Polishing

[cdf]

I used to be semi pro , but have been out of picking since 2004 . Anyway , I have a basic set of picks , which started with what looks like a tumbled finish . I took the edges down , with 320 , 600 , and 1200 grit wet or dry .

I have noticed a big improvement in pick performance .

Chris

[xylac]

This is important. The first pick I made was pretty rough, and I wasn't able to get a good read on any of the pins since the pick kept on getting stuck. After polishing it with 600 grit paper, it slid through the lock without a problem. Polishing your picks is definitely worth it.

[JT156]

I polish all of my custom picks and IMHO it makes a world of difference. I start with 320, down to 600, followed by wet 1200. I occasionally continue with 0000 steel wool and Brasso or Never Dull if I am looking for the true mirror finish, but I don't notice a real difference after 1200. The picks sliding smoothly makes feeling what is going on inside of the lock much easier, especially on complicated stacks or security pins.

[cuttinedge1]

I carry a small piece of folded high grit sandpaper in my pick kit so I can polish my picks during some down time angrier picking for a long time.