Haha imagine my surprise when I hear a shoutout from the big man himself. Aussie, by the way, yes. Though New Zealand is a beautiful enough place that I wouldn’t mind being from there either! Excellent discussion on what's wrong with sparrows as a whole. Just outdated and refuses to innovate without the big players there to do the heavy lifting for them. I think it's weird that Sparrows used to sell non-knurled bars some 10y ago, but then added knurling to them all. I believe the knurling impacts the rigidity and therefore feexback that you get out of the turning tool, which is a big nono. You basically get half the surface area and effective thickness for a "cool look." Some will say it neither helps nor hinders, but if you go to the peak of highsec, that knurling is the difference between a successful float picking of a gin or a sidepin and dropping the entire stack. It just doesn't work. I do remember when we discussed turning tools that you mentioned CI, and I was honestly very confused until you justified your point. I think you're entirely right. Manufacturers nowadays are just innovating as much as possible to make the most comfortable or useful things for the average buyer, and despite all the.. less locksport practical and more locksmith or red entry focused stuff, CI is still doing so. They likely will continue doing so with that exciting new thing they're releasing soon. And much as I'm not personally a fan, I can see why so many people are. Sparrows, outside of the designs made by other people (ssdev, etc) is just running off the coattails of locksport as a whole and their brand which is only known because it's survived for so long for being the only other brand to contest Peterson 15 years ago in the consumer sphere. And that's a damn shame, because for a company with said influence and ability to collaborate, they don't seem to be doing anything worth praising with it.
I couldn’t have said it better. I agree with everything. This was supposed to be more of a spur of the moment kind of video and I should have done more research, but it just pains me to see people suggest to others to invest in sparrows when there is just so much more available out there. That’s really what this is about. There so much more carrier and quality and creativity. Sparrows just has marketing figured out and nothing more.
@alpama37 Your mention of the knurling impeding on the structure of Sparrows' tensioners is extremely valid, and a point I never thought of. A lot of people flock to Sparrows specifically for the price-point (their combined "Flat Bars Knurled" and "Heavy Bars" are the cheapest on the market for the three most frequently used tensioner sizes: 0.050", 0.040", and 0.032"), and I'm completely in agreement there's so much wasted metal in throwing in others that just collect dust. Plus, other manufacturers have very similar (if not superior) offerings themselves. The lack of knurling is probably why I'm more happy with my Peterson tensioners (though my wallet says otherwise), though nowadays you can get the same quality (if not better) for just a TINY bit more. CI has been coming into their own quite a bit nowadays, plus JimyLongs is coming in hot with their double-sided ToK-Bok combo tensioners. The European manufacturers are way ahead of the NA market in all aspects, which I'm absolutely sure is why Sparrows is trying to copy them. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, after all. I will eventually have to order more solid tensioners to replace (more likely than not) the knurled tensioners I currently use -- I have noticed a huge difference between the solid Peterson ToK tensioners I currently use for padlocks (which I've custom-bent before ergo-turners were all the rage, thank you very much) and the Sparrows knurled tensioners of the same thickness I use for locks in a vise, but I couldn't quite distinguish what the biggest contributor for that difference in feel was. I thought it was the kind of steel used, but I'm pretty sure the knurling ALSO factored into it.
Yet another great review. I have also discovered that all of my Sparrows pry bars have been totally displaced by the CI Complete Turning Set. It's all that I use now. Thanks for all of your hard work, Sandman. It's good to see that you're on Discord, as well!
Thank you for the great video. Amongst all the thorough reviews you have provided the community, I'll likely be investing into a set of Moki picks and turning tools.
Great video and I love your no nonsense approach. You are lucky those tension rings didn't fall apart during your demonstration. Mine just did that on the first use. It's also impossible for the two rods/wire to stay parallel and one constantly falls off during use. I guess they used the wrong diameter of wire to make them on mine. I used mine only on wafer locks for a while, because I had no Y tensioner. But now I use an other technique and the thing is still in its box.
@@sandman_locksport as you said "it's only 10 bucks" And this might be the root of the problem. Because we are amazed at how cheap it is compared to the big brand models (€ 62 for Multipick), we just go "oh well!" and accept the crap quality, same as we do with an aliexpress thing that doesn't work. And because of that attitude, I never complained to Sparrows about it. And now I suspect now that a lot of noobs like me did the same. And so Sparrows keeps on making crap stuff knowing most people won't return them, won't even complain on reddit/forums... until you did your series of videos.
