Magical Rake...

[Penny]

I'm not very good at picking or feeling the pins and can only get simple locks open. My new Southord 5 piece beginner has a rake, and i expected great improvements. But still if the lock has 4 pins it can take a lot of effort. I'm reading and practicing and all that. But is there a rake design that is above and beyond? Mine only has two bumps, maybe more would be better?

[KPick]

No. Rakes only work on certain locks. All locks wont open with a single rake. It's just a game of luck when you're raking. The "S" rake is good if you know how to use it. The "C" rake is great on locks but wont work on every lock just like the "S" rake, so the best way to get constant results is by learning to single pin pick or widely know as SPP on this forum.

SPP is the process of basically picking every pin one by one inside the keyway.

[Wizer]

More humps don´t make it better, a "city" rake can be effective if the keybitting does not have combos of high/low pins,
but there is one rake to rule them all...
"Bogota"
Be sure to get the original, or make your own:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8205
Rakes are great for beginners, so they get some locks open and gain more interest in the hobby. And for a random bike- or padlock I still try to rake it first, but if you really wanna master this art, you should forget rakes and start Single Pin Picking. A good way to start is progressive pinning of a lock:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10677

Happy Picking!

edit: KPick was faster than me, saying the same thing

[KPick]

[Penny]

Ok i need to buy one of those bogota rakes. I don't want to try to make it so i'd just rather buy one. Will look up, thanks for the info.

[GWiens2001]

Raimundo (a member here) is the originator of the Bogota. You can try contacting him directly, or he also sells his handmade Bogota sets through www.serepick.com

Gordon

[YouLuckyFox]

Hail to the chief. Long live the king. Bow before the Bogota for none are worthy. Seriously, though: if there is anything out there today that is like a skeleton key for a pin-tumbler lock, it is a handmade Bogota of any of its many varieties. Before getting a handmade set from Rai, I had very limited success with raking and had ruled rakes out as reliable tools. But with the Bogotas, I can consistently use a Monseratte for the first, second, and fifth pins and the standard Bogota for the third and fourth pins and get consistent, repeatable success within minutes. This is not to say (referring to the original posted question) that all doors will now open to you, even raking takes skill and some locks aren't going to open without SPP, but I repeat what others have already said.

[KPick]

Man seriously. Now I will for sure get a set from Raimundo... you guys just make it sound like it's a miracle rake or something LoL. A skeleton key? Wow! Really?! REALLY!? Alright. Alright... I will get it as soon as I get my disbursement...

[Squelchtone]

Ok i need to buy one of those bogota rakes. I don't want to try to make it so i'd just rather buy one. Will look up, thanks for the info.

Are you a hobbyist, or teaching yourself so you can pick a particular lock you need to get into? cuz it feels like you're looking for a quick and easy way and I always tell people, picks are not magical, they are just a tool, you still have to have some skill in using it.

please keep it legal, and if you are just learning picking, get a wrench and a hook pick, that's the purest form of picking and probably the best way to really learn what is going on inside the lock. Inserting a rake and jiggling around is pretty much based on luck.

Squelchtone

[Penny]

I would never EVER do anything illegal, LOL, I'm a tax paying, church going upstanding citizen, LOL. I apologize if i seem like i'm desperate to get in a certain particular lock.

I have a box of locks sitting by my chair, there's nine of them, and i just try to open them while i listen to the tv. Just seems like a fun hobby, that could actually come in handy if the skill was developed. I will keep trying with the pick and reading more. Thanks to all.

[MikeTheLocksmith]

I have heard the bogota is an awesome rake. I need to get one myself. I do think that SPP is the way to go. It is more difficult to learn, but the level of satisfaction when a lock opens via SPP is awesome. It is also the most fun thing in the world to be able to predict when a lock with open because you know what it happening and how you are effecting the lock. Great fun!!

Mike

[daniel22747]

Though raking does involve luck there is some skill involved. More so than in single pin picking light tension really helps with raking. With very light tension even a half diamond can be a very good rake.

[Squelchtone]

Though raking does involve luck there is some skill involved. More so than in single pin picking light tension really helps with raking. With very light tension even a half diamond can be a very good rake.

Totally agree on the luck and skill part. When I first started picking, I think I only used my half diamond for the first few months. It's a great pick profile.

Squelchtone

[Penny]

Well i'm still fooling with the padlocks, can get four padlocks open very easily. Have got a Bogota rake and pick ordered, looking forward to receiving it any day now. Can't wait.

[cheerIO]

Hi Penny,

Thought I would put my opinion in as a slightly more experienced beginner. I have Bogotas from Serepick and Sparrows and about 30 padlocks that I have collected. About 8 of them can be raked fairly easily. 5 of those pretty much just fall open if they see a Bogota in my hand.

but to me, raking, (or actually jiggling) isn't the purest form of picking.

Not to say it isn't an important part of picking a lock. It's actually one of the first things I try in my plan of attack for a lock that I have to get open.

But to me, pure single pin picking gives me the biggest feeling of accomplishment. It's the hardest to do and it is the hardest to develop a feel for.

So I'm just saying, good luck with the raking. But don't neglect the Single Pin Picking. Cause when you really have to get into a lock It's your last resort, so you better have your practice in.

Also, Raking is a great confidence builder for me. If I'm stuck on a certain lock. Sometimes I'll drop the lock I've been working on for an hour (usually an American ) and just open one of my crappy locks a couple times to feel a bit better.

Good luck.