Great video. My dad just bought me the Sparrows Night School kit as well as a clear acrylic padlock. I can't wait for it to arrive and get into lockpicking as a 13 year old aspiring locksmith. Stay safe and happy picking!
I took your advice about buying individual picks. I put together a set of eight, including two short hooks since everyone says that is the one I am most likely to use and break. :) Four standard rakes. I got them with handles from Sparrows, for a little less than any of the kits I was thinking of, but it evens out because I needed to get a set of bottom tension wrenches and a set of four bottom of the key way wrenches. I decided to get the revolver practice lock as I am sure it will keep me busy for a while. It has not arrived yet. Happily, I am a patient sort.
Please Stay Tuned Every Wednesday at 4 pm Eastern for more episodes! Please share you pick recommendations here. I am happy to hear what everyone uses and what they would suggest beginners to start with! If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to leave them here and I will do my best to answer them!
Just got my Pick set about two hours ago. Starting trying to pick a Kwik-set Deadbolt. It took me about 45 minutes, But I was able to get it. It was so cool, the more I tried the more I could start to understand what was going on inside. The more I could visualize the pins, the short ones and the long ones that seem to be in the way. The different tensions on the pins and how they reacted to my pick. So very Awesome. Thanks again for your advice. Joe
I am glad your set finally came in and you are able to start playing with some locks. If you do not get a true feel for what you're doing for a little while that is completely normal you might just feel like you're just picking at random
I decided to get an EDC set "SouthOrd pick pen" & a full set of TOK wrenches to both learn and grow with I know this will be a slower and harder learning curve then other ways / sets as you have described here but for my end goal knowing my EDC will be a god send in my every day life and wen the times pop up I need to use my new found hobby / skill. Thank you for the endless information and explanations! 🥃cheers🍻
Patrick Wienhöft Thank you, a lot of the European locks can benefit from a thinner pick but one thing many people forget is the shape of the pick makes a larger difference than thickness sometimes
Hi ,I'm starting out and I've purchased a sparrows night school kit but I don't think it comes with top of the key way tension bar ! Can you recommend good quality tension bars ? Thanks again Steve . Great video again ,👍
Sparrow makes a good set. Get there flat bar set and their heavy bar this way you will have one in 0.040" and 0.050". Peterson makes good ones too but they are more expensive
I just ordered the Pick Set, Can't wait to get it here. I will let you know how I do on my first try at picking a lock. I am really looking forward to learning this. It seems like it would be a Fun Challenge. Joe
I totally agree with the pick recommendations,however I disagree with your assessment of twist-flex tension wrenches.I feel that they offer more control as to how much tension one applies and in turn can help prevent over tensioning(Which I feel is a cardinal sin of beginning pickers and a potential obstacle for intermediate to advanced pickers when dealing with serrated top pins)PS:I basically only use rigid tension wrenches in padlocks that have very stiff cylinder return springs.
Open is open in my book and it is always great to see everyone's perspectives! Thank you for sharing :) I will admit, I go heavier on tension but I feel that the twist dampens the feedback significantly. It is almost designed to absorb any feedback. I feel going heavier on tension provides a few distinct advantages such as you can bind multiple pins (pick faster), greatly reduces the chances of oversetting, and heightens feedback significantly. New people, like you said, certainly often over do it on the tension and it is such a hard topic to teach. When I tension standard pins I use a moderate to heavy tension. I agree with your assessment on serrated pins, you do need to go lighter but I may go heavier than most. I use the heaviest tension the lock will allow which is not necessarily heavy tension. Tension is such an interesting topic and one so hard to teach. I hope one day everyone can get a discussion going and come up with an easier way to teach it! I will have a video coming out soon which is my approach to tensioning standard pins and I will get into security pins later as the series progresses. Thank you again for sharing!
Very helpful video, thank you! I'd like to add a few picks/tensioners that are suitable for automotive/wafer door locks, can you recommend some candidates? Thanks again! - Jim
I think figuring out which tension tools to buy is more confusing that which picks, probably because there are a lot more videos about picks. The other thing that I'm really confused about is practice locks. When I bought my first pick set, either from BangGood or GearBest, I can't remember which, it came with a transpired padlock. It's so easy to open, that I don't think it's very helpful at all, because if you jam most any pick in it and wiggle, not even bitch pick, just move them a bit, it falls open. Anyway it doesn't help to learn to do something right if doing it wrong works just as well. So bottom line, what I'd like to learn more about is, different tensioning tools (how do you know to choose top or bottom) and what locks are best to practice with. Thanks mate!
