Pick Maintenance

[Prepheckt]

I was just wondering, is there anything you can do to extend the life of your pick set. I fully expect to break or totally render one unsuable in the course of my picking career.

I own a SouthOrd MPXS-62 set, and I'm fairly sure, their rust resistant steel, but is there anything I can do to lessen the chances of breaking them?

[Varjeal]

Yup. Here's some tips:

1. Use 'em as picks, nothing else. They are not fingernail cleaners, nose pickers, ear pickers, small screwdrivers, scrapers or prying tools. You shouldn't use 'em to fix your watch, your glasses, or your computer.

2. Keep 'em clean, and just before use apply a light coat of lubricant (silicon/teflon spray) tol help keep 'em rust free. It will also lube the pins/wafers a bit as you use 'em.

3. When picking, try to use the pick in a straight up and and down, in and out manner, wiggling from side to side really doesn't help that much.

4. Do not use a hook pick on a wafer lock, there's different tools for that.

5. A pick is not a tension wrench. If you are twisting your pick as you work, you are not using it properly.

6. Keep 'em safe and away from small children and friends. Especially from friends.

Hope that helps.

[Red]

It's also a good idea to keep them in the case they came with. I know a lot of guys that just pull out a few tools for a particular job and then stick 'em in their back pocket. Somewhere down the road many will need to be replaced; normal wear and tear.
The picks you have are good quality but they will bend...not to mention impale you right after sitting down.
OUCH

All the best!

[Varjeal]

Good tip! Forgot that one.

[invaderzim]

if they are bought picks they should last for a long time unless you abuse them.