@@DenisSolaro I got their black flags and returned them. They seemed very flimsy to me. I really wanted to start learning dimple locks and like them but it was like trying to pick with noodles. If only Sparrows actually cared about the community... I guess I'm holding out for Multipick's now. It sucks there's nothing under $100 for dimple picks. The G-pro is about $200 dollars with shipping and conversion for me.
Sandman, hope you’re feeling better. That tubular wrench is for a “high security” lock. When the tubular lock only turns from the ring inside as far as I know. I think lock noob collaborated with them for it.
Hope you’re feeling better, i have a tension tool collection at least as big as my pick collection and out of all of them I reach for six most of the time
Hell yeah man, put of a video every day! F it, put out 2 videos a day! Another great video my friend. You cracked me up with the long tension wrench. “You fingers not going to get longer..” lol! Anyway, thanks again for the straight up honesty too bud. I’ll catch you on the next one.
Buckethead's hands look like an alien's hands. Btw, I did shake Joe Satriani's hand years ago. So, in essence... You and I have already shaken hands. lol @@sandman_locksport
Coming from WizWazle's side of the boarder I don't know what changed but my last 2 CI orders got hit with an additional $30+ import duty - or >$50 shipping costs. My last 2 Jimmy Longs orders the same month didn't have import duties so I don't know what's up ($15 total shipping). I love my Echelon set (the improved ergo turners are great!), but folks up here can end up paying as much in total shipping than their product if spending anything under $60-$70, and still 50% for shipping on $100 orders. Unfortunately Sparrows is the only place shipping from Canada. Everything coming out of the states now is $20-$50 shipping alone (before that import fee), basically that means anything under a Tim level is not really an economically sound purchase. Sparrows is $7 flat shipping. I have a love-hate relationship with Sparrows (love - they were my first real picks and the reload was great; hate - their flair for tacti-cool BS). For folks up here I'll have to be suggesting Sparrows if their budget is under $100. Sparrows are the only picks I have ever bent, so it's nice they sell singles lol. The SSDev & monkey paw were good starter SPP picks and they have a quad & quint wave rake set now + lever one tensioners could be a good starts. Their flat bars can be bent successfully if you lightly torch them and hold up well like that. If it's all you can get they'll get you started. Saying all that Sparrows has pretty poor customer service and tries, I guess successfully, to sell a lot of bullshit...the Escort is top-of-mind (it's criminal to have that on their beginners page). If you know you want to do more than occasionally raking some locks for fun though it's definitely CI for being able to build up the whole package or Jimmy Longs for focusing on SPP. I started on Peterson 0.018" Las Vegas when getting into high-er sec SPP but Jimmy's 0.019" are my sole go-to for SPP at home (SOOO freaking glad I was able to get the flat, round, and diamond/gem picks in 0.019" back in December!). Big Thanks for putting me on those then!!! Anyways, just my thoughts from up north. Your reviews have been excellent. Always on point, honest and fair, plus your "Tim levels" are great for ranking at certain price-points. Keep up your awesome service for the community!
Thanks for watching and I agree wholeheartedly. I still suggest sparrows to my UK, friends and Canadian friends. They don’t really have any other alternative for less than $100. As you mentioned. They are usable. And they are fun. That’s why they are tier 2 in my opinion. But sometimes I have to be harsh in my assessment, so people can see that they have been blindfolded by the marketing and the hype. Sorry it cost so much to get American products up there. Hopefully some of these companies can start distributing out there or they can start dealing with dealers. And you can never go wrong with Jimy Longs.
@@sandman_locksport Oh you definitely aren't wrong being harsh on them. That "Sparrows is mall-ninja of lockpicking" was spot on and savage! They push a lot of BS and somebody needs to call-them-out on that and I am glad you have been. I find myself regularly rolling my eyes when going through their site. I would go so far as to say they are almost predatory on new pickers with things that may look really cool or helpful at first glance but are useless once you know what's up (those wheel tension things for one). We really are stuck between a rock and a hard place with no benefit of being American or European but all the downsides of being in either one with regards to locks and pick tools. Paclocks, Commando, and Kasp locks for example are all $50 here if you can find them most of the time. I've been fortunate to find some rare deals. It sucks to be a picker up here! I love where I live and for a host of reasons wouldn't want to be in the states. But my gods what I would do for CI or Multipick to have CDN distribution. If you are anywhere other than Canada you are right to say stay away from Sparrows. We're simply stuck with them. CI has massively stepped up their game in the last year (while Sparrows has sunk to the bottom of the barrel). I'm really excited to see what's coming out of the CI vault. If they decide to make a serious play for the Canadian market they'd either stomp out Sparrows or force them to actually step-up🤞
The JimyLongs and the Southern Specialties BOK turning tools are basically the same design as CI. I really like the BOK from Southord, the are very different from everything else I have and I love how small they are and how they don't bind the core on the body of the lock like bigger turning tools.
