Pick placement advice

[cracksman]

For most of the cheaper padlocks I use a standard "Southord" hook that works fine, however as I slowly improve and have moved onto some tougher locks the space between the keyway entry has diminished. I bought and made a set of slimline picks but, I lack experience I am not sure I am using the pick correctly. The tighter clearences with the better locks seems to offer 2 solutions, 1 is use the lowest profile pick possible and use the keyway for leverage (red line) or use either a regular or slimline pick resting on the lower key and coming up at an angle (blue line). As for option 3 (yellow line) I don't have the steadiness yet to do that effectively. I was hoping for some advice about the best way to pick, if there is one...thanks in advance for any input

[stick]

I find the best is the blue one, but it does take some practice to get used to.

[triman247]

Red line for sure. I think it's easier to set the pins there.

[cracksman]

To play the devil's advocate:
Triman-if your pick rests on the red line and its height (the pick) sets a pin or two above the shear point how can you pick the lock? -basically doesn't the inserting of the pick in a very small clearence keyway autimatically overset some of the pins?
p.s. I like your way better for control but my contention is a valid one.

Stick-thanks for your thoughts-is that the general approach the picking community uses?

[stick]

In most cases, it will interact with the pins, although how it does will vary from lock to lock.

As for what others do, I'll leave it up to them to post their opinions.

[CaptHook]

I would caution against resting the pick on the bottom of the keyway. Yes, sometimes its a handy thing to do, but will not allow as much feedback. I lever the pick on the tip of my middle finger (pencil style grip).
Chuck

[digital_blue]

Often I find that where I place the tension wrench in a keyway like that (looks like a mirror image of a Schlage to me, anyone?) will depend on the direction I wish to pick it (CW vs CCW). Either way, I'd fit the tension wrench in and rest the pick on the blade of the wrench, using it as its pivot point. (Of course, assuming I'm single pin picking with a small hook).

But the real answer here is: Do whatever works for you. You may find that a modified tension wrench with a very short blade will fit nicely in the top of the keyway and, thus, allow you more room un the keyway for your pick while maintaining stability on the wrench.

db

[Shrub]

A bit like Capin i use my first finger resting across the face of the lock to rest my picks on, if you have a problem in the lock levering on the keyway may not show it up or may even put so much pressure on a bad pin for example that before you realise it the lock needs stripping, i also use the tip of my finger if fishing for spool pins.

[triman247]

O.K, I feel incredibly stupid. I wrote the post at school and a teacher was coming so I had to type fast, and I didn't get a good look at the picture. Now that I have some time to look at it, I realized that I swrewed up. I meant to say the blue line. I put the pick in the blue area most of the time.

[Zarrakh]

I often rest my pick on the blue area, though it sits on my finger as well. It seems that is a pretty common way to hold your picks. If I am going for a quick open on a drop-dead-easy pad lock I will do the same thing, with a slight modification: I will rest the pick more or less on my tension wrench itself. This is not meant to give feedback, just a quick open.

Hope it helps.
Cheers

[cracksman]

Thanks for your responses, it seems the more I learn the more I realize how little I know I have just begun to use my finger for leverage, I seem to naturally use my middle finger, using thumb and forefinger to hold the pick. I also just made a set of picks that fit into an x-acto knife, which I hold like a pen and is also quite comfortable. I'm a little confused; CaptHook and shrub can you describe how you hold your pick in a little more detail, or post a photo?

p.s. LOL, Digital_blue, that was a photo of a schlage that I flipped in editing cause I'm used to my master pads and kwiksets. nice eye