Thick or thin?

[sisk]

I just got my first .015 picks (2, short and steep hooks) earlier this week and I'm blown away by how radically different they feel from my .023 picks. I have the same sensation holding one of them as I do holding an antique porcelain vase: be very careful with this or it will break. But even picking with them feels quite different to me. Which raises the question: is there any advantage to using one of these seemingly delicate little things in a lock that you could probably pick with a thicker pick? Or should I reserve them for when I need to negotiate difficult keyways?

[sisk]

I suppose I should also point out that they're currently the only picks I actually use that don't have a handle of some sort. I suppose that might account for some of the difference in feel.

[Jacob Morgan]

For what is is worth, for run-of-the-mill locks I use an old Majestic hook. I have some Peterson and South Ord and some home made tools, but for ordinary locks that have plenty of room the old, fairly thick, Majestic works just fine, in fact I think I am a little faster with it. There are locks I can not get open at all with the Majestic that will open with better tools.

But maybe it would make a better picker if one always used the same thickness and really got used to it?

[billdeserthills]

For what is is worth, for run-of-the-mill locks I use an old Majestic hook. I have some Peterson and South Ord and some home made tools, but for ordinary locks that have plenty of room the old, fairly thick, Majestic works just fine, in fact I think I am a little faster with it. There are locks I can not get open at all with the Majestic that will open with better tools.

But maybe it would make a better picker if one always used the same thickness and really got used to it?

We are tool-users and should be able to adjust to different tools

[smokingman]

I generally use the tool size that gives me the most room in the keyway,
so it varies from lock to lock.

[smokingman]

I generally use the tool size that gives me the most room in the keyway,
so it varies from lock to lock.

Meant to say most room in the keyway, to strength ratio.

[Ian_425]

If I can fit the thicker pick into the keyway and maneuver easily, I use a thicker pick. Some key ways have crazy warding and you just can't move a thick pick around inside of the keyway, but dropping to a 0.015 thick pick allows you the movement required to pick the lock.

There is a right tool for every job, play with some different keyway types and you'll figure out what to use and when in no time.

[nite0wl]

I have one or two .015 thickness picks but rarely use them. My default pick is a .023" pick, if the lock is particularly tight and calls for a thinner pick I try a .018" pick which usually works, for particularly wide keyways that need extra leverage I have a couple old HPC picks. Most of the time I find that the shaft height it more important that the thickness of the tool and .015" is often too thin to make 'euro profile" tools effective.