Southern Specialties, Jimy Longs, CI, Multipick are all the same because they were all designed by the same person, Christina Palmer. The subtle difference between all of them is just the manufacturing techniques employed to make them. It is her design.
Nice review Sandman and I concur on all counts. Peterson, CI, Multipick and Lawlock are the big brands I’d recommend for anyone wanting good tok tensioners with great feedback and minimal flex.
It's rarely that I take the dust cover off my keyboard and play it (too many other hobbies/interests), but your "Mr. Sandman" got me going with that tune. It's like after watching the classic great movie "The Bridge Over the River Kwai" one whistles the tune every day for a week! So - I've read that you're into luthering - that's way cool!
Ha thanks, and yeah I’m a 2nd generation luthier. But I’m not currently active. I went to Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair. But I really enjoy focusing on setups and minor repairs.
When I was in High School (yes, dinosaurs went to hgh school), my father bought for me a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, and I enjoyed playing it with two friends who also played guitar as in "Rock-n-Roll". But, it was a heavy solid body guitar, one needed to have a cable for it and an amplifier, so to transport it was a problem as my folks had no car (dad used the subway). One day I heard and observed Andres Segovia on TV (probably black and white), and decided then and there to exchange my Gibson for an acoustic and take lessons to learn how to play like Segovia - not realizing that his type of guitar was a classical Spanish guitar, and not realizing that there weren't any classical guitar teachers in my neighborhood And, I made the exchange without my parent's prior approval. Ok, we'll chalk it up as a "dumb kid experience" - but I can't help but wonder the value of my Les Paul if it still exists in reasonable shape. Oh, well... Now I've a couple of inexpensive Fenders, a couple of Taylor GS Minis, a CF Martin, and five ukuleles. Stringed instruments are rounded off with one fiddle and one violin. The one I use when not wearing shoes is a fiddle (that's a joke...) Best2u, Mike
I completely agree, it is a very decent set, and Jonathan Gordan, the man that designed it was very brilliant. Though, the current covert instruments and multipick are basically copies of those tools, but with Christina Palmers input on them instead of JGore aka Jonathan Gordan. So I never really talk about them because the covert and multipick are just a little nicer in my opinion with higher quality steel.
Thanks for another helpful video. I'm hoping I'll not be too disappointed with Sparrows' heavier TOK bars, but we'll see. My curiosity got the better of me with the curved ones as well. Experience is the teacher of fools, I hear. I think the next investment I make in turning tools will involve Multipick. That Elite Tension Set #3 is very inviting.
I personally find that, given my lack of multipick tools at the moment, sparrows pry bars tend to grip better TOK than CIs do because they have that notch that CI lacks. My personal take is that you can never really have too many tension tools. I've got my sights on a bunch of new tools in the future but I get to work with what I have for now.
Too bad about the Goat tubular tensioner. I was considering getting the CI tubular practice lock but they only have their tensioner and poker bundled with the Echelon set. Maybe you could do a short video about tubular locks and tools some time?
I’m still collecting tubular tools. Will have more next month. They are all $70-120 each and you need 3 of them for tackle every tubular lock. It’s annoying.
Totally got bamboozled into buying the Sparrows “Tuxedo” kit and was extremely disappointed when compared to the Covert Instruments “Genesis” set that i bought at the same time. While I do enjoy some of the different picks provided I always use the Ci turning tools. Definitely a noticeable quality difference.
Excellent Video. I'm new and handicapped, "one handed." I have the Genesis, Echelon, sparrows, southord and Bare bones is one the way. Am having difficulty holding the TOK wrenches as I can only use my index finger on my right hand and pick with the left using a vice. Any suggestions on how I can use a tok with one finger and keep it from slipping out. all my locks are picked in a vice. TIA
I have both Sparrows and CI's (CI because of these videos) and I still switch between them but I am a casual picker. What I don't like are sparrows combo tools (TOK/BOK) in same turner. I prefer standard double end TOK with curved backs and standard BOK. I can't wait to see what Jimy Longs comes out with, I mean how different can you make a turner compared to everything out there now? Whatever it is, I'll likely buy it to go with his picks.
