Tension Wrench: Twist Flex vs. Normal

[parkourer]

Greetings!
First off, I am officially back from my half-year hiatus (lots of work and surfing)

Anyway, I was wondering what you guys prefer better, in terms of tension wrenches. Speciffically between the standard tension tool and the twist flex one. (Heres the link: (http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-Tools/Tension-Tool-TW-02.html)

The only one i know is the twist flex, but i heard that it reduces feedback and its easier to handle the lock with the standard. For those of you guys who know about this wrench, is true? Which tension wrench do you guys use?

Thanks in advance, any reply would be appreciated!

[billdeserthills]

Actually I don't like any of those tension wrenches, I like mine to go top of keyway and then straight up, that gives me plenty
of room to get to the key way with my picks

[Robotnik]

Out of BOK tools, I'm partial to the twist flex in applications where they'll fit the keyway. For me they're easier/more natural to use and allow for finer adjustments.

[parkourer]

Actually I don't like any of those tension wrenches, I like mine to go top of keyway and then straight up, that gives me plenty
of room to get to the key way with my picks

and for BOK (bottom of keyway) tools? do you have a preferred method? top of keeway tools never fit in for me.

Out of BOK tools, I'm partial to the twist flex in applications where they'll fit the keyway. For me they're easier/more natural to use and allow for finer adjustments.

are they great for most pin-tumbler locks? Have you ever encountered a lock that you couldn't pick with it?

[Legion303]

I used to not care, but lately I've been using regular short wrenches (TOK) more often than not. The twist ones do indeed kill feedback.

[Robotnik]

Out of BOK tools, I'm partial to the twist flex in applications where they'll fit the keyway. For me they're easier/more natural to use and allow for finer adjustments.

are they great for most pin-tumbler locks? Have you ever encountered a lock that you couldn't pick with it?

Most definitely encountered locks I can't pick with a Twist Flex (or any BOK, for that matter). One of my American 5200s, a Russwin, an Eagle padlock, one of my Yale Y2s; not to mention an Assa V-10, Schlage Primus, etc.

Some locks just don't respond to BOK all that well; it's all about using the best tool for the job at hand. Probably eight times out of ten, I'll use some variation on TOK tension (Prybar, mostly), but for those times where BOK is the way to go, I'll use a Twist Flex when it fits. My default is to use slightly too much tension, so the twist disperses force enough to allow for minute adjustments.

[bembel]

Regular tensioners made of windshield wipers offer more feedback, but the twisted ones are more convienient to hold. I always use twisted ones.

[billdeserthills]

Actually I don't like any of those tension wrenches, I like mine to go top of keyway and then straight up, that gives me plenty
of room to get to the key way with my picks

and for BOK (bottom of keyway) tools? do you have a preferred method? top of keeway tools never fit in for me.

Out of BOK tools, I'm partial to the twist flex in applications where they'll fit the keyway. For me they're easier/more natural to use and allow for finer adjustments.

are they great for most pin-tumbler locks? Have you ever encountered a lock that you couldn't pick with it?

My fav tension tool is the HPC TR-4 after I grind a bit off the end I can use it for top or bottom of keyway tension

[nite0wl]

For Edge/bottom tension tools I prefer a long twist handle. I find it more comfortable if I am picking for a long time or have to apply heavy tension. The major drawback to twist handles in locks needing heavy tension is that the twist will flex and bend under high pressure where a straight handle will not.

Out of BOK tools, I'm partial to the twist flex in applications where they'll fit the keyway. For me they're easier/more natural to use and allow for finer adjustments.

are they great for most pin-tumbler locks? Have you ever encountered a lock that you couldn't pick with it?

Any lock that is pickable with a Edge/bottom of keyway tool you can pick with either one, which one you prefer is just a matter of your personal comfort and preference. Whether the handle has a twist in it or not makes no difference to the size and shape of the head of the tool, that is what determines if the tool will work in a given lock. How much feedback and comfort you get out of using a straight or twist handle is down to your specific preferences. I keep a twist handled standard tensioner and a twist handled tulip tool in my main pick set along with 7 different Center tensioners (including two customized Pry-Bars) and a small wishbone tool; I can carry those knowing that I can fit at least one of those tools into anything I need to.

