Credit Card Pick Set...review

[emt1581]

Last month I ordered this credit card pick set from banggood.com...

http://www.banggood.com/Credit-Card-Lock-Pick-Set-Locksmith-Tools-Lock-Pick-Mini-Tools-p-921719.html

I was pretty intrigued by it due to it's compact size and the number of picks it concealed. Came today in the mail. When I opened the package, I was actually impressed with how thin it was. Only slightly thicker than a credit card. And about half the thickness of my Swiss Card. The design of the case was pretty straight forward...just slides open to reveal the picks.

Now for the picks themselves... They are pretty tiny compared to my Majestic picks (my only other set currently). Instead of having a full handle to get a good grip without much strength, the only way to get any purchase is to compress the base against the thumb and then wrap the index finger around it on the other side. Not comfortable in the least.

I tested it out on the easiest lock I have...my Kwikset deadbolt. I used every pick and tried for 15 min and none of those little bastards did a thing to open the lock!

My fingertips got sore from trying to depress all the pins while holding on to the little stub. But what I found was that the miniature size of the picks, while convenient for concealment, weren't allowing me to push the pins up high enough. I even tried angling the picks all the way from the bottom of the key way along side the tension wrench and pushing the pins up from there. no dice. As a sort of control, to make sure I wasn't just having an off night, I broke out my majestic picks. Pulls out a rake and standard tension wrench and I opened the lock right up on the first try., second try, third try...dropped down to the knob...same thing.

Maybe others can use these with no problem and, in time, maybe I can to. So instead of chucking them, I'll hold on to them. But right now...useless as tits on a boar hog to me.

-Emt1581

[WestCoastPicks]

I've yet to see a "credit card" style lazer cut sheet metal that I like.

I think they are marketed toward spy/McGuyver wana be types. I think the cheapest set of picks you could find would be better than these.
But that's just my opinion. Maybe there is a good one, made for real lock pickers.. But I doubt it.

[jbrint]

I've yet to see a "credit card" style lazer cut sheet metal that I like.

I think they are marketed toward spy/McGuyver wana be types. I think the cheapest set of picks you could find would be better than these.
But that's just my opinion. Maybe there is a good one, made for real lock pickers.. But I doubt it.

I would be willing to bet there is a guy out there somewhere who is chained up in a meat locker who wishes he had one of these.

[WestCoastPicks]

I've yet to see a "credit card" style lazer cut sheet metal that I like.

I think they are marketed toward spy/McGuyver wana be types. I think the cheapest set of picks you could find would be better than these.
But that's just my opinion. Maybe there is a good one, made for real lock pickers.. But I doubt it.

I would be willing to bet there is a guy out there somewhere who is chained up in a meat locker who wishes he had one of these.

I bet! Anything is better than nothing. But if you're going to carry something "just in case", wouldn't you want it to work?
My EDC is all homemade. So if end up losing it or whatever, it's not a big loss. But being homemade, I know they work, cause I made them a bit bigger than a credit card, but also much better.

If I was locked up in a meat locker, I would love to have this. Or anything else that could fit in a lock and potentially open it. lol.

[jbrint]

I've yet to see a "credit card" style lazer cut sheet metal that I like.

I think they are marketed toward spy/McGuyver wana be types. I think the cheapest set of picks you could find would be better than these.
But that's just my opinion. Maybe there is a good one, made for real lock pickers.. But I doubt it.

I would be willing to bet there is a guy out there somewhere who is chained up in a meat locker who wishes he had one of these.

I bet! Anything is better than nothing. But if you're going to carry something "just in case", wouldn't you want it to work?
My EDC is all homemade. So if end up losing it or whatever, it's not a big loss. But being homemade, I know they work, cause I made them a bit bigger than a credit card, but also much better.

If I was locked up in a meat locker, I would love to have this. Or anything else that could fit in a lock and potentially open it. lol.

You could always fashion a working firearm from a toothpick, a ballpoint pen and some hairspray. Thats what Macguyver would do, and he would hold off the bad guys until Chuck Norris and Steven Seagull arrived and mopped the floor with bad guys.

[blue60]

mine work good you just have to practice with them



the hook works fine too, I just dont have a victory pic at hand with it

[blue60]

[Bluenkight]

I have a couple of these and they work great... Just have practice a bit

[emt1581]

Blue60 and Blueknight...

So just need to practice? Ok, I can buy that. But is there any other helpful hints with using them? Maybe a different way of gripping, angling, etc.? Because as I said, there was just no way I could push the pins up high enough and we're talking a lock that makes Master look challenging.

Thanks

-Emt1581

[emt1581]

I've yet to see a "credit card" style lazer cut sheet metal that I like.

I think they are marketed toward spy/McGuyver wana be types. I think the cheapest set of picks you could find would be better than these.
But that's just my opinion. Maybe there is a good one, made for real lock pickers.. But I doubt it.

I would be willing to bet there is a guy out there somewhere who is chained up in a meat locker who wishes he had one of these.

In that situation, give me a mouse gun and lock picks. Won't do you any good to get loose if 1-3 guys are keeping watch.

-Emt1581

[Bluenkight]

Blue60 and Blueknight...

So just need to practice? Ok, I can buy that. But is there any other helpful hints with using them? Maybe a different way of gripping, angling, etc.? Because as I said, there was just no way I could push the pins up high enough and we're talking a lock that makes Master look challenging.

Thanks

-Emt1581

I kinda put them agint my palm instead of trying to hold them like a longer pick... Try and see just choke up on the, a little... Dont know how to explain how i hold them... But i was able to pick 90%of the locks i tried.. Good luck with them...

One thing i did not like was the tension tool..but i still got it to work for me

[emt1581]

[quote="Bluenkight"]

I kinda put them agint my palm instead of trying to hold them like a longer pick... Try and see just choke up on the,

Putting it against your palm...like letting the thin curved end dig into the center of your hand and then manipulate the pins up with your finger tips?

As for the tension wrench, definitely agree with you! The angled ends will barely stay in and I actually lost grip a few times. But with the limited space they had to work with, I get the design. Only other option would have been something hinged.

-Emt1581

[smokingman]

I made a tension wrench for a credit card set using wiper insert .
It looks like the flat Peterson style.
I had to heat the material with a torch and bend it into the elongated "S", then grind the ends to fit the space.
Also had to hammer the bend to keep it flat , then do a little file and polish.
Two of them will stack in the space that the original piece went in.

[smokingman]

I made a tension wrench for a credit card set using wiper insert .
It looks like the flat Peterson style.
I had to heat the material with a torch and bend it into the elongated "S", then grind the ends to fit the space.
Also had to hammer the bend to keep it flat , then do a little file and polish.
Two of them will stack in the space that the original piece went in.

Here is a crappy pic

[Slayer85]

Newer understood this card pick thing.
Not like the normal picks are really huge.
It really makes a difference if you are able to hold the picks the way you want to.
I had tried these once and find them very awkward to use.