I will get into it more later on the series but check out my play list on my Progressive Lock List, that has a lot of good info there. I have a tensioning video to come in the future. For tension wrenches, I usually order bottom of the keyway from places like Peterson, Southord, or Sparrow. For top of the keyway Sparrow and Peterson sell them but Sparrow is by far the better price. I try to use top of the keyway as often as possible. It helps keep the tension wrench out of the way, provides the most feedback, and it is almost impossible for it to bind the core. Here is my Progressive Lock List: 1. Cutaway lock. 2. Masterlock #3 3. Masterlock 140 4 pin x1 spool 4. Brinks 40 mm laminated padlock- 4 pin x2 spools (at least 1 spool) 5. Masterlock 570- spools 6. Masterlock 911 x5 spools or 1 lightly serrated. Rekeyable up to 6 pin 7. Commando Marine- serrated key pins, spools and serrated drivers 8. American Lock 1100 Series- Serrated key pins, serrated and spools rekeyable up to 6 pin 9. Masterlock 410 Lockout Tag- x5 spool, x1 lightly serrated 6 pin lock DO NOT TURN MORE THAN 180 DEGREES unless you like rattles 10. Abus Titalium 80TI/50- spools from what I can tell. Tight tolerances, little feedback. Also consider picking up a cheap Kwikset and progressive pin it.
Cool thanks, I'll check out those videos when I get some free time. I've already go a couple of old Master #3's that came off an old shed, and a couple of cheap Chinese #3 clones.
I've purchased the spring steel wire, 1.5mm thick. Where do I purchase the round end bit that fastens to the wire, which one uses to turn the wire, and what are the called? Regards U.K.
@@HelpfulLockPicker ... Hello, you have these round blue items that are fastened to the end of your lever picks. You can turn the pick with this handle fastened to the wire. Lots of lock pickers have them on their wire lever lock picks. It is screwed to the handle end of the wire so it can be turned when needed. I have no idea what they are called or where to get them? Thanks! Regards. U.K.
@@bertiepimplebum5633 if you are having a question regarding lever lock picks for picking lever locks I would like to direct you to someone who is more knowledgeable on the subject. I am mostly versed in pin tumbler locks. I would check out Andy Mac. He is very friendly, always answers your questions, and is willing to make you a set. th-cam.com/channels/dQkinrwAoia5gg4W90_vYQ.html
Hi again. I looked at Sparrow and Peterson. I am thinking that Peterson's Pick Kit ( The Mayor Pick Set - GSP ) Has more of the picks that you suggested in the video. As I have mentioned I will be starting out picking house locks. ( I am interested in Single Pin Picking.) With that being said, I was wondering what your thought was on this pick set? I am also wondering what you might think of Sparrows SSDeV Hooks In .025 steel ? Thanks once again for your time and Guidance. Joe
I have communicated with you before, And you always answer back. For that I would like to Thank You, your videos are Awesome. As I have mentioned before, I work in a big box Store. We have no training on this subject. But I want to learn more. I only work with House Locks ( Gatehouse, Kwikset, and Schlage ). You have told me before some of the more popular brands where Peterson, Sparrow and Southord. Knowing that I only wish to work with these locks. Which brand do you think would be best for me? Thanks for all your help and time. Joe
Thanks for the advise, I will get the Peterson's Mayor Pick Set.I would never do anything Illegal with them. I re-key so many locks at work for customers and have gain a better knowledge of them. I am thinking it would be fun to learn to pick them. Joe
The shipping can be crazy but it depends where you live. For example, if you are from Australia I believe pickpals carry them and the price should be better. I would not limit yourself to Peterson, there are many great picks that can be bought and hopefully you can find some closer to where you live. Just remember, it is not the pick that makes the picker, practice does.
