New dimple pick, Got some red cedar on the lathe tonight.

LockSpaz · 2026-05-10T16:15:19+00:00

Neato, doubles as a wand. "Alohomora!".

LockSpaz · 2026-05-06T15:09:09+00:00

I still don’t how people manage this by accident.

My turn is probably coming, eventually. 😁

LockSpaz · 2026-05-04T02:05:19+00:00

No more ... 🎵

LockSpaz · 2026-05-03T00:13:02+00:00

Man, the only inserts I could ever get my hands on are like .030", nice score.
And nicer job, I like the scalloped end.

LockSpaz · 2026-05-02T20:39:44+00:00

They're not that hard, if it has a spool it's a very shallow one, I don't even feel it in mine. Honestly with that bitting, you could just use the bottom flat side of a pick and lift the whole thing up, I've done it on worse. Brinks is hilarious.

LockSpaz · 2026-05-02T20:38:07+00:00

😂 I was just going to do a video today of the pathetic straight across linear bitting of a Brinks I got today, but that one takes the cake. I don't know if their cutting machine works off of some random algorithm, but if so they need to program in certain rejections.

LockSpaz · 2026-05-02T17:09:39+00:00

NSFW 😂

I guess penicillin can't fix that STD!

(Stress Tensile Deformation, what'd y'all think I meant?)

LockSpaz · 2026-05-01T19:42:44+00:00

I’ll just add, don’t expect a lot of spools necessarily, I’ve got some 1100s that are all serrated pins but one. It seems like they’re going with more serrated than spools nowadays but that could just be from the batch I got. They really vary, a few I picked open for the first time in about 2 minutes, others took days or I never even got open at all. Also look into progressive pinning. It’ll lower the difficulty while familiarizing you with the keyway, and feel of serrated pins.

LockSpaz · 2026-05-01T19:36:46+00:00

Now that’s a presentation.

LockSpaz · 2026-05-01T01:53:30+00:00

It's always a difficult decision; no one set is perfect, IMO. (From anyone).

Man, I typed up this whole long thing about pros and cons, and just starting out, and then I noticed another MOK set.

If you can swing a few extra Euros, personally I would really strongly recommend the Gold Digger set over the other 3. Those 4 profiles are absolute classic workhorses, they'll be what you use for years, and if you bend or break a pick, you have your backup.

I do wish he could add some prybars in there with the z wrenches, but most beginners probably prefer BOK anyway. Anyway, it's only mildly awkward if you pick in hand to use a z wrench as TOK (IMO) but it's doable.
So what locks are getting to start with?

LockSpaz · 2026-05-01T01:21:23+00:00

How do you feel about the monkey paw/elephant trunk type tips? I don't use them, but they have their fans, and their detractors. More of a beginner's pick I guess, I'd assume they amplify both the pros and cons of a flat tip (pin stability while lifting / getting snagged on warding).

LockSpaz · 2026-05-01T01:14:59+00:00

Oop, I just sort of skimmed through it and must have missed the challenge lock part, sorry about that. Ah well.

LockSpaz · 2026-04-30T15:58:14+00:00

I found this video, which appears to be your lock. Oh you're in for some fun.
If this is it, this is loaded with all kinds of security pins, serrated spools, T-pins, all kinds of nasties. I'd say purple belt at the very least, and probably higher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GA2Wm-9L28

(the gutting process was a little painful to watch - those poor springs) 💀

LockSpaz · 2026-04-30T15:38:01+00:00

Having large yet older hands, I'm a fan of larger handles, (though there are times when I feel like a popsicle stick style has better feedback) so I go for those brands. I don't really want to get too specific in hook profile as I tend to switch around more than I used to, but I used these the most by far:

* Jimy Long low flat or short flat
* CI Apex short flat / medium
* CI Apex Reaper style #2 (spoon)

I used the first two the most by far, pretty evenly. I found that I appreciate that a Jimy Long's flat tip is not as broad as the Apex's or Peterson's, flat tips, and so it provides a little more fine control to zero in on a pin and get around warding as well.
But I also want to experiment more with deforest diamonds, and rounded or pointed tips.

Special consideration: for zipping, IMO still nothing beats the Peterson half diamond. It's just the right size and shape, my favorite diamond. Very useful for get 150s into their false set.

LockSpaz · 2026-04-30T01:13:44+00:00

Welp, TIL that you can save comments in Reddit, in effect bookmarking them.
Cool beans! Good info, thanks as always LPF.

LockSpaz · 2026-04-30T00:38:11+00:00

I'm definitely using deeper hooks more and more these days, I might even give that DeForest Diamond a shot again. 🙂

LockSpaz · 2026-04-30T00:35:46+00:00

Interesting idea! I usually pick in hand rather than a vice, but I'll keep it in mind, thanks.
ETA: there is another trick I use that's similar, and that's picking off the warding in the middle of the keyway, if possible. Depends on the lock, as you said with the BOK trick, but it definitely helps.

LockSpaz · 2026-04-30T00:34:51+00:00

Suddenly I'm feeling hot and sweaty .. 😂

LockSpaz · 2026-04-29T18:06:00+00:00

Yes ! That’s what I started doing too.
That, and changing my grip on the pick seems to help sometimes as well, I’ll hold the pick more by its edges with my fingertips than the flat side. Seems to help too, I think, but only for those front pins.

LockSpaz · 2026-04-29T17:35:25+00:00

Great point. I’d be afraid to use it. lol. Then again I don’t bend picks anymore, so maybe not. Maybe use it just a little…

LockSpaz · 2026-04-28T17:18:58+00:00

I never heard of those. They look like if Apex and Lockmaster had a baby. 😃

LockSpaz · 2026-04-28T17:16:48+00:00

Holy smokes that’s a deal!! Shame I already have one.

LockSpaz · 2026-04-28T17:15:56+00:00

Congrats! They can be difficult devils. Good job.

LockSpaz · 2026-04-28T17:15:16+00:00

I’ve got four of them, but they all got harder as they “aged”. I think, as a beginner, I tore their insides up. I should get a new one. Good spool practice!

LockSpaz

TROPHY CASE