Raimundo's Snap Picks

[eth3real]

I received some snap picks from Raimundo a while back, and here are some long overdue pictures.

The principle is very similar to how bump keys work; you snap the bottom pins and the momentum transfers to the top pins and springs. While applying torsion to the plug, the pins can clear the sheer line and allow the plug to turn, opening the lock. (I won't bother with the billiards analogy)

These snappers are handmade from bicycle spokes. They feature a curved handle to make them easier to hold, a thumb guard to make snapping easier and reduce the stress on your thumb, and one of them has an "eggtooth" on the blade. The eggtooth is a divot towards the front of the blade that makes it easier to find the last pin. This is helpful because striking the cylinder or tailpiece would take a lot of energy away from the pins.

It takes a little bit of practice, but it makes a very quick way to open many locks in a hurry.

[Squelchtone]

that's funny,

very similar thread posted just last night.
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55640

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Thanks for sharing pics, makes me want to go build one,
Squelchtone


In the photo with your hand holding the lock.. isnt the snapper upsidedown? I dont see how compressing the spring and hitting the wrench would open the lock. just wondering.

[Altashot]

Press down on the top wire and let it slip off you thumb.
It suddently snap up and the loop in the wire hits the bottom of the blade which in turns snap the pins up....

The said picture looks right to me.

[eth3real]

Hmm, I totally missed that other post. I suppose he's giving these out to others as well.

As for it being upside down, I thought that at first too, but it was extremely difficult to use the other way around. That and the eggtooth would be no good if it was the other way around.

Altashot nailed it.

[MacGyver101]

Great coincidence, Matt over at SEREPICK had just sent me some for testing and review.

From the looks of it, yours look like a more advanced, refined model. None of the ones I'm testing have the same ergonomics or the (very useful I'd imagine) egg tooth profile.



One thing I recommend is adding a custom, nested tensioner to the pick. Makes for a very handy package. Heath shrink tubing also makes them more comfortable to hold.



Have you had any succes opening padlocks? I'm zapping through deadbolts very quickly, but have so far been flummoxed by padlocks with these tools.

[raimundo]

Now there are the ergonomic new design, much better than that collection of older development picks that matt gave spyderco,
apparently matt kept the ergonomic one that was the new design with a curved body and a tiny hook on the tip for feeling out the last pin and a piece of tubing that allows a crisp let off like the ones Jesshires has posted.

[eth3real]

Raimundo, thanks again for sending these to me, they're fun to play with, and the Jacksonville, FL TOOOL chapter loves them. Going to try to teach a class on making lock picks soon, and these will probably come up if I get my hands on some bicycle spokes.

Spyder, I also had problems opening padlocks, but I didn't try very hard. I'll try it again and let you know. It may just have something to do with the smaller keyway, who knows.

[raimundo]

you can get thirty or fourty bike spokes if you can find the whole wheel.
Im looking for a new wheel now.
the beauty of these picks is that bike spokes are probably available in parts of the world where even wiper inserts and sweeper bristles are scarce. So its a thing the special ops guys might like to make.
also, its absolutely the easiest pick to make, some bending and one part that has to be thined and shaped with a flat file and sandpapers.

[MarkMcGrath]

Raimundo love the idea and yes we have bikes all over this place more then wipper blades. might be a great project for these jokers over here.

[Altashot]

spyderco monkey!

Looks to me that you have the blade upside down in that Lockaid of yours.

Also, if you dare take it apart, cut 2 coils off the spring
and stretch it to fit again, it'll be much smoother and
the low/high tension wheel will actually get to low and high. .

[spyderco monkey]

Hey Atlas,

Thanks for the tip on the blade, and the coil spring. How did you manage to disassemble yours?

[raimundo]

about padlocks,

I have opened american and every master I encountered with the same picks that spyderco tested in his original post,

but master locks now are said to have an anti bumping pin, Ive seen the diagram of this some time ago but cant remember in detail right now.

Im pretty sure that none of the ones I snapped open had those as they all were visibly old ones.

with padlocks, its important to be sure you are not going though the plug and engaging the boltworks,
the entire snap energy can be diverted by putting the needle in too far and this will only tend to bend the needle as happened for spyderco. though he did have some mark he made on the needle depth measure.