Hi could you tell me exactly which picks you choose out of the line, make & names or numbers please, I'm just starting out and would like a good basic set to start with
These picks come from Peterson lock picks. The major ones I would consider getting is the standard hook 1 in 0.025 and the peterson gem in 0.018. If you want to learn raking I would get the "boogie" rake in 0.025. The top of keyway tensioner in 0.050 and 0.040 and some bottom of the keyway tensioners. You can get picks for cheaper from places like Southord and Sparrow as well. Just check them all out and see what you like.
I really like your videos, they are with clear instructions and really well done. I don't know where to find single picks as Amazon have only the entire sets which are not so good quality in my opinion. Do you have a brand or website where to find single picks to build a starter set as you advice? Great would be if they could ship overseas or be in Europe. Thanks!
In the United States I like Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord. There are third part vendors in Europe who sell them so you could save on shipping. Those are the brands I am most familiar with but there are others closer to you. One European brand which I like is Multipick which is based out of Germany which might be worth checking out.
@@HelpfulLockPicker I've checked all the brands and I have to admit that Peterson are the ones that appeal the most to me. However I'll have to stick with something less expensive for the European market. I now have few choices but not sure what to take. I think I'll stick with the basic picks which are: 1 hook, 1 bogota rake, 1 city rake. 1. multipick: if choosing this brand, there are different hooks with different numbers, which one s the one I should get? I'll then take the mountain (PN03) and bogota rake (BOG10), is that ok? 2. Southlord: hook SLS06, serpent SLS13, 5 mountains SLS01 3. Sparrows: euro hook .020, triple peak .020, city rake .020 I have these 3 choices of brands. Furthermore, for Europe, is that ok the .025 or should I get the .020? Thanks so much for your help!
Hi, I think your videos are awesome. I recently started working at one of the big box stores and i work in the hardware department, where we re-key locks. This is something i wish to learn more about so that i can better help my customers. I am interested in getting some of the picks you talk about. But i do not know any good brands. As i said i just recently started doing this ( A Newbie ). Any advice is greatly appreciated. Joe
thank you for sharing. Many of the popular brands are Peterson, sparrow, and Southord. The general rule of thumb is to not buy a kit and just by the individual picks you need.
I prefer Peterson lock picks. The three big manufactures in the US are Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord. Peterson and Sparrow sell the top of keyway tensioners which are very useful. All three brands are great but I personally prefer peterson. If you look back, I did a video on my EDC kit.
DoctorQuantum Peterson, Southord, and Sparrow are my favorite. They are all great picks. Sparrow is the cheapest if you live in the US due to exchange rates with Canada, Southord is the most durable, and Peterson is the most expensive but great quality.
Why are these vids so helpful also i was able to pick my new lock picking set! Thanks!! Also i have this like half diamond pick but there is like 5 of them
HelpfulLockPicker Goso also, i tend to b**ch pick alot is there a way i can stop doing that? And i was able to pick a 2-5 year old master lock. As a beginner how can get good enough to call my self a beginner? Dont have to answer the last question
Those typically require thinner picks as a general rule of thumb "Euro Style Picks" are typically anything from 0.020" to 0.015" thick. Is there any brand in particular that you are looking at? I try to use the thickest pick I can get away with that does not touch the warding. When people first start out sometimes they think that using the thinnest pick all the time is the best approach because it would be universal, however, I personally find thinner picks to provide less feedback and they are less strong. There are a lot of things to consider when selecting the pick. For example in the US, Schlage locks do not provide you access through the midline and you need to pick off to the left side at an angle, you can pick them with 0.025" picks if you approach it correctly. If you wanted to go in midline you would need like a 0.013" pick which pretty much does not exist commercially. Also, you need to pay attention to shape. Some locks with difficult warding actually have holes in the warding, and you can use a deeper hook to exploit those holes. If you have any other questions or if I did not answer adequately feel free to ask!
HelpfulLockPicker I am considering to buy the multipick elite 9 set. But I think they are 0.6 mm which is equal to .025 inch thickness. The lock which I am fighting against is the bks b8812 euro style cylinder. It is a low price cylinder. And it is the 3rd lock, that I am trying to pick. Thank you for your answer.
I am not familiar with that lock or lock pick set. I did a quick google search and that lock locks like a tough keyway! That does not look too beginner friendly. At least in the US, we are spoiled by Kwikset for beginners. I would try a thinner pick or you could try sanding yours down a little bit.
