does anyone else know about these awesome picks??

[ajmedora4116]

I've been a frequent reader of LP101 for several months now. And I've found a lot of extremely useful information, especially when I was just starting out with picking. But i think one of the biggest questions new people will have is what kind of picks should I buy? And obviously everyone has their own preferences, and no one set is best for everyone.

So as I've been slowly researching and buying different sets, I came across a set called Haoshi stainless steel lock picks. They took a while to actually find, and I could only find them for sale on dhgate.com (Chinese discount site). They cost like 40 bucks, free shipping. And they're coming from china, so they tool about 3 weeks to get to Wisconsin. But the quality is WELL worth 40 bucks! I don't own any peterson picks yet, but they are built quite similarly (obviously no government steel, but some kind of stainless) and they have nice full tang plastic handles and a pretty nice pleather case. I think you get something like 15 picks and 4 wrenches. Several hooks and several rakes. Some of the rake profiles I haven't seen offered anywhere else. The wrenches aren't much to write home about, but most wrenches that come with a set aren't that great anyway. I think most of us end up finding a specific kind of wrench that we like and stick with it most of the time. I think some of the best wrenches I've used/seen were homemade anyway. (I guess that could also be said about picks too).

But anyway, this is getting long so I'll cut it off here. I just wanted to make sure other people know that this option is out there. I have a set of sparrow picks and I would rank this Haoshi set right up there with them. QC might even be a little better. I was kind of surprised at how some of my sparrows stuff looked when it arrived...but that's for another post. If you're looking for a pick set, and you are on a budget (most of us are) this Haoshi set is worth a try.

Ps: I got the stainless set (blue handles) but if you actually prefer spring steel, they have that option too (red handles).

Hope this helps someone. I'm glad I came across them!

http://m.dhgate.com/product/genuine-hao ... tml#s1-1-1

Another Ps: I just noticed the poll feature down here, so I'm going to use it. Stainless steel or spring steel? What do u guys think?

[Squelchtone]

That's an interesting find, the case reminds me of HPC. So that the post doesn't come across as just an advertisement for dhgate, could you post photos of *your* actual pickset?

That website isn't helping themselves get any sales from the likes of me by just having a little thumb nail.

You can upload pics to imgur.com and paste them here.

Thanks, interested in seeing some better pics,
Squelchtone

[Big Jesse]

another pick maker/distributor to add to my huge list. thank you!!

[Big Jesse]

im sorry for the double post, but i was unable to edit my last one..

if you google Haoshi Tools, then you will see several different venders including a youtube video from russia showing the entire set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7clsg462Js0

wrench

[Squelchtone]

thanks for the video, looks like a decent set. but , that guy in the video is a brute with his technique!

[bembel]

[..] the case reminds me of HPC.

That Haoshi jackknife also reminds me of something.

[Squelchtone]

[..] the case reminds me of HPC.

That Haoshi jackknife also reminds me of something.

wow, I wonder if they make the Southord Jackknife or just stole the exact design for it.
http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-To ... -Sets.html

nice catch!
Squelchtone

[ajmedora4116]

As per Mr squelchtones request, here is a link for a picture of my own Haoshi pick set.

http://imgur.com/L2h3WUs

The case isn't the most original design, but it works. And the inside is actually some kind of felt. And the zipper is better quality than other similar cases have. The set comes with 15 plastic handled picks, one plain "popsicle" type handled hook (idk why that one hook didn't get a handle...does anyone know if there is a reason for one pick to be without a handle?) And the four tension wrenches are all the same widths and thicknesses, just two different lengths. The variety of pick profiles is what I like best. I'm a raker, so I like the fact that this set comes with all of the typical rakes, and then a few "S"-type rakes that I haven't seen anywhere else yet. And for the SPPers, there are 4 hooks, two hybrids, and two half diamonds to chose from.

I really like this set. I think it's well worth the money, and I would even rank it up with my sparrows picks.

I've never posted a pic before, so I hope this works...if not, my bad.

Tone

[Squelchtone]

http://i.imgur.com/kBZUCpp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uxoJx1F.jpg

I hope these are visible..

[GWiens2001]

Squelchtone beat me to it. But my comment as to visibility...

They are visible alright. I could see the microscopic crystalline structure of the metal, and tell they needed to refine the petroleum they made the plastic from more. Please keep your picture sizes smaller for the forum.

Thank you, GWiens2001

[Squelchtone]

OMG.. the pick handles actually say Schiller Park, IL...

thats.. HPC's address.

wtf.. is this who makes them for HPC or did they just clone them? I dont believe those plastic handles are typical of HPC, but I did mention the case looked very much like an HPC zip up case.

most interesting, thanks for the pics!
Squelchtone

[smokingman]

Do you know how thick the sheet they are cut/stamped from is?

[Big Jesse]

thanks for the video, looks like a decent set. but <censored>, that guy in the video is a brute with his technique!

haha the first thing i said to myself was 'this guy cannot pick!!' lol.

[smokingman]

The picks must be fairly strong to take the manhandling "crowbar" method he was using.
That makes me wonder how thick the metal of the picks is.
If they are somewhere between .018 and .025 that would make them pretty
appealing to me.

[dll932]

[..] the case reminds me of HPC.

That Haoshi jackknife also reminds me of something.

wow, I wonder if they make the Southord Jackknife or just stole the exact design for it.
http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-To ... -Sets.html

nice catch!
Squelchtone

I have the Southord set and I'm not impressed with the strength of steel of the picks.