The big issues are Center/Top versus Edge/Bottom tension tools and the width & thickness of the tool, depending on which keyways are common in your area you may encounter more keyways and bittings that allow you to use Edge/Bottom tools but more complex/paracentric/shorter keyways will often preclude the use of common sizes of EoK tension tools.

[parkourer]

Thanks guys!! Much appreciated!

For Edge/bottom tension tools I prefer a long twist handle. I find it more comfortable if I am picking for a long time or have to apply heavy tension. The major drawback to twist handles in locks needing heavy tension is that the twist will flex and bend under high pressure where a straight handle will not.

thats true! i had not thought of that! However, if you apply too much tension can't you break the lock? Why would you want to apply so much tension that a twist-flex would bend?

[billdeserthills]

Thanks guys!! Much appreciated!

For Edge/bottom tension tools I prefer a long twist handle. I find it more comfortable if I am picking for a long time or have to apply heavy tension. The major drawback to twist handles in locks needing heavy tension is that the twist will flex and bend under high pressure where a straight handle will not.

thats true! i had not thought of that! However, if you apply too much tension can't you break the lock? Why would you want to apply so much tension that a twist-flex would bend?

[cheerIO]

I like to twist my tension wrenches and leave them long.



The longer length magnifies small movements you get when picking things like serrated pins. The short ends I use for top of the keyway tension and the long ends I use for bottom of the keyway.

I have multiple lengths of the "short ends" if you keep the body of the wrench flat against the face of the lock while keeping the end off of the first pin you avoid the propensity for the wrench to cam out and go flying.

[billdeserthills]

Thanks guys!! Much appreciated!

For Edge/bottom tension tools I prefer a long twist handle. I find it more comfortable if I am picking for a long time or have to apply heavy tension. The major drawback to twist handles in locks needing heavy tension is that the twist will flex and bend under high pressure where a straight handle will not.

thats true! i had not thought of that! However, if you apply too much tension can't you break the lock? Why would you want to apply so much tension that a twist-flex would bend?

I mean the only lock you could break with too much tension would likely be a Kwikset Smartkey
I can't believe that kwikset is using smartkey for half of their production, I see broken ones all the time

[Raymond]

This is my #1 go to turning tool I have been using for over 20 years. It is made from a common street sweeper brush. I also use the same style made from windshield wipers and in several different sizes. I prefer the length of the tool to be flat because I can put a bend in it, by hand, at any moment of need. The length , twist, and other details may vary considerably depending on your personal need at that moment. There is NO one design that is always right.

The main point to see on this tool is the stepped tip. I have some stepped on one side and others stepped on the other side. They are used in different keyways depending on which way the grooves are. They are also used depending on which direction I need to turn the plug.

The step is a multi-purpose variation. On big keyways insert the full width at the bottom of the keyway. On tight keyways use only the tip. The step can rest on the front of the cylinder with the small tip turning the plug. This will prevent the tool from slipping under a groove/keyway-ward in the bottom of the keyway and wedging between the plug and cylinder. If this happens the plug is bound and will not turn freely.

The tip can be used at the top of the keyway and the step keeps the tool from touching a pin. Because the tip is only half the size it does not block access to the pins.

[KPick]

Like raymond, I make my own tools as well. I usually file down the ugliness of the metal windshield wiper sticks and then I bend them to shape.

I prefer long tension wrenches because the difference in angle coming from the locks feedback is multiplied the longer the tension wrench is. My preference is a 4-5 inch tension wrench, double sided, one side made short for top of the keyway, and the other side made long for the bottom of the keyway.

I also carry various widths to compliment different locks as I work. Some are very thin in width, and some are thick and juicy for wide open hunky easy keyways.