Thanks again for this series. It is a great help. Personally, I started into this hobby by buying a very pricey set of titanium bogota picks. I haven't been able to open anything with those yet. Conversely, the starter set got from Southord was half the price and works a lot better. But, thee are some picks that came with the set that I do see used at all. Live and learn I guess.
Hi. I've been jumping around from clear locks, to dollar store locks, and now a couple of Master Locks. I also just picked up a vice and that has helped a lot. I think I got off to a bad start. So, I'm going to start over again I think with a good cut away lock and better tensioners.
Chris Thompson Check out my Progressive Lock List and also try to progressive pin some Kwiksets. www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking is a great resource as well
Hi. Yes. I've started stocking up on the cheaper Master Locks in your series. I'm also on Reddit. I really got off to a bad start with with info. Between your channel, Reddit and BosnianBill I'm getting a good restart. Thanks again.
mjgayle52 This depends greatly on your budget. As a general rule of thumb the pick does not make the picker practice does and you can get locks open with cheaper sets. I typically recommend you buy everything individually so you do not end up with a lot of fluff. The Big Three manufacturers are: Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord. If you live in the United States Sparrow is the cheapest due to exchange rates, Southord is the most durable, and Peterson is the most expensive but great quality. Getting a top of the keyway tensioner is important and those are mainly sold at Sparrow and Peterson. If you need any help on anything specific feel free to let me know :-)
I use Peterson picks which is what is shown. They are expensive but work well. The three big manufactures are Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord. I'm glad you find the videos helpful :)
This is a great video and I was just having this question a couple of days ago. It's unfortunate that the three places most people recommend for buying lockpicks (Peterson, Sparrows and Southord) have very expensive shipping prices for Latin America. Still, if the picks are good quality and can last for a long time, maybe the price is well worth it.
I am still using my same Peterson pick that I started with 3 years ago. Picks are tools they will break eventually but you really can't go wrong with any of them. But I would recommend Peterson or Sparrow as the top choice because they sell all the tools that you will need
This set from banggood.com is actually pretty good I'm not sure what the shipping would be. It is decent for a beginner set. www.banggood.com/custlink/Gm33v1sn7l
![[66] Unraveling The Tools In A Lock Picker's Toolbox](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/icKWv9YWi6s/mqdefault.jpg)
![[66] Unraveling The Tools In A Lock Picker's Toolbox](/img/tr.png)
![[73] How To Tension Locks With Standard Pins](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oISbW9UADjU/mqdefault.jpg)
Bingo...just picked my first lock...small screwdriver as my tensioner...paper clip as my little "zip" tool...15 minutes, and voila!! THANK YOU!!
Thank you for sharing
Great video. My dad just bought me the Sparrows Night School kit as well as a clear acrylic padlock. I can't wait for it to arrive and get into lockpicking as a 13 year old aspiring locksmith. Stay safe and happy picking!
Thanks for sharing!
I am so happy I came across this channel! I really enjoy how thorough and on point your statements are. You've earned a new subscriber 👍
Thank you for the kind words!
Cant see the tips too well .. perhaps something dark colored behind the picks. Very informative loce your content!
Thank you for the kind words!
I took your advice about buying individual picks. I put together a set of eight, including two short hooks since everyone says that is the one I am most likely to use and break. :) Four standard rakes. I got them with handles from Sparrows, for a little less than any of the kits I was thinking of, but it evens out because I needed to get a set of bottom tension wrenches and a set of four bottom of the key way wrenches. I decided to get the revolver practice lock as I am sure it will keep me busy for a while.
It has not arrived yet. Happily, I am a patient sort.
Thanks for sharing!
Please Stay Tuned Every Wednesday at 4 pm Eastern for more episodes!
Please share you pick recommendations here. I am happy to hear what
everyone uses and what they would suggest beginners to start with!
If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to leave
them here and I will do my best to answer them!
Sorry, but your hand doesn't work for focus.