I take it you mean the Sparrows .45? Yup, they work but the design is trash. Too skinny neck, cuts into the hand, and doesn't store well in a pouch. I bought an extra set of CI's comb picks because I love them. I was thinking of cutting down the 2nd set to the second spot weld to make a smaller but just as effective set.@@sandman_locksport
If you mean the Sparrows. 45, Yes, they work but garbage design, cuts into the hands. I have 2 sets of CIs which I love and was thinking of cutting one set at the second spot weld for a short set. Second choice is Devs mini 4/5 pin set made by HardCase Survival. I got 3 sets but sadly already have many of HCS 4 pin only combs, odd that they only sell the 4 pin, yet sell them in a set of 2.@@sandman_locksport
@@canadafree2087 I havn't used the sparrows .45 yet i dont think, i was referring to the comb picks that are also turning tools in the vorax, they are called the 'comb bar'. im not a fan of them. i definitely prefer the covert instruments as well.
I must admit, while not the same quality as the ones made by Peterson or Covert Instruments, the .40 flat bar from Sparrows is decent, and I just ordered the .79 ones (for dealing with M3 keyways) because .50 is thickest TOK wrench all other manufacturers offer.
I think you mean .079”, and Moki and Law Lock Tools both offer that which is 2.0mm. The Medeco M3 and M4 are the only common keyways that needs 2mm thick prybar that I’m aware of, but Moki and law lock tools offer all of the thicknesses leading up to 2mm as well, which are much better quality steel. You won’t understand the difference in the quality from the steel until you hold and use them.
I'm just getting into lock sports and I got sparrows due to shipping cost, primarily as I am Canadian. It's unfortunate to hear they aren't the best quality, but as a starter, I'm sure it won't be my last set. I heard you give some recommendations for US and European pickers, but what about Canadians? Could you suggest me any retailer in Canada with quality products, so I don't have to pay almost the cost of the set in shipping alone?
Currently, the two brands I recommend to European Lock pickers are sparrows and multipick, primarily due to accessibility. However Canada is unusual territory because everything is close and still expensive. It just comes down to your budget. But anything is better than sparrows. I promise. I’m not just hating on them to hate on them, I can literally compare any brand to their line of tools. They are really just great at marketing and product design.
Was worth asking any how lol. I'll get the use I can out of the kit I ordered and will get something else next time just gonna have to fork over the cash such is life
@@sandman_locksport I'll take a look! I was going to get covert instruments, but sparrow was just sooooo much cheaper and convenient for me being in Canada and like you said you see everyone online suggesting it so I went for
I bought the mad bob knock offs from sparrows when they came out. I don’t know what kind of steel they use but it is so brittle. I’m on my third set, they just keep breaking and sparrows keeps replacing them. Very disappointing.
Wizwazzle did a great video on them 11 years ago with tips and tricks which are still relevant today. th-cam.com/video/BfYoQWaB-L8/w-d-xo.html The longer ones can be modified and used for TOK several times. The ones with the twist half way are for making it more comfortable for longer picking sessions whilst not being as bendy as the other twisted ones.
Haha imagine my surprise when I hear a shoutout from the big man himself. Aussie, by the way, yes. Though New Zealand is a beautiful enough place that I wouldn’t mind being from there either! Excellent discussion on what's wrong with sparrows as a whole. Just outdated and refuses to innovate without the big players there to do the heavy lifting for them.
I think it's weird that Sparrows used to sell non-knurled bars some 10y ago, but then added knurling to them all. I believe the knurling impacts the rigidity and therefore feexback that you get out of the turning tool, which is a big nono. You basically get half the surface area and effective thickness for a "cool look." Some will say it neither helps nor hinders, but if you go to the peak of highsec, that knurling is the difference between a successful float picking of a gin or a sidepin and dropping the entire stack. It just doesn't work.
I do remember when we discussed turning tools that you mentioned CI, and I was honestly very confused until you justified your point. I think you're entirely right. Manufacturers nowadays are just innovating as much as possible to make the most comfortable or useful things for the average buyer, and despite all the.. less locksport practical and more locksmith or red entry focused stuff, CI is still doing so. They likely will continue doing so with that exciting new thing they're releasing soon. And much as I'm not personally a fan, I can see why so many people are.
Sparrows, outside of the designs made by other people (ssdev, etc) is just running off the coattails of locksport as a whole and their brand which is only known because it's survived for so long for being the only other brand to contest Peterson 15 years ago in the consumer sphere. And that's a damn shame, because for a company with said influence and ability to collaborate, they don't seem to be doing anything worth praising with it.
