WHAT'S IN A PICK?
The goal of the Open Locksport system of lockpicks is to be with you from the first lock you pick to the final round of an international competition. Want to know what makes them unique? Here's a pick-by-pick breakdown of what you'll find in our pick sets.
Starter Set
Just what you need to learn the basics and get off to the right start.
Medium Hook
The medium hook is your all purpose, single pin pick. It can take the abuse of a novice picker and is the perfect tool to learn the basics.
Gonzo
While learning to use the Medium Hook, it can be nice to switch up to a more rounded pick profile. The Gonzo moves very smoothly over the pins and has a slightly larger effective range than the hook. Many find they'll keep using a gonzo long after they first learn.
DeForest
This chunky DeForest Diamond is a great introduction to some more exotic profiles and the best way to learn about picking high-low bitting combinations. It has a generous amount of material to stand up to the heavy hands of a novice, but offers a significant effective range.
Medium Diamond
Though the medium diamond moves very smoothly over the pins in the lock, its power is not as a rake, but comes from its gently sloped sides. This is the pick to use when you are first learning the gentle touch required for security pins.
L Rake
Our L Rake is far more aggressive than any other American profile you can find. We've based its design on some similar german tools. The L makes a great first rake as it manipulates every pin at once and can be used in either the traditional raking manner, or the more aggressive "ripping" motion.
Standard Set
Rounding out the starter picks, we have 4 utility picks and a new rake.
Long Hook
While this pick can be unwieldy in all but the most open keyways, it will access the shallowest pins hidden behind the very deepest.
Large Diamond
The large diamond can do double duty, both as a normal diamond pick and as a dimple pick. Simply set it flat in the keyway of a dimple lock and twist it up into the pins to lift them.
Half Ball
Your first introduction to Wafer Picks is the half ball. The rounded profile makes working on sharp cornered wafers a breeze.
Double Ball
This double-sided pick is perfect for double-sided wafer locks, specifically, automotive locks.
S Rake
Our take on the S Rake makes one important change. While the traditional S Rake is very handy, it's also the first tool new pickers break. To account for this we have closed the bottom of the pick head in an effort to add strength.
Advanced Picks
Now we start getting to some of the most innovative designs in the pick set.
Undercut DeForest Diamond
The small amount of material removed from the pick blade near the handle makes this pick particularly sensitive in the hand of an experienced picker. The feeling of a pin setting is greatly amplified by the vertical flex of the pick blade.
Notched DeForest
The notch in this pick makes indexing yourself on individual pins easy. It can also be used to manipulate chisel-tipped pins like you find in Medeco locks.
Deep Curve
This pick comes with it's own method of picking. By bracing the pick profile against the bottom of the keyway and following the shape of the curve, you can reach pins in the furthest recesses of a lock.
Small Diamond
The small diamond can operate in even the tightest keyways. Beyond just the slim profile, its small stature will do wonders against small diameter pins.
Large S Rake
The Large S is a favorite of some of our European friends. It can quickly open some difficult bittings with just a couple pushes of the pick.
5 Piece Advanced Set
The last 5 picks are utility tools with some advanced ideas applied to them. These are what you'll find in the 5 Piece Advanced Set.
Notched Hook
The Notched Hook should become a permanent replacement for your starter hook once you've developed a light touch and heightened awareness in the lock.
Undercut DeForest Ball
A classic DeForest with a rounded tip and an undercut pick blade. While this can work on a wide range of locks it's particularly effective against higher security wafer locks, such as the Illinois Duo.
Undercut Gonzo
The utility Gonzo with a slight undercut. The same great maneuverability and effective range, plus heightened feedback on a set pin.
King
The King, when coupled with the...
Queen
Make quite the dynamic duo. Specifically, they are profile picks. You place the pick in your lock, apply tension, release tension, adjust the pick, apply tension and so on. All you are trying to do is duplicate the bitting of the proper key. There are dozens of profile picks in the world, but the King & Queen are meant to duplicate only the most difficult bittings, making them perfect hail Mary picks for when the clock is running out.