Different Picks

[PlastechFish]

Ok, so I just got my new set of picks from southord.com........pimp! One problem, I have no idea what all of these different picks are used for. I have done a lot of reading, and I understand how a pick is used to pick a lock, I just don't know how each different kind of pick is used. Any direction on this would be great! Thanks.

-PlastechFish

P.S. Mods, this is a great forum. A real model site. Good work!

[NDE Manipulation]

Well, that is the age-old question about picks. There are basically two kinds of lockpicks, hooks and rakes. That's with an emphasis on "basically." You can break it down even more than that with hybrids like rocker picks and whatnot, but since you're just learning, why clutter things at the moment?

Hook types of picks are used for Single Pin Picking (SPP). Rakes are used for ripping, raking and rocking.

Ripping is inserting a rake, preferably a half-diamond pick, and you feel back under the tumblers and when you reach the back, just the tip of the pick touches the rearmost pin and you use very light tension and you "rip" the 1/2 diamond out. This can get the pins airborne in a "wave" motion as opposed to truly simultaneously as you would with a pick gun or snap pick.

Raking is simply and basically described as "brushing" the pins back and forth, the pick straight in under the pins, the pick can be lifted to different heights, the rearward part of the pick can be angled either down or up to guide the tip of the pick at various angles as well. This brushing can be slow and methodical or haphazard, clumsy and very fast. I think the latter hamhanded rake methods are why so many people despise the method or don't give it it's due. I don't think many people really understand what wonderful tools a couple good rakes are.

Rocking is best accomplished with a purpose-built rocker pick where the bottom of the pick resembles the bottom of a rocking chair. The up and down motion with the rearward part of the pick imparts different angles to the tip of the pick as described above. Those are specialty picks, the GM Auto Rocker Picks being one such set, another type of rocker pick is the HPC Double-sided disc tumbler set of four.

As for the types of rakes you will find in common picksets today, the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 (snake) rakes don't usually do an excellent job with rocking. But the "riffle" rakes do. A riffle rake is best described as...without using a picture, out of all the regular picks in a pickset, these will most resemble an actual key. You can use these to rock with, with very, very good results.

[stick]

Hook

Used to pick each pin individually, which is the most useful picking technique. It's used to lift individual pins, systematically setting each one until the lock is picked. Comes in 4 varieties: short, long, deforest diamond, deforest ball.

Diamond

Also used to pick pins individually. It's not quite as good at it, as you chance lifting nearby pins that may already be set, but it has the pro that you can also rake with it, without having to switch between other picks.

Rakes


Rakes come in a variety of shapes, and are basically "raked" against the pins, hoping to set some, or all, the pins at random. The second image is a good example of what NDE calls a "riffle" rake. Also referred to as sawtooth or L rakes, they're the only rakes I find to be effective, but I don't rake that much.

Ball

Basically a rake, but specifically designed for raking open wafer locks. The one in the image is a double ball, obviously. Can you guess what a single ball locks like? They both serve the same purpose: raking wafer locks, and some people like using them on pin tumblers as well. I haven't tried that yet, but if you do decide to, I suggest getting a half ball or double half ball, as you'd only need one side for standard pin tumbler locks. Guess what the half ball looks like.

[stick]

It's not quite as good at it

By it I mean the hooks.

Deforest picks are these:


The first is a diamond deforest, the second a ball deforest. Most people prefer the diamond deforest.

On a side note: no spelling errors in PlastechFish's first post.

[zeke79]

man, you are right!! There are no mispellings!! CONGRATS PlastechFish!!!!!!

[PlastechFish]

Wow, thank you for the quick and incredibly informative posts. You've answered my question and then some! I'll let you know when I get my first lock open.

P.S. Nope no errers, I knowe haw tu spel.

[NDE Manipulation]

By the way, just to compound on what "stick" wrote. The single and double ball, or in the case of the Rytan triple ball, these are primarily aimed at not just "wafer" locks, but double sided wafer, i.e., double sided disc tumbler locks. Conventional (wisdom) technique with these three picks being used against the double sided disc tumbler in conjunction with a spanner turning tool in the fork or tweezer configuration. Logic being, you don't have to flip the pick over you just rake each side over and over until it's picked.