Sam III I am glad I have a better camera now
Just got my Pick set about two hours ago. Starting trying to pick a Kwik-set Deadbolt. It took me about 45 minutes, But I was able to get it. It was so cool, the more I tried the more I could start to understand what was going on inside. The more I could visualize the pins, the short ones and the long ones that seem to be in the way. The different tensions on the pins and how they reacted to my pick. So very Awesome. Thanks again for your advice. Joe
I am glad your set finally came in and you are able to start playing with some locks. If you do not get a true feel for what you're doing for a little while that is completely normal you might just feel like you're just picking at random
I decided to get an EDC set "SouthOrd pick pen" & a full set of TOK wrenches to both learn and grow with I know this will be a slower and harder learning curve then other ways / sets as you have described here but for my end goal knowing my EDC will be a god send in my every day life and wen the times pop up I need to use my new found hobby / skill.
Thank you for the endless information and explanations!
🥃cheers🍻
Thank you for the kind words and I am glad it helps!
It really does than you for sharing!
literally answering every question I had on my mind... SUBSCRIBED.
Very Nice Flower thank you for the kind words!
Afaik also Euopean locks tend to be thinner, so that may have to be considered too
Patrick Wienhöft Thank you, a lot of the European locks can benefit from a thinner pick but one thing many people forget is the shape of the pick makes a larger difference than thickness sometimes
Hi ,I'm starting out and I've purchased a sparrows night school kit but I don't think it comes with top of the key way tension bar ! Can you recommend good quality tension bars ? Thanks again Steve .
Great video again ,👍
Sparrow makes a good set. Get there flat bar set and their heavy bar this way you will have one in 0.040" and 0.050". Peterson makes good ones too but they are more expensive
Thanks 👍🏼
I just ordered the Pick Set, Can't wait to get it here. I will let you know how I do on my first try at picking a lock. I am really looking forward to learning this. It seems like it would be a Fun Challenge. Joe
It is a fun hobby to learn but can be frustrating at times. Just keep trying to pick at least one lock per day and you will grow very quickly
Which picks do you use most? Which brand do you prefer these days?
I totally agree with the pick recommendations,however I disagree with your assessment of twist-flex tension wrenches.I feel that they offer more control as to how much tension one applies and in turn can help prevent over tensioning(Which I feel is a cardinal sin of beginning pickers and a potential obstacle for intermediate to advanced pickers when dealing with serrated top pins)PS:I basically only use rigid tension wrenches in padlocks that have very stiff cylinder return springs.
Open is open in my book and it is always great to see everyone's perspectives! Thank you for sharing :)
I will admit, I go heavier on tension but I feel that the twist dampens the feedback significantly. It is almost designed to absorb any feedback. I feel going heavier on tension provides a few distinct advantages such as you can bind multiple pins (pick faster), greatly reduces the chances of oversetting, and heightens feedback significantly. New people, like you said, certainly often over do it on the tension and it is such a hard topic to teach.
When I tension standard pins I use a moderate to heavy tension. I agree with your assessment on serrated pins, you do need to go lighter but I may go heavier than most. I use the heaviest tension the lock will allow which is not necessarily heavy tension. Tension is such an interesting topic and one so hard to teach. I hope one day everyone can get a discussion going and come up with an easier way to teach it! I will have a video coming out soon which is my approach to tensioning standard pins and I will get into security pins later as the series progresses.
Thank you again for sharing!
Very helpful video, thank you! I'd like to add a few picks/tensioners that are suitable for automotive/wafer door locks, can you recommend some candidates? Thanks again! - Jim
If you get the Lishi tool for the specific lock that is the way to go but and short hook and bottom of keyway tension is usually all you need
I think figuring out which tension tools to buy is more confusing that which picks, probably because there are a lot more videos about picks. The other thing that I'm really confused about is practice locks. When I bought my first pick set, either from BangGood or GearBest, I can't remember which, it came with a transpired padlock. It's so easy to open, that I don't think it's very helpful at all, because if you jam most any pick in it and wiggle, not even bitch pick, just move them a bit, it falls open. Anyway it doesn't help to learn to do something right if doing it wrong works just as well.
So bottom line, what I'd like to learn more about is, different tensioning tools (how do you know to choose top or bottom) and what locks are best to practice with. Thanks mate!
I will get into it more later on the series but check out my play list on my Progressive Lock List, that has a lot of good info there. I have a tensioning video to come in the future.
