Curtain Wheel Pick

by **bowleya** » 12 Dec 2004 4:31

Is the Safeventures Curtain wheel pick the best on the market for ease of use and also the amount of variants it can be used on.

Thanks

by **EvoRed** » 12 Dec 2004 5:57

It is widely regarded as the easiest to use, and gives you the most feedback. It will not, however, lift the lowest levers.

I have one and, to be honest, a high percentage of BS locks have at least one low lever so you are unable to use this tool on most. I basically use mine on locks like the Union 2101 and Chubb 3U115, in which it'll open these in under a minute. Maybe I've been a little unlucky but nearly all of the BS locks I have has a low lever or more.

To be able to lift low levers I have the Francis thumb pick, which I don't rate that highly to be honest. In hindsight, although more than double the price of the Francis, I would have bought the Chris Belcher pick for low levers.

by **bowleya** » 12 Dec 2004 6:09

Thanks Evored

So the Chris Belcher pick gives a bit more variation

by **EvoRed** » 12 Dec 2004 6:14

I haven't used a CB pick myself but it's reportedly (from Pinky, the resident curtain wheel pick collector) harder to use than the Safeventures and takes a little getting used to, but certainly does the job when mastered, and has no limitations like the Safeventures has.

The CB pick is a little cheaper than the Safeventures and you can buy them from www.duffells.co.uk

by **pinky** » 13 Dec 2004 13:12

chris belchers pick as stated takes alot of practice, but has no limitations, im currently reviewing chis's new picks and will shortly write a review on them, so far they are looking good.

i do however like to use chris's 5 and 7g picks, they are far superior to francis picks.

they are not cheap, but they do the job and i fully reccomend them, though dont think for a moment that you will buy this pick and open any lock, you still need loads of practice, you still need to strip locks and see what makes them tick. unless you are willing to study and practice then forget it and stick to mr drill.

alot of you now use curtain picks, yet we dont see many reviews and hints and tips given on site, i for one feel lonely being the only one to share this info, so more posts please, it benefits all.

by **bowleya** » 13 Dec 2004 13:25

Thanks Pinky

I understand the "no pain no gain " Philosophy and look forward to many hours of what will i'm sure be enjoyable but frustrating.

I will also keep the Drill charged

by **bowleya** » 13 Dec 2004 13:31

I have contacted Duffells about purchasing a CB curtain pick and they reeled off about 5 different variants,

Where should i start?

by **EvoRed** » 13 Dec 2004 13:42

Alright Pinky, I have had very little success with the Francis thumb picks and would recommend anyone who's looking for a pick to lift the lowest levers to broaden their budget and perhaps buy the CB.

The feel is pretty much non-existent, the wire's too bendy and the wire and tensioner are basically used as two completely seperate tools, which doesn't help.

The tensioner isn't very comfortable to hold and has no stop so you have to judge when it's gone far enough through to allow you to lift all the levers but not push it too far as it will fall out the other end. As a result you are applying tension to the same spot of the curtain turner which doesn't appear to be of great quality and mine started to wear down a little after just a couple of uses.

This is just my own personal view and others may get on with them perfectly well but I have the 5g and 7g and don't get on with them at all. I also have the Francis standard 7g pick which I do get on with. It's far better, although the wire is still too bendy.

by **EvoRed** » 13 Dec 2004 13:47

Bowleya, you will need a 5g and 7g for the different sized gauges of keyway, i.e. Era Profit and Viscount are 7g. When I looked into a CB pick some time ago now I was offered the 5g, 7g and 8g.

If you only want to buy one to see how you get on with it then you're probably better off starting with the 5g, as this will do Chubb's, Union's, Yale's Legge's, etc.

by **pinky** » 13 Dec 2004 13:57

to start the chris b 5g and 7g pocket curtain picks are the ones.
these too are a 2 piece tool,like francises with no stops guides etc, though the wire is far better quality but still lacks feedback of safeventures pick, but hasnt the limitations, you get from a pick what you put in.

in order to have a 1 piece tool with guides stops etc , you sacrifice the ability to get some locks and the low levers.

practice, study and more practice, no quick fix.

by **bowleya** » 13 Dec 2004 14:17

Thank you Gents

5G to start and see how we go

by **Wallaby** » 13 Dec 2004 15:21

I will add my 2 cents here as I dont want Pinky getting lonely on this subject (and so close to christmas) ...

I have the RB curtain pick (5g and 7g), the safe ventures pick and the Mark Francis pick. I have used (but do not own) the CB pick.

The SF pick is the best where there are no low levers. I find it slightly better than the RB because you have a long tension bar. (The RB has a short tee-bar) When you use your finger on the end of the longer tension bar, I find that you can control it much better and therefore drop off the tension for the antipick levers much better ...

for locks with the low levers, the CB pick is the one .. i just wish that something so simple was not so expensive and it will have to wait until funds permit or something similar but a bit cheaper is available .

I dont get on with the Mark Francis pick , although I understand that many people do. The wire does let it down but there are other design elements that do not help eg: the wire not fitting properly flush to the main bar etc

horses for courses i guess , but I look forward to a review of CB's new picks before i splash out on the kind of design that i know i really want :-)

by **Peaky** » 13 Dec 2004 16:18

I bought the CB pocket curtain pick (cbrpcp CB.PCP.5g. 5.5g) Â£159.80 all in and it is supurb, I know its not hard to do but on my second attempt i managed to open a Chubb 3U74E and every time after that very quickly, it fits all 5 + 5.5 g locks and i would reccomend this one to you as well, im going to get the others soon.

by **Peaky** » 13 Dec 2004 16:19

Ps i had never used any curtain pick before this.

by **Wallaby** » 14 Dec 2004 14:14

well, you talked me into it. I had the rest so had to get this one and popped into Duffels today and parted with Â£136 plus VAT for the CB pick.

Â£2.50 worths of metal and a simple, yet brilliant design in a nice shiny box.

I have used one before but now i can really get stuck into it .. already through my first Chubb and will be in the garage for the evening ..

just wish the breadknife understood these things ...... she just keeps on about some green spiky tree i am supossed to have gone and bought ... i guess we all have to deal with the non believers ...

Curtain Wheel Pick

Curtain Wheel Pick

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