What Would You Call These Picks?

[LPEnthusiast]

Hi LP101 community,

I'm looking at upgrading my current lock picking set and have noticed a few picks that I'm not really sure how to name. Is there a specific name for each of these?



Thanks for any help. Seems to be a lot of knowledge on this forum.

[Squelchtone]

Don't do it bro, don't buy those weird Chinese picks!

They don't have names because we don't use them, they're odd ducks that someone designed in China thinking they look good/cool/useful.

If i had to name them, I'd basically say they're lifter picks. The 3rd one from the left looks like a normal sized hook, but it looks rounded instead of having a flat working surface..

What country are you in and what is your budget for buying a pick set? We can probably recommend much better options.

Squelchtone

[jimu57]

KLOM calls them pin lifters.

[MBI]

I'd call them weird hooks.

First and third aren't quite as bad as the other two, but the second and fourth are going to bend easily, especially in the hands of a new picker.

[LPEnthusiast]

Cool, thanks for the insight guys.

I hadn't heard of lifter picks before.

Squelch, thanks for the heads up. I'm in the US. I have a Southord and Sparrows set, so I'm looking at trying some other brands.

Any recommendations?

[kwoswalt99-]

Cool, thanks for the insight guys.

I hadn't heard of lifter picks before.

Squelch, thanks for the heads up. I'm in the US. I have a Southord and Sparrows set, so I'm looking at trying some other brands.

Any recommendations?

Why not Peterson? They're part of the "big 3", so to speak, in the world of lockpicking.

[QuantumEntangled]

I really like my Peterson g-20-5 set. I'll be the 1st to admit that it's pricey but you get good variety. 11 rubber handled picks including hooks, a couple rakes, a "gem" hook, an extractor etc. You get thin .015 inch plastic handle "slender" picks, both prybars, picks to help you work with stubborn bitting and a couple other goodies all wrapped up in a really nice leather case. At first you may use only three or maybe four tools at most. As you get better, you will start to use more of them. They last and work well.

[jimu57]

I bought 1 actually set. It was Southord with a small zipper case. Not sure which set it was. But I found out that I was using a very few different picks. Now I buy them from Peterson and buy 3 or 4 at a time, especially the Gem's and hooks. I use their Bogies. Have broken 2 but usually keep an extra. I probably use 3 rakes and 3 picks total. Along with that I make my own tension wrenches. I even make my own TOK that works like the Peterson pry bar. I doubt I will ever buy a complete set again. Just buy individual picks as I need to.

jim

[QuantumEntangled]

You know Jim, I would love to try Peterson's bogota versions especially the .018 in... rubber handles would be amazing but plastic handles are no slouch either. I bet they would be a nice addition and actually come in handy for locks I practice on