For tension wrenches, I usually order bottom of the keyway from places like Peterson, Southord, or Sparrow. For top of the keyway Sparrow and Peterson sell them but Sparrow is by far the better price.
I try to use top of the keyway as often as possible. It helps keep the tension wrench out of the way, provides the most feedback, and it is almost impossible for it to bind the core.
Here is my Progressive Lock List:
1. Cutaway lock.
2. Masterlock #3
3. Masterlock 140
4 pin x1 spool
4. Brinks 40 mm laminated padlock- 4 pin x2 spools (at least 1 spool)
5. Masterlock 570- spools
6. Masterlock 911 x5 spools or 1 lightly serrated. Rekeyable up to 6 pin
7. Commando Marine- serrated key pins, spools and serrated drivers
8. American Lock 1100 Series- Serrated key pins, serrated and spools rekeyable up to 6 pin
9. Masterlock 410 Lockout Tag- x5 spool, x1 lightly serrated 6 pin lock DO NOT TURN MORE THAN 180 DEGREES unless you like rattles
10. Abus Titalium 80TI/50- spools from what I can tell. Tight tolerances, little feedback.
Also consider picking up a cheap Kwikset and progressive pin it.
Cool thanks, I'll check out those videos when I get some free time. I've already go a couple of old Master #3's that came off an old shed, and a couple of cheap Chinese #3 clones.
Thanks, I will go check Sparrow out right now. Joe
Thanks, let me know what you think
What is the material you have on your mat? Source? I would like to buy a piece of that material and cut it to size for my situation. Thanks.
It is one of those grip mats which you can find at Home Depot, Target, etc for kitchen appliances.
Where do u get all of the picks
I've purchased the spring steel wire, 1.5mm thick. Where do I purchase the round end bit that fastens to the wire, which one uses to turn the wire, and what are the called? Regards U.K.
I am sorry but I do not know if I understand your question. What do you mean by the wire?
@@HelpfulLockPicker ... Hello, you have these round blue items that are fastened to the end of your lever picks. You can turn the pick with this handle fastened to the wire. Lots of lock pickers have them on their wire lever lock picks. It is screwed to the handle end of the wire so it can be turned when needed. I have no idea what they are called or where to get them? Thanks! Regards. U.K.
@@bertiepimplebum5633 if you are having a question regarding lever lock picks for picking lever locks I would like to direct you to someone who is more knowledgeable on the subject. I am mostly versed in pin tumbler locks.
I would check out Andy Mac. He is very friendly, always answers your questions, and is willing to make you a set. th-cam.com/channels/dQkinrwAoia5gg4W90_vYQ.html
@@HelpfulLockPicker ... Oh yes, I'm a Andy Mac subscriber. Thanks.
There should be a "HelpfulLockPicker" set. Could you arrange to have some kind of kit set up with Peterson or Sparrows?
Also, what's the difference between Peterson Hook 4 and Hook 7?
The steepness of the hook
Hi again. I looked at Sparrow and Peterson. I am thinking that Peterson's Pick Kit ( The Mayor Pick Set - GSP ) Has more of the picks that you suggested in the video. As I have mentioned I will be starting out picking house locks. ( I am interested in Single Pin Picking.) With that being said, I was wondering what your thought was on this pick set? I am also wondering what you might think of Sparrows SSDeV Hooks In .025 steel ?
Thanks once again for your time and Guidance. Joe
Just remember to never pick locks in use.
I like Peterson better and if you are willing to spend the extra money I'd go with them
I have communicated with you before, And you always answer back. For that I would like to Thank You, your videos are Awesome. As I have mentioned before, I work in a big box Store. We have no training on this subject. But I want to learn more. I only work with House Locks ( Gatehouse, Kwikset, and Schlage ). You have told me before some of the more popular brands where Peterson, Sparrow and Southord. Knowing that I only wish to work with these locks. Which brand do you think would be best for me? Thanks for all your help and time. Joe
I use Peterson personally but Sparrow is very good and a bit cheaper. For a beginner I would recommend Sparrow
Thanks for the advise, I will get the Peterson's Mayor Pick Set.I would never do anything Illegal with them. I re-key so many locks at work for customers and have gain a better knowledge of them. I am thinking it would be fun to learn to pick them. Joe
I got into locksport for a similar reason and I started with Peterson and I don't regret it
i would like to have some peterson picks, but the shipping cost is ridiculous for non-americans
The shipping can be crazy but it depends where you live. For example, if you are from Australia I believe pickpals carry them and the price should be better. I would not limit yourself to Peterson, there are many great picks that can be bought and hopefully you can find some closer to where you live. Just remember, it is not the pick that makes the picker, practice does.