I couldn’t have said it better. I agree with everything. This was supposed to be more of a spur of the moment kind of video and I should have done more research, but it just pains me to see people suggest to others to invest in sparrows when there is just so much more available out there. That’s really what this is about. There so much more carrier and quality and creativity. Sparrows just has marketing figured out and nothing more.
@alpama37 Your mention of the knurling impeding on the structure of Sparrows' tensioners is extremely valid, and a point I never thought of. A lot of people flock to Sparrows specifically for the price-point (their combined "Flat Bars Knurled" and "Heavy Bars" are the cheapest on the market for the three most frequently used tensioner sizes: 0.050", 0.040", and 0.032"), and I'm completely in agreement there's so much wasted metal in throwing in others that just collect dust. Plus, other manufacturers have very similar (if not superior) offerings themselves. The lack of knurling is probably why I'm more happy with my Peterson tensioners (though my wallet says otherwise), though nowadays you can get the same quality (if not better) for just a TINY bit more. CI has been coming into their own quite a bit nowadays, plus JimyLongs is coming in hot with their double-sided ToK-Bok combo tensioners. The European manufacturers are way ahead of the NA market in all aspects, which I'm absolutely sure is why Sparrows is trying to copy them. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, after all. I will eventually have to order more solid tensioners to replace (more likely than not) the knurled tensioners I currently use -- I have noticed a huge difference between the solid Peterson ToK tensioners I currently use for padlocks (which I've custom-bent before ergo-turners were all the rage, thank you very much) and the Sparrows knurled tensioners of the same thickness I use for locks in a vise, but I couldn't quite distinguish what the biggest contributor for that difference in feel was. I thought it was the kind of steel used, but I'm pretty sure the knurling ALSO factored into it.
The long ones are easier to find when I drop them on the carpet. Also they double as back scratchers.
Saving me a LOT of money with these reviews
Came here after i already bought stuff but at least my own opinions are being validated 😂
Best wishes for you and your loved ones. Thanks for the videos.
Another great review! I was looking at sparrows curved but covert instruments look alot more well done.
Yet another great review. I have also discovered that all of my Sparrows pry bars have been totally displaced by the CI Complete Turning Set. It's all that I use now. Thanks for all of your hard work, Sandman. It's good to see that you're on Discord, as well!
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for the great video. Amongst all the thorough reviews you have provided the community, I'll likely be investing into a set of Moki picks and turning tools.
Thanks for watching, I made a few mistakes, but it was a fun video to make
@@sandman_locksport the mistakes are part of why I like your videos . They don’t feel super polished thinly veiled product endorsements.
@@davidmack4266 lol thank you, I’m trying
I agree the moki tools look great! Definitely gonna have to make room in the budget 😅
@@jovannicorona9804 I’m waiting for jimy longs shop to open up before I start collecting overseas.
Great video and I love your no nonsense approach.
You are lucky those tension rings didn't fall apart during your demonstration. Mine just did that on the first use.
It's also impossible for the two rods/wire to stay parallel and one constantly falls off during use. I guess they used the wrong diameter of wire to make them on mine.
I used mine only on wafer locks for a while, because I had no Y tensioner. But now I use an other technique and the thing is still in its box.
That sucks!!
@@sandman_locksport as you said "it's only 10 bucks"
And this might be the root of the problem. Because we are amazed at how cheap it is compared to the big brand models (€ 62 for Multipick), we just go "oh well!" and accept the crap quality, same as we do with an aliexpress thing that doesn't work.
And because of that attitude, I never complained to Sparrows about it. And now I suspect now that a lot of noobs like me did the same.
And so Sparrows keeps on making crap stuff knowing most people won't return them, won't even complain on reddit/forums... until you did your series of videos.
@@DenisSolaro well said. I think you’re completely right
@@DenisSolaro I got their black flags and returned them. They seemed very flimsy to me. I really wanted to start learning dimple locks and like them but it was like trying to pick with noodles. If only Sparrows actually cared about the community...
I guess I'm holding out for Multipick's now. It sucks there's nothing under $100 for dimple picks. The G-pro is about $200 dollars with shipping and conversion for me.
Very nice! Put out as many as you like a day! I'll watch, I'm stuck at home with nuttin to do myself lol
Haha
Sandman, hope you’re feeling better. That tubular wrench is for a “high security” lock. When the tubular lock only turns from the ring inside as far as I know. I think lock noob collaborated with them for it.
