Quality picks on a budget?

[Jburgett2nd]

So I've been at this for a few months and I had bought a few picks from Southord a few months back, I quickly had a favorite the large rake, I had mastered four pin padlocks and had actually raked open a five pin kwikset around 20 times, well I guess I used it too much or something because it bent and broke inside said kwikset. So my question to you is how long do your picks usually last and what is your brand preference? I have to be honest I really liked Southord until my rake broke I think I legit went through the seven stages of grief.

[billdeserthills]

It depends on how long it takes for me to get mad at it, I have picks that have lasted over 25 years and it does happen that I use a pick as a prybar and bend or break it in a minute

[cheerIO]

Never had a pick break. I've bent some, but I knew what I was doing and knew that would be the outcome. I was just frustrated.

When I started out, I used to rake a lock waaaaaayyyy to vigorously. I don't know why. I guess it was just because it was called a rake and I figured I was supposed to rake it back and forth.

As I got more experienced I realized, speed and force have nothing to do with it. You are not trying to simulate an electric pick gun. You are trying to statistically hit as many pin height combinations as possible. There are no points awarded for viciousness.

Now my "raking" is more of a back and forth and rocking up and down in a wave motion. There is no way it's going to stress any metal or break anything.

[Jburgett2nd]

Never had a pick break. I've bent some, but I knew what I was doing and knew that would be the outcome. I was just frustrated.

When I started out, I used to rake a lock waaaaaayyyy to vigorously. I don't know why. I guess it was just because it was called a rake and I figured I was supposed to rake it back and forth.

As I got more experienced I realized, speed and force have nothing to do with it. You are not trying to simulate an electric pick gun. You are trying to statistically hit as many pin height combinations as possible. There are no points awarded for viciousness.

Now my "raking" is more of a back and forth and rocking up and down in a wave motion. There is no way it's going to stress any metal or break anything.

Frustration was a big part of it, I do generally use a rocking motion. After having I had gotten the lock open before and it was being difficult your analogy about the EPG is totally right, Had I been making vibrating sounds I would have been one.

[Comrade627]

DIY. Seriously.
I have a Southord set I ordered about 6ish years ago and it was great and all, but once I started making my own tools, my skill went way up.

Alternatively you can order some homebrews off of someone here.

[cheerIO]

Frustration was a big part of it, I do generally use a rocking motion. After having I had gotten the lock open before and it was being difficult your analogy about the EPG is totally right, Had I been making vibrating sounds I would have been one.

Ha Ha. I've been there.

If you are looking to try a new set of picks give Peterson a try. I really like their steel. But the best part is the different thicknesses that you can get picks in. It was such an epiphany for me when instead of levering off some side warding, I found out I could get a 0.015 thick pick that would drop right to the bottom and give me full use of a key way.

[MBI]

If you're breaking picks, either you have defective picks (like Schuyler's first run of picks from his infamous failed Kickstarter venture) or you're being too heavy handed. Since most picks are reasonably tough if used correctly (SouthOrd included) in your case I'd guess it's the latter.

Try a more gentle touch.

If you want picks on a budget, make some. There are a ton of tutorials all over this site, just look around, but here are the basics:

For materials, use spring steel bristles from a street sweeper truck, windshield wiper inserts, the thin headband from a cheapie pair of headphones, hacksaw blades, bra underwire, drain snake, etc. Don't use soft metals like the steel shipping bands wrapped around ammo crates or pallets of bricks, it's just too bendy.

For tools, you can use a grinder, wet grinder or dremel if you already have one of those, but if you don't you can use handheld metal files and some wet/dry sandpaper to polish them up so they glide easily in the keyway.

The best picks I've ever had were always handmade, but if you are determined to go with commercial picks there are also many forum threads with links to suggested places to buy them on a budget. Beware of a lot of the really cheap chinese no-name imports. Many are very bendy, rusty, or have plating that will flake off over time which can be annoying, or jab you and go under your skin like a metal splinter.

[Legion303]

Quality commercial picks? Peterson. They also happen to be cheap (but not cheap quality).

[nick08037]

I am partial to Peterson at this time. Due to my limited skill level I am way too rough with them and have to watch for excessive wear. Otherwise I am very satisfied with them. They have a good selection at a very fair cost/quality price point. -Nick

[nickmannnxx]

I also have peterson and southord. I prefer the petersons.

The first picks that I bought was from southernspecialties (lockpicktools.com). I think I ordered something like 10 different picks at $1.99 each. They are no name, no frills picks, but they definitely got the job done for me. Thet were all that I used for 2 months and I used them OFTEN. They seem to be decent quality steel, I didnt bend or break any. They are just a few mills thinner than southords regular line, which is I find perfect.

You can also check the clearance items on Petersons. They usually have some pretty good deals. I bought 11 picks from their clearance rack a few weeks ago, mostly gems, hooks, and diamonds. The slender gems were a good price and having a few backups cant hurt!

[Jburgett2nd]

I also have peterson and southord. I prefer the petersons.

The first picks that I bought was from southernspecialties (lockpicktools.com). I think I ordered something like 10 different picks at $1.99 each. They are no name, no frills picks, but they definitely got the job done for me. Thet were all that I used for 2 months and I used them OFTEN. They seem to be decent quality steel, I didnt bend or break any. They are just a few mills thinner than southords regular line, which is I find perfect.

You can also check the clearance items on Petersons. They usually have some pretty good deals. I bought 11 picks from their clearance rack a few weeks ago, mostly gems, hooks, and diamonds. The slender gems were a good price and having a few backups cant hurt!

I was just looking at Petersons site they have the large ripple rake for 4.99 on clearance so when I get paid I'll buy it. I'm not looking to replace the whole set until they need to be.

[billdeserthills]

$4.99 on clearance? Too bad You can't buy HPC or Rytan or anything made for the locksmith industry I see those for $.99 each on sale

[UnlockingBoredom]

I had an HCP short hook and it was my favorite pick (only because I started using it first) I broke it 2 days ago... It was totally my fault because I had a lock with a very restrictive keyway and didnt have anything that would fit into it so I thinned out the pick with sandpaper and got the lock open..

Only thing is, I picked it open over and over while watching TV and I guess because I thinned it out it broke.
Now I am using the Sparrow's set (mostly the short hook doing SPP)

[Jburgett2nd]

$4.99 on clearance? Too bad You can't buy HPC or Rytan or anything made for the locksmith industry I see those for $.99 each on sale

Where at?

[billdeserthills]

$4.99 on clearance? Too bad You can't buy HPC or Rytan or anything made for the locksmith industry I see those for $.99 each on sale

Where at?

Most of my distributors are running a sale from time to time. You would need to be a locksmith with an ad in the phone book and you need to have
a resale license and a business license to prove You are supposed to have the tools they sell.