Hi could you tell me exactly which picks you choose out of the line, make & names or numbers please, I'm just starting out and would like a good basic set to start with
These picks come from Peterson lock picks. The major ones I would consider getting is the standard hook 1 in 0.025 and the peterson gem in 0.018. If you want to learn raking I would get the "boogie" rake in 0.025. The top of keyway tensioner in 0.050 and 0.040 and some bottom of the keyway tensioners.
You can get picks for cheaper from places like Southord and Sparrow as well. Just check them all out and see what you like.
I really like your videos, they are with clear instructions and really well done.
I don't know where to find single picks as Amazon have only the entire sets which are not so good quality in my opinion. Do you have a brand or website where to find single picks to build a starter set as you advice? Great would be if they could ship overseas or be in Europe. Thanks!
In the United States I like Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord. There are third part vendors in Europe who sell them so you could save on shipping. Those are the brands I am most familiar with but there are others closer to you. One European brand which I like is Multipick which is based out of Germany which might be worth checking out.
@@HelpfulLockPicker I've checked all the brands and I have to admit that Peterson are the ones that appeal the most to me. However I'll have to stick with something less expensive for the European market. I now have few choices but not sure what to take. I think I'll stick with the basic picks which are: 1 hook, 1 bogota rake, 1 city rake.
1. multipick: if choosing this brand, there are different hooks with different numbers, which one s the one I should get? I'll then take the mountain (PN03) and bogota rake (BOG10), is that ok?
2. Southlord: hook SLS06, serpent SLS13, 5 mountains SLS01
3. Sparrows: euro hook .020, triple peak .020, city rake .020
I have these 3 choices of brands. Furthermore, for Europe, is that ok the .025 or should I get the .020?
Thanks so much for your help!
Hi, I think your videos are awesome. I recently started working at one of the big box stores and i work in the hardware department, where we re-key locks. This is something i wish to learn more about so that i can better help my customers. I am interested in getting some of the picks you talk about. But i do not know any good brands. As i said i just recently started doing this ( A Newbie ). Any advice is greatly appreciated. Joe
thank you for sharing. Many of the popular brands are Peterson, sparrow, and Southord.
The general rule of thumb is to not buy a kit and just by the individual picks you need.
@@HelpfulLockPicker Thank You
What brand of picks do you prefer and use? Where can individual picks be purchased?
I prefer Peterson lock picks. The three big manufactures in the US are Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord.
Peterson and Sparrow sell the top of keyway tensioners which are very useful. All three brands are great but I personally prefer peterson.
If you look back, I did a video on my EDC kit.
9/86 videos watched!
Nice work
What sites do you recommend for purchasing picks individually?
DoctorQuantum Peterson, Southord, and Sparrow are my favorite. They are all great picks. Sparrow is the cheapest if you live in the US due to exchange rates with Canada, Southord is the most durable, and Peterson is the most expensive but great quality.
i watched this the day it came out
Thank you for that
Why are these vids so helpful also i was able to pick my new lock picking set! Thanks!! Also i have this like half diamond pick but there is like 5 of them
The half diamond is a versatile pick but I typically use a hook. Which set did you get?
HelpfulLockPicker Goso also, i tend to b**ch pick alot is there a way i can stop doing that? And i was able to pick a 2-5 year old master lock. As a beginner how can get good enough to call my self a beginner? Dont have to answer the last question
@@andrewfeli2902 you just need to practice and you will get better each day
Which thickness is best for euro style cylinders like abus or bks? I have difficulty to reach the pins with my mastering the lock pick set.
Those typically require thinner picks as a general rule of thumb "Euro Style Picks" are typically anything from 0.020" to 0.015" thick. Is there any brand in particular that you are looking at?