Yeah, Locknoob designed the goat wrench for Sparrows before later designing an improved version for MultiPick
Hope you’re feeling better, i have a tension tool collection at least as big as my pick collection and out of all of them I reach for six most of the time
Same here. I think I have almost all of Sparrows turning tools and I've stopped using them in favor of Covert Instruments' ergo turners
@@ig88ds yeah I really like the ergo turners and sparrows curved bars thought I did break one tip off right where I thought I would
Thank you, my bad!
Hell yeah man, put of a video every day! F it, put out 2 videos a day! Another great video my friend. You cracked me up with the long tension wrench. “You fingers not going to get longer..” lol! Anyway, thanks again for the straight up honesty too bud. I’ll catch you on the next one.
Thank you!
Great review. Vai could use his whammy bar flutter technique with one of those long ass tensioners…😂😂😂
Ahaha! I got to shake his hand once. In 2003 before the G3 concert in Denver. His fingers were half the length of my forearm!
Buckethead's hands look like an alien's hands. Btw, I did shake Joe Satriani's hand years ago. So, in essence... You and I have already shaken hands. lol @@sandman_locksport
Coming from WizWazle's side of the boarder I don't know what changed but my last 2 CI orders got hit with an additional $30+ import duty - or >$50 shipping costs. My last 2 Jimmy Longs orders the same month didn't have import duties so I don't know what's up ($15 total shipping).
I love my Echelon set (the improved ergo turners are great!), but folks up here can end up paying as much in total shipping than their product if spending anything under $60-$70, and still 50% for shipping on $100 orders.
Unfortunately Sparrows is the only place shipping from Canada. Everything coming out of the states now is $20-$50 shipping alone (before that import fee), basically that means anything under a Tim level is not really an economically sound purchase. Sparrows is $7 flat shipping.
I have a love-hate relationship with Sparrows (love - they were my first real picks and the reload was great; hate - their flair for tacti-cool BS). For folks up here I'll have to be suggesting Sparrows if their budget is under $100. Sparrows are the only picks I have ever bent, so it's nice they sell singles lol. The SSDev & monkey paw were good starter SPP picks and they have a quad & quint wave rake set now + lever one tensioners could be a good starts. Their flat bars can be bent successfully if you lightly torch them and hold up well like that. If it's all you can get they'll get you started.
Saying all that Sparrows has pretty poor customer service and tries, I guess successfully, to sell a lot of bullshit...the Escort is top-of-mind (it's criminal to have that on their beginners page). If you know you want to do more than occasionally raking some locks for fun though it's definitely CI for being able to build up the whole package or Jimmy Longs for focusing on SPP. I started on Peterson 0.018" Las Vegas when getting into high-er sec SPP but Jimmy's 0.019" are my sole go-to for SPP at home (SOOO freaking glad I was able to get the flat, round, and diamond/gem picks in 0.019" back in December!). Big Thanks for putting me on those then!!!
Anyways, just my thoughts from up north. Your reviews have been excellent. Always on point, honest and fair, plus your "Tim levels" are great for ranking at certain price-points. Keep up your awesome service for the community!
Thanks for watching and I agree wholeheartedly. I still suggest sparrows to my UK, friends and Canadian friends. They don’t really have any other alternative for less than $100. As you mentioned. They are usable. And they are fun. That’s why they are tier 2 in my opinion. But sometimes I have to be harsh in my assessment, so people can see that they have been blindfolded by the marketing and the hype. Sorry it cost so much to get American products up there. Hopefully some of these companies can start distributing out there or they can start dealing with dealers. And you can never go wrong with Jimy Longs.
@@sandman_locksport Oh you definitely aren't wrong being harsh on them. That "Sparrows is mall-ninja of lockpicking" was spot on and savage! They push a lot of BS and somebody needs to call-them-out on that and I am glad you have been. I find myself regularly rolling my eyes when going through their site. I would go so far as to say they are almost predatory on new pickers with things that may look really cool or helpful at first glance but are useless once you know what's up (those wheel tension things for one).
We really are stuck between a rock and a hard place with no benefit of being American or European but all the downsides of being in either one with regards to locks and pick tools. Paclocks, Commando, and Kasp locks for example are all $50 here if you can find them most of the time. I've been fortunate to find some rare deals. It sucks to be a picker up here!
I love where I live and for a host of reasons wouldn't want to be in the states. But my gods what I would do for CI or Multipick to have CDN distribution. If you are anywhere other than Canada you are right to say stay away from Sparrows. We're simply stuck with them.
