Thanks for the review of this bargain backup set, Ash. 🙂👍 If it was my design, I'd replace a snake rake and the half ball with another hook and a Bogotá, and definitely add a couple more levers. That said, it is a low cost backup kit, so I'd use it for what it is, and perhaps add the extras to suit personal taste, doubling its cost and usefulness. For ~£10 it's worth every penny.
I would definitely prefer a triple peak, city rake or another hook instead of two snakes. Maybe even a full snowman instead of the half ball. Would absolutely replace the tensioner. Regardless, looks quite capable and you can't beat the price! If I hadn't already assembled so many back up kits and stashed them everywhere, I'd get one, lol. Great review!
Spring steel is tempered to make it less brittle, a result of this is that the surface takes on a dark blue colour (like clock springs). The colour is just on the surface and can be readily polished out.
Yes, and as you say, there is nothing wrong with high carbon (spring) steel. Multipick makes their picks from carbon steel. We can argue about the benefits of stainless versus high carbon all day, but I wouldn’t necessarily look down on these picks just because they aren’t shiny stainless. Not saying you were doing that, Mr. Ripley! Just seen too many people get caught up in the metallurgy when there are many other things to talk about first.
There's loads of potential with this lock pick set for improvement. I mean that in a positive way. Extra tension tools, change that rivet for something easy to unscrew and put back. Very decent profiles as you said which is always a plus.
Good review, very thorough and informative. I like it. I think one of those snakes is bent "offset snake" which I actually prefer, but I would swap out the half ball for something else ( another hook, or a city rake or triple peak). I would also give them a bit of a smoothing polish with some sandpaper. And add a couple more tension tools. I would also hold them differently,.partly folded like the way you hold a straight razor. For the price....I'll definitely be getting this set. I also learned something. I've never been much of a fan of half diamonds, but will now try substituting that profile instead of a short hook. I still don't like snowmen or half round, but sometimes keep one in a set as a substitute dimple flag.
Great review as always, and spot on especially about swapping for a medium hook. Tension tools would be an easy addition. I'd like a flap or slide-on top for the case myself. For the intended purpose this is almost perfect and a good value, but as others have commented maybe make a 'premium' version with better steels and finishing?
My favourite pick is a Spring-steel one, its my go to pick that's opened more locks than any other pick in my collection and its surprisingly tough.. If I had that set I'd have to knock out the rivit in the end to make them separate picks though ;-)
Question time!!! Sorry but this maybe an amateur question. Why do only 2 of the picks have holes? I assume it's for grip but I can't understand why only two. I would think that they would be in the rakes or the whole set but I can't figure out why those 2 picks outta the rest. Any ideas?
I believe those are the ones they use for their metal handle picks they sell. They also have the emergency sets that are just the spring steel with no handles. Could be wrong but it's the only thing I can think of
Definitely looks like a good value to me. The case could easily be replaced with a cheap eyeglass case or similar. One or both of those ball picks or a snake rake could easily be modified into a good short and medium hook, or a Peterson GEM-like profile to get a better range of picks for SPPing. Throw in a couple tension tools from the stash and maybe a thinner TOK pry bar and you've got a really good emergency set for cheap. Might have to pick one up and break out the Dremel.
Cool review, interresting tool. Thanks for sharing :) One does not see much of the HPC picks in use these days... Is this brand more common with locksmiths?
I would definitely swap out the double half ball and second snake rake for probably a city rake and short hook ..the redundant snake rakes are pointless on a backup set..but like you said for ten dollars can you really argue with what you actually get
Revisiting this video after receiving my order from Wendt... And thinking: their picks could be screwed together to form a traveling kit... Wait, wasn't ther already something like that from HPC? Yes. But that one is missing a second hook and a city rake.
HPC isn't awful but they do wear out fast. We get supplied them at work but I usually buy my own and keep them for like you said, just back up or practicing
2 near-identical snake rakes. No city rake, no Bogota, not so much as a crappy w-rake. Some kind of offset hook-type pick would have been nice as well. No sir, I don't like it.🐴
Unless you're really cheap, I can't imagine any advantage over a pro grade Sparrows Tuxedo set... that you can add or remove pics to your favor. Cheap tools you cannot depend on are not even worthy of a back up set imho.
An unusual emergency pick set from HPC, but one you can get at a good price 😃
Thanks for the review of this bargain backup set, Ash. 🙂👍 If it was my design, I'd replace a snake rake and the half ball with another hook and a Bogotá, and definitely add a couple more levers. That said, it is a low cost backup kit, so I'd use it for what it is, and perhaps add the extras to suit personal taste, doubling its cost and usefulness. For ~£10 it's worth every penny.
I would definitely prefer a triple peak, city rake or another hook instead of two snakes. Maybe even a full snowman instead of the half ball. Would absolutely replace the tensioner. Regardless, looks quite capable and you can't beat the price! If I hadn't already assembled so many back up kits and stashed them everywhere, I'd get one, lol. Great review!
Thanks 😊
Spring steel is tempered to make it less brittle, a result of this is that the surface takes on a dark blue colour (like clock springs). The colour is just on the surface and can be readily polished out.
Yes, and as you say, there is nothing wrong with high carbon (spring) steel. Multipick makes their picks from carbon steel. We can argue about the benefits of stainless versus high carbon all day, but I wouldn’t necessarily look down on these picks just because they aren’t shiny stainless. Not saying you were doing that, Mr. Ripley! Just seen too many people get caught up in the metallurgy when there are many other things to talk about first.