I try to use the thickest pick I can get away with that does not touch the warding. When people first start out sometimes they think that using the thinnest pick all the time is the best approach because it would be universal, however, I personally find thinner picks to provide less feedback and they are less strong.
There are a lot of things to consider when selecting the pick. For example in the US, Schlage locks do not provide you access through the midline and you need to pick off to the left side at an angle, you can pick them with 0.025" picks if you approach it correctly. If you wanted to go in midline you would need like a 0.013" pick which pretty much does not exist commercially. Also, you need to pay attention to shape. Some locks with difficult warding actually have holes in the warding, and you can use a deeper hook to exploit those holes.
If you have any other questions or if I did not answer adequately feel free to ask!
HelpfulLockPicker I am considering to buy the multipick elite 9 set. But I think they are 0.6 mm which is equal to .025 inch thickness. The lock which I am fighting against is the bks b8812 euro style cylinder. It is a low price cylinder. And it is the 3rd lock, that I am trying to pick.
Thank you for your answer.
I am not familiar with that lock or lock pick set. I did a quick google search and that lock locks like a tough keyway! That does not look too beginner friendly. At least in the US, we are spoiled by Kwikset for beginners.
I would try a thinner pick or you could try sanding yours down a little bit.
Are the any big advantages with TOK tensioners that have teeth?
They tend to slip out less which is helpful
Any specific brands to look for for the basics?
I like a basic Kwikset lock
Thanks again for this series. It is a great help. Personally, I started into this hobby by buying a very pricey set of titanium bogota picks. I haven't been able to open anything with those yet. Conversely, the starter set got from Southord was half the price and works a lot better. But, thee are some picks that came with the set that I do see used at all. Live and learn I guess.
Chris Thompson Welcome to the hobby! What sort of locks are you working on now?
Hi. I've been jumping around from clear locks, to dollar store locks, and now a couple of Master Locks. I also just picked up a vice and that has helped a lot. I think I got off to a bad start. So, I'm going to start over again I think with a good cut away lock and better tensioners.
Chris Thompson Check out my Progressive Lock List and also try to progressive pin some Kwiksets. www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking is a great resource as well
Hi. Yes. I've started stocking up on the cheaper Master Locks in your series. I'm also on Reddit. I really got off to a bad start with with info. Between your channel, Reddit and BosnianBill I'm getting a good restart. Thanks again.
Is it me or your accent changed?
It should be the same
good info thanks and thanks for sharing.
Marty Hastings thanks for the kind words!
Very useful...thanks!
Thank you for the kind words and I'm glad it helps!
do you have a cold?
mjgayle52 I think some mild allergies played it's part, lol.
a good video though - thinking about getting into lock picking as a hobby and wondered what picks to start with
mjgayle52 This depends greatly on your budget. As a general rule of thumb the pick does not make the picker practice does and you can get locks open with cheaper sets. I typically recommend you buy everything individually so you do not end up with a lot of fluff.
The Big Three manufacturers are: Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord. If you live in the United States Sparrow is the cheapest due to exchange rates, Southord is the most durable, and Peterson is the most expensive but great quality.
Getting a top of the keyway tensioner is important and those are mainly sold at Sparrow and Peterson.
If you need any help on anything specific feel free to let me know :-)
Just started getting into this hobby. Your videos are GREAT Thank You. Do you have a place you recommend for getting these picks?
Sorry just saw your answer in a comment.
I use Peterson picks which is what is shown. They are expensive but work well.
The three big manufactures are Peterson, Sparrow, and Southord.
I'm glad you find the videos helpful :)
This is a great video and I was just having this question a couple of days ago.
It's unfortunate that the three places most people recommend for buying lockpicks (Peterson, Sparrows and Southord) have very expensive shipping prices for Latin America.
Still, if the picks are good quality and can last for a long time, maybe the price is well worth it.
I am still using my same Peterson pick that I started with 3 years ago. Picks are tools they will break eventually but you really can't go wrong with any of them. But I would recommend Peterson or Sparrow as the top choice because they sell all the tools that you will need
This set from banggood.com is actually pretty good I'm not sure what the shipping would be. It is decent for a beginner set.
www.banggood.com/custlink/Gm33v1sn7l