CI has massively stepped up their game in the last year (while Sparrows has sunk to the bottom of the barrel). I'm really excited to see what's coming out of the CI vault. If they decide to make a serious play for the Canadian market they'd either stomp out Sparrows or force them to actually step-up🤞
The JimyLongs and the Southern Specialties BOK turning tools are basically the same design as CI. I really like the BOK from Southord, the are very different from everything else I have and I love how small they are and how they don't bind the core on the body of the lock like bigger turning tools.
Southern Specialties, Jimy Longs, CI, Multipick are all the same because they were all designed by the same person, Christina Palmer. The subtle difference between all of them is just the manufacturing techniques employed to make them. It is her design.
1:14 this is the Goat Wrench designed by Lock Noob in collaboration with Sparrows about 5 years ago.
Thank you, I messed up.
Nice review Sandman and I concur on all counts. Peterson, CI, Multipick and Lawlock are the big brands I’d recommend for anyone wanting good tok tensioners with great feedback and minimal flex.
Thank you sir!
Another spot on review...Keep up the great work! Peace...
Thanks!
It's rarely that I take the dust cover off my keyboard and play it (too many other hobbies/interests), but your "Mr. Sandman" got me going with that tune.
It's like after watching the classic great movie "The Bridge Over the River Kwai" one whistles the tune every day for a week!
So - I've read that you're into luthering - that's way cool!
Ha thanks, and yeah I’m a 2nd generation luthier. But I’m not currently active. I went to Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair. But I really enjoy focusing on setups and minor repairs.
When I was in High School (yes, dinosaurs went to hgh school), my father bought for me a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, and I enjoyed playing it with two friends who also played guitar as in "Rock-n-Roll". But, it was a heavy solid body guitar, one needed to have a cable for it and an amplifier, so to transport it was a problem as my folks had no car (dad used the subway). One day I heard and observed Andres Segovia on TV (probably black and white), and decided then and there to exchange my Gibson for an acoustic and take lessons to learn how to play like Segovia - not realizing that his type of guitar was a classical Spanish guitar, and not realizing that there weren't any classical guitar teachers in my neighborhood And, I made the exchange without my parent's prior approval.
Ok, we'll chalk it up as a "dumb kid experience" - but I can't help but wonder the value of my Les Paul if it still exists in reasonable shape. Oh, well...
Now I've a couple of inexpensive Fenders, a couple of Taylor GS Minis, a CF Martin, and five ukuleles. Stringed instruments are rounded off with one fiddle and one violin. The one I use when not wearing shoes is a fiddle (that's a joke...)
Best2u,
Mike
I would add southern specialities longhorn set it’s been useful on many occasions and is a nice addition to any build/many existing kits.
I completely agree, it is a very decent set, and Jonathan Gordan, the man that designed it was very brilliant. Though, the current covert instruments and multipick are basically copies of those tools, but with Christina Palmers input on them instead of JGore aka Jonathan Gordan. So I never really talk about them because the covert and multipick are just a little nicer in my opinion with higher quality steel.
Thanks for another helpful video. I'm hoping I'll not be too disappointed with Sparrows' heavier TOK bars, but we'll see. My curiosity got the better of me with the curved ones as well. Experience is the teacher of fools, I hear.
I think the next investment I make in turning tools will involve Multipick. That Elite Tension Set #3 is very inviting.
I personally find that, given my lack of multipick tools at the moment, sparrows pry bars tend to grip better TOK than CIs do because they have that notch that CI lacks. My personal take is that you can never really have too many tension tools.
I've got my sights on a bunch of new tools in the future but I get to work with what I have for now.
Also heck yea dude. Two videos a day sounds dope. I know id be more than fine with it!
Ha! We’ll see!
Too bad about the Goat tubular tensioner. I was considering getting the CI tubular practice lock but they only have their tensioner and poker bundled with the Echelon set. Maybe you could do a short video about tubular locks and tools some time?
I’m still collecting tubular tools. Will have more next month. They are all $70-120 each and you need 3 of them for tackle every tubular lock. It’s annoying.
@@sandman_locksport Yikes.😬
Nice picking id have probably torn that rubber flap off lol 👍
This comment was for a different video, but as I clicked post, the video ended and the comment ended up on here lol
Totally got bamboozled into buying the Sparrows “Tuxedo” kit and was extremely disappointed when compared to the Covert Instruments “Genesis” set that i bought at the same time. While I do enjoy some of the different picks provided I always use the Ci turning tools. Definitely a noticeable quality difference.
I completely agree
Excellent Video. I'm new and handicapped, "one handed." I have the Genesis, Echelon, sparrows, southord and Bare bones is one the way. Am having difficulty holding the TOK wrenches as I can only use my index finger on my right hand and pick with the left using a vice. Any suggestions on how I can use a tok with one finger and keep it from slipping out. all my locks are picked in a vice. TIA
Because I have two hands, I’ve never had to do that. Unfortunately, you’ll have to be the person to invent that.