Then there are the half single and double ball picks as well!

You will sometimes hear the double ball referred to as "the 8-ball" or "Snowman" rake and the half-shape cousins as "The Half Snowman," etc.

A long time ago, there used to really be a "diamond pick." What everyone calls a "diamond" pick now is actually a half diamond. There actually was a full diamond instead of the current triangle pick and it was used primarily against double-sided disc tumblers as well.

The DeForest hybrid picks are some of the best picks to have come along in quite a while, even though they are only two decades old, approximately. Rytan was way ahead of the game back in the 1980s, they led the way with miniaturized picks with their "Mini-Blue" line of picks, way before HPC figured out it was a good idea or anyone else for that matter. The Rytan Mini-Blue picks will ruin you when it comes to working with restrictive keyways. If you really get used to them, regular sized picks feel like broomsticks when you go back to them.

Rytan and LAB picks with LAB turning tools and my excellent little RCS Tweezer Tool are among my all-time favorites. If you have sworn off the Tweezer Wrench, you should really order one from RCS, it is an excellent tool. RCS reconfigured the ends of it so the tool popping out is not so much an issue. It is a vast improvement over the same plain old Tweezer wrenches of the past. This one actually works much better.

[David_Parker]

NDE: I'm not familiar with RCE. Could you please elaborate?


-Dave.

[NDE Manipulation]

NDE: I'm not familiar with RCE. Could you please elaborate?


-Dave.

That would be RCS.

That would be Lockpicktools Dot Com, I don't know if you're allowed to link on the forums, so I'm not. Look under tension wrenches and it is the one at the top. Best Tweezer wrench I have ever had.

[WhiteHat]

those wrenches look good - but I think the idea of the standard (southord et al) wishbone wrenches were for holding back the dustcover on automotive locks.

the wrenches at http://www.lockpicktools.com/tensiontools.htm would be great for standard pin tumblers though.. (yes we are allowed to link to other sites, just not in our sigs)

[WhiteHat]

oh - and this is an excelent post by romstar - worthy of re-posting because it hasn't been for a while:

Me, I was just regurgitating my previous posts on the topic. So, look below for that post. This posting is a combination of several posts I have made in the past on the topic.

1. Small, Medium and Large Diamond, and Half Diamond.

Most people are only familiar with the half diamond, and consequently sometimes refer to it as a triangle pick. However, the original diamond is a two sided pick. Similar to the full ball pick.
There are also double diamonds and double half diamonds. The angles of these picks will also vary. They are most often characterized by their flat, straight shafts. Diamonds also come in small, medium and large.
Half diamonds are used in a similar fashion to the hook pick. However, it is normally inserted straight into the lock. The diamond also makes an acceptable tool for raking. Because of it's sloped entry and exit angle, the pick will impart force to the pins without catching. Additionally, the diamond is able to manipulate pins in a rotational fashion. Thus, assisting the picking of high security locks such as the Medeco.
Originally, the full diamond was intended for use in wafer tumbler locks (see ball pick). However, after creating the half diamond, it proved to be very useful for pin tumblers.
Diamonds, full or half almost always come in small, medium and large sizes.

2. Small, Medium and Large Hook, Lifter or Feeler picks.

So named because of their hook shaped appearance. These picks come in a variety of sizes, but mostly are short, medium or long hooks. The angle will also vary between obtuse and oblique. Vary rarely will you see a hook that points straight up. One of the defining characteristics of this pick is the radiused bottom edge of the hook. A variant of this idea is the deep curve, or deep hook.

These tools are used most commonly to lift pin stacks one at a time to set the shearline. The benefit of these picks is that they can be inserted on an angle, allowing them to slip under a deep pin stack to reach a high set pin further back in the lock.

Deep curve, progressive curve, and slant style hooks. Almost never will you see a lifter or hook pick with a 90' angle.

DeForest style picks.
These are a unique combination of the hook pick, and the diamond. Specifically they are a non-radiused hook with a small diamond shape at the tip.


3. Small, Medium and Large Ball, Double Ball, Half Ball, and Double Half Ball.

These picks are shaped like small discs or balls at the end of the pick shaft. Sometimes you will even see three balls or half balls, but these are rare.
While some people report fair success in raking a pin tumbler lock with these picks, they are most commonly used for picking and raking wafer tumbler locks.

