could be done

[dktf]

Does the same apply to the double sided bogotas? I love to get my hands on one of those to complete my set...although I would also love to see a titanium quad hump if possible

[raimundo]

@dktf I don't do the work in titanium, but a double sided is possible, they are more work to make and hand sanding includes the danger of drawing blood as it has done in the past, when moving two pointy parts while working on one of them. so the price would be a bit higher.

Rerun, I completed the deforest set today, I didn't get to the post office to check the mail though, probably monday.
I think your gonna like them. If you don't send the picks back and I'll return the money, I like them that much.

Rai