I have both Sparrows and CI's (CI because of these videos) and I still switch between them but I am a casual picker. What I don't like are sparrows combo tools (TOK/BOK) in same turner. I prefer standard double end TOK with curved backs and standard BOK. I can't wait to see what Jimy Longs comes out with, I mean how different can you make a turner compared to everything out there now? Whatever it is, I'll likely buy it to go with his picks.
I agree, I’m the same way. And those comb picks that are tension wrenches are the worst.
I take it you mean the Sparrows .45? Yup, they work but the design is trash. Too skinny neck, cuts into the hand, and doesn't store well in a pouch. I bought an extra set of CI's comb picks because I love them. I was thinking of cutting down the 2nd set to the second spot weld to make a smaller but just as effective set.@@sandman_locksport
If you mean the Sparrows. 45, Yes, they work but garbage design, cuts into the hands. I have 2 sets of CIs which I love and was thinking of cutting one set at the second spot weld for a short set. Second choice is Devs mini 4/5 pin set made by HardCase Survival. I got 3 sets but sadly already have many of HCS 4 pin only combs, odd that they only sell the 4 pin, yet sell them in a set of 2.@@sandman_locksport
@@canadafree2087 I havn't used the sparrows .45 yet i dont think, i was referring to the comb picks that are also turning tools in the vorax, they are called the 'comb bar'. im not a fan of them. i definitely prefer the covert instruments as well.
I must admit, while not the same quality as the ones made by Peterson or Covert Instruments, the .40 flat bar from Sparrows is decent, and I just ordered the .79 ones (for dealing with M3 keyways) because .50 is thickest TOK wrench all other manufacturers offer.
I think you mean .079”, and Moki and Law Lock Tools both offer that which is 2.0mm. The Medeco M3 and M4 are the only common keyways that needs 2mm thick prybar that I’m aware of, but Moki and law lock tools offer all of the thicknesses leading up to 2mm as well, which are much better quality steel. You won’t understand the difference in the quality from the steel until you hold and use them.
The one on 16:53 are supposed to be BOK on one side and TOK on the other, at least this is what I thought.
You could be correct!
I'm just getting into lock sports and I got sparrows due to shipping cost, primarily as I am Canadian. It's unfortunate to hear they aren't the best quality, but as a starter, I'm sure it won't be my last set. I heard you give some recommendations for US and European pickers, but what about Canadians? Could you suggest me any retailer in Canada with quality products, so I don't have to pay almost the cost of the set in shipping alone?
Currently, the two brands I recommend to European Lock pickers are sparrows and multipick, primarily due to accessibility. However Canada is unusual territory because everything is close and still expensive. It just comes down to your budget. But anything is better than sparrows. I promise. I’m not just hating on them to hate on them, I can literally compare any brand to their line of tools. They are really just great at marketing and product design.
Was worth asking any how lol. I'll get the use I can out of the kit I ordered and will get something else next time just gonna have to fork over the cash such is life
@@Stosix look into law lock tools and bare bones lock picks as well
@@sandman_locksport I'll take a look! I was going to get covert instruments, but sparrow was just sooooo much cheaper and convenient for me being in Canada and like you said you see everyone online suggesting it so I went for
I bought the mad bob knock offs from sparrows when they came out. I don’t know what kind of steel they use but it is so brittle. I’m on my third set, they just keep breaking and sparrows keeps replacing them. Very disappointing.
Wow! That’s crazy!
I never met Paganini but I know for a fact that Steve Vai has ginormous hands. :D
Math for Marines worked for me 🤣😂🤣😂🤣
😂🤷🏻♂️
Hope this video gets out so people will avoid the mistake I made. DO NOT BUY SPARROWS
I agree!
Don't tell me you shook hands with Paganini. 😂
Ahahaha! No but I used to play his 5th capricio on guitar back in the day. No more though. It was a great waste of effort.
@@sandman_locksport I'm impressed. That's not an easy piece to play.
I used to be a guitar builder, retired in 2001
Wizwazzle did a great video on them 11 years ago with tips and tricks which are still relevant today.
th-cam.com/video/BfYoQWaB-L8/w-d-xo.html
The longer ones can be modified and used for TOK several times. The ones with the twist half way are for making it more comfortable for longer picking sessions whilst not being as bendy as the other twisted ones.
thanks ill give it a watch!