Yes, that tension tool would definitely have a sharp 1/8" bend in its other end if this was mine.
Yup
There's loads of potential with this lock pick set for improvement. I mean that in a positive way. Extra tension tools, change that rivet for something easy to unscrew and put back. Very decent profiles as you said which is always a plus.
I agree Roy
Very good backup/beginner's kit. A couple more tension tools, top and bottom of keyway, would complement the kit.
Always more tension tool!
Good review, very thorough and informative.
I like it.
I think one of those snakes is bent "offset snake" which I actually prefer, but I would swap out the half ball for something else ( another hook, or a city rake or triple peak). I would also give them a bit of a smoothing polish with some sandpaper. And add a couple more tension tools. I would also hold them differently,.partly folded like the way you hold a straight razor.
For the price....I'll definitely be getting this set.
I also learned something.
I've never been much of a fan of half diamonds, but will now try substituting that profile instead of a short hook. I still don't like snowmen or half round, but sometimes keep one in a set as a substitute dimple flag.
Great review as always, and spot on especially about swapping for a medium hook. Tension tools would be an easy addition. I'd like a flap or slide-on top for the case myself. For the intended purpose this is almost perfect and a good value, but as others have commented maybe make a 'premium' version with better steels and finishing?
I sort of get it if it’s a backup emergency set. Just needs to be cheep and work I guess
My favourite pick is a Spring-steel one, its my go to pick that's opened more locks than any other pick in my collection and its surprisingly tough..
If I had that set I'd have to knock out the rivit in the end to make them separate picks though ;-)
Maybe just do a double ended tension tool? Keeping it cheap.
At least!
Nice set Ash mate great video 👍😎😊👊🇬🇧
Cheers Leon
Question time!!!
Sorry but this maybe an amateur question.
Why do only 2 of the picks have holes? I assume it's for grip but I can't understand why only two. I would think that they would be in the rakes or the whole set but I can't figure out why those 2 picks outta the rest.
Any ideas?
I believe those are the ones they use for their metal handle picks they sell. They also have the emergency sets that are just the spring steel with no handles. Could be wrong but it's the only thing I can think of
I think SloMoBro is correct
It's not bad for such a small package. Nice to see a hook included
Yes! Shame there aren’t more hooks though
Quite like this as a cheap set to chuck in your bag or car :)
Yeah!
Definitely looks like a good value to me. The case could easily be replaced with a cheap eyeglass case or similar. One or both of those ball picks or a snake rake could easily be modified into a good short and medium hook, or a Peterson GEM-like profile to get a better range of picks for SPPing. Throw in a couple tension tools from the stash and maybe a thinner TOK pry bar and you've got a really good emergency set for cheap. Might have to pick one up and break out the Dremel.
Always fun to mod a set!
Looks like a good set to me and the price is good too.
For the price pretty good
I personally love spring steel picks (especially when awesomely blued) its just a "feel" thing and i suppose multipick know it too!
A lot of locksmiths like them too
Cool review, interresting tool. Thanks for sharing :)
One does not see much of the HPC picks in use these days... Is this brand more common with locksmiths?
I would definitely swap out the double half ball and second snake rake for probably a city rake and short hook ..the redundant snake rakes are pointless on a backup set..but like you said for ten dollars can you really argue with what you actually get
I don’t understand why two snakes
You seem to have qualms about spring steel. Can you explain what they are?
It’s more ductile that’s all. I prefer stiffer material. Spring steel like this is perfectly good though
Revisiting this video after receiving my order from Wendt... And thinking: their picks could be screwed together to form a traveling kit... Wait, wasn't ther already something like that from HPC?
Yes. But that one is missing a second hook and a city rake.
You could probably rivet them easily enough
HPC isn't awful but they do wear out fast. We get supplied them at work but I usually buy my own and keep them for like you said, just back up or practicing
I get that. Spring steel is very economical and pretty good but won’t last as long as a full hard 301 for example
@@LockNoob Ive had this set for nearly 20 years, its the only set ive ever had and used., and the times when ive needed it, its been brilliant
are the 2 nake rakes the same profile?
Yes, weirdly
Not bad. It's ideal for a beginner.
It’s ok. A little bottom heavy
I would love to see a city rake instead of a half ball and a deforest diamond instead of the double of the s rake.
Just a range of hooks would be good for me
Why two snake rakes? They should have replaced that with a sine type wave rake (like the peterson c7).
I don’t know why. It’s a puzzle for sure
Bit too rough and ready for me but I can see how some people would find it useful.
Cheap and effective… at some compromise
Nice for the price, but two snakes, two half balls, and no triple peak seems like an oversight to me.
Certainly a triple peak would be good. Locksmiths tend to really like ball rakes though and I suspect this is the main market
2 near-identical snake rakes. No city rake, no Bogota, not so much as a crappy w-rake. Some kind of offset hook-type pick would have been nice as well.
No sir, I don't like it.🐴
Unless you're really cheap, I can't imagine any advantage over a pro grade Sparrows Tuxedo set... that you can add or remove pics to your favor. Cheap tools you cannot depend on are not even worthy of a back up set imho.
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Hello lock_noob, how are you today?
Better for hearing from you. Otherwise mixed
@@LockNoob have a pint.