Review on Raimundo's picks.

[locksmistress]

Gotta get my 2 cents in - Raimundo's picks are fabulous. I've tried polishing other picks but they do not come out like his do - I even used his recommendations for the process - mine are good, but not crazy perfect like his. I haven't got the touch or I haven't got the patience - either way, once you put his picks in a cylinder you'll feel like everything else you used to pick with was a crusty popsicle stick.

I think I do better in part with Raimundo's picks because they are so beautiful and delicate and slippery that you hardly have to touch them to manipulate the pins.

Plus the way he makes them so small and nesting, you have a full set in the tiniest handbag, the brim of a hat, even pinned in the hem of a skirt or blouse or tucked into your boots.

For sure, they're the sexiest tools I've ever owned.

[raimundo]

I gotta show you how they open handcuffs with the diamond tip reversed, about 30 degrees clockwise to lift the rachet, or if double locked, first you have to go anti clockwise almost 180 degrees. remember that the rachet and the double lock slider are in some cuffs only half as wide as the spacer lamination, and will be found in the side near the outer, (keyhole plate) lamination. The diamond tip point is used as the blade of the key, and the backslope of the tip is the shaft of the key going through the keyhole. sort of upside down to the usual placement in the keyhole. just look at the key and figure it out. Might be good to know for a lockmistress

[locksmistress]

Raimundo! Why, I never!

I have half a mind to be offended!

As it happens, I admit I've wondered about marketing that would target the S&M community. Mistakes are made, keys lost, locks jammed... competence is one thing - add in an amount of discretion...

And oddly enough, I hadn't considered all of the connotations of the login handle at the time that I created the account. It was inspired by an approximate feminization of "Locksmith" into "Locksmithstress" but that breaks down to "Locksmith Stress" and it's hard to say without spitting. Also there is a local outfit called "Lockmasters" which I thought evoked all kinds of classic images of Door Hardware being conquered by Valiant Tradesmen on White Horses with Golden 18V Cordless DeWaults Glinting in the Sun!

So "Locksmistress" was supposed to be an elegant sort of anachronistic descriptor that evoked images of competence and devotion to the trade, maybe a horse, but it seems more like a black-leather-accessories-that-you-can't-buy-at-Nordstoms sort of thing.

Hrmph. I suppose I can work with that.

[randmguy]

Hey...Who's to say that the black-leather-accessories-that-you-can't-buy-at-Nordstoms crowd aren't competent and devoted? You could do worse things than lockouts for the local...ahem ...community. I did a lockout for a local club that no longer advertises. While I didn't exactly get tons of business out of the call, they did offer my wife a job working security for them at private functions. They paid an enormous fee for a middle of the night call and travel and even added a nice tip for my "discretion and lack of giggling".

I'd have done the call for free just to see the look on the poor man's face when I activated my electro-pick and said (without thinking), "No problem. We should have him straightened out in no time."

Its always worth a giggle when I get a call now and someone tells me I was recommended to them by Velvet.

[PickPick]

As it happens, I admit I've wondered about marketing that would target the S&M community. Mistakes are made, keys lost, locks jammed... competence is one thing - add in an amount of discretion...

A friend from the community recently asked me whether she could put me on an internal list for "kink aware professionals"

[Chucklz]

My this thread certainly has become interesting. I almost ruined my keyboard twice. Interesting specialization I would say.

"Pick dear mistress, and cure his heart"

[The Wanderer]

I just received three picks and a shim from Raimundo a couple of days ago. Nicely crafted and highly polished. I have managed to open every padlock I have with the new arrivals, except for the now infamous Eagle padlock that I have only picked open three times. A Best, which I have never opened, and a Yale padlock with springs from Hades in it, which I have never even come close to opening yet.

I must say, I am much more comfortable when using this style of pick to open locks that are mounted in a door already. I had never managed to pick the lock on the door to my house before today. The small hook/diamond had it opened in about 15 seconds. I've tried many times to open the bloody thing to no avail. I sticks the pick in under slight tension, I sets two pins and raked it twice and it popped open. Works everytime now. I actually did this by accident the first time but it worked and still does. Can't explain it. I don't even want to try. All I know is I finally picked the door to my house thanks to this little beauty!!!

The bogota pick worked the treat on the Schlage I got from Varjeal a while back. Light tension with a nervous too much coffee sort of jiggle and it opened in about 10 seconds.

I haven't had the opportunity or felt the need to use the sabana pick or the lock shim yet. They show the same smooth, polished look as the bogota and the hook/diamond pick. (Which is it Ray, a hook or a diamond? )

All in all I think I made a smart choice buying these picks from Raimundo. You can be sure I'll be looking for sweeper bristles when I'm out riding "The Hippo" (that's my bicycle) from here on in. They'll never come up to Rays standards but he has inspired me to at least try. Thanks Ray. The picks are great!!!