4. Snake (commonly refered to as rake) picks.

Rake is actually a misnomer, as raking is the action applied with a snake, or other pick. Snakes come in several forms. Their defining characteristic however is that they typically combine several opposing curves. These curves are meant to manipulate several pins at once. The most common snakes are designed to overcome a typical low, high, low or high, low high pin combination.
Aditionally, as stated they are often used for raking a lock. Raking is a technique where the pick is inserted into the lock, and withdrawn sharply. This action, combined with the proper tension causes the force to be transfered from the bottom pins, to the upper pins. The result is that all pins seperate at the shear line at once.

These picks come in a variety of configurations and sizes. From simple bump snakes, to the "s", "w" and "j" snakes as well as full pattern snakes also known as riffle picks. Also the classic full and 3/4 "rakes".

5. Pattern or Profile picks.

Pattern or profile picks. Most often typified by the HPC Comp-u-Picks and Majestic's High Tech series. Although the high tech series is more similar to a snake than a pure profile pick.

Often confused with, or grouped with snake picks, the profile and pattern picks are designed to aproximate a large selection of key bittings. By selecting the proper pick, inserting it into the lock, and lifting the pick, an operator can often cause the pins to all raise to the shear line. The most common technique is to raise the pick while moving it in a figure eight fashion.

Feeler picks. Often a thin, narrow strip of metal with a handle. Often used to probe or read both wafer and pin tumber style locks. Limited application, not often found in common pick sets.

Dimple picks. Often typified by the Souber style dimple lock picks. These picks are similar in function to lifter picks, but have a straight shank, and the tip is either fingered, or socketed. These picks come in a variety of sizes.

Wave picks. A snake or rake style pick commonly used on dimple locks. Often typified by the Matador style picks.

Lever picks, these are generally the only type picks you will ever see a 90' angle on. Because of the type of lock they are meant to manipulate.

Tubular picks. These are readily identifiable by their construction. All of them are built around a thin tube with a handle. The exception to this rule is the Peterson Pro, which still has at it's working end the tube and picks. The picking pins are radiused around the circumferance of the tube based upon the number of pins, and the ofset of the lock the pick is meant to manipulate.

3 and 4 finger cross picks. These are often used to pick so called cruciform locks where the keyway appears similar to a cross shape.

This should cover all basic pick patterns. Bear in mind, these are generic definitions, and some picks may not be immediately classifiable.

While there are several other picks this covers the basic groupings and their uses. Over time, experience will tell you the best pick, and tension tool to use with a given lock. Aditionally, some high security locks require the use of several tools in succession to open.
You may find that a hook works perfectly in an Ilco lock, but is difficult to use in a Yale. Further, you may find that a medium hook is too large for a particular lock.

Each of these tools has proven their usefulness over the last 90 years, and they are still made because they continue to be used for their intended purposes. Despite that same number of years in lock refinement.

Experiment with different tools in the same locks. Use different tension techniques, and tension tools. You will soon discover that all of these tools are very useful if you intend to pick a wide variety of locks.

Happy picking,
Romstar

[raimundo]

I had been wondering what a deforest pick was? now I know, and find that I have been making varients like that for a long time, a very low rise, extremely rounded/sanded pick of that type was my favorite many years ago, especially for small keyways like maste padlocks. I had never seen this romstars post before.

[NDE Manipulation]

those wrenches look good - but I think the idea of the standard (southord et al) wishbone wrenches were for holding back the dustcover on automotive locks.

Could be so. I made the terrible mistake when I started out years ago, of trying to use them on all locks. I figured they would give me more room. I got discouraged because I was primarily picking padlocks and a Tweezer wrench on a padlock is just about useless, in my opinion. But when a lock is mounted, whole different thing. But they still popped out a lot. This one from RCS doesn't so much and allows for good movement/access.

For the dust covers, I love the two HPC Gateway Tools, great items.

That is a very good overview you posted. I know sometimes I get a little bit frustrated because of all of the differences in terms. I try to stick with the Old School terms and definitions whenever possible. It's hard to get something across to people sometimes when they think you're just epileptic with a rake.