Whether you pick for fun or sport you will need some basic tools.
A set of picks is first.
Most sets offered online come with an assortment of picks and tension wrenches.
A well made set will cost between $50 and $100. As you pay more you are getting more picks, wrenches etc. Sometimes the upgrade involves the handle.
Plastic handles and then rubberized handles will add additional cost.
The "standard pick" is a hook.
What you find useful may vary.
The things you tend to miss:
How you'll hold the lock - hand or vise? If vise - which?
You can spend $100 for specialized mounts, but a $20 Panavise works for me.
How you'll hold the pick - this may determine what type of handle if any, you'll prefer.
Picking/Pinning mat? Without one you will be spilling springs and pins onto a plate or tupperware. A pinning mat makes it much easier to repin a lock. Choices are mini mats that cost around $10 to extra large mats $30 and up.
With most pick sets and an assortment of tension wrenches. However the best wrenches are never included. You will find hints about top-of-the-key way wrenches. They are almost never included in pick sets. So they are something you discover later.
ToK as it is known is cheating in my opinion. It is an order of magnitude easier to use and provides that much more feedback.
As you can see there are a myriad of wrenches. Thickness, serrated edge or not and which end of the key way are your choice. An assortment are useful since key ways differ in thickness, access etc.
A set of picks is first.
Most sets offered online come with an assortment of picks and tension wrenches.
A well made set will cost between $50 and $100. As you pay more you are getting more picks, wrenches etc. Sometimes the upgrade involves the handle.
Plastic handles and then rubberized handles will add additional cost.
The "standard pick" is a hook.
What you find useful may vary.
The things you tend to miss:
You can spend $100 for specialized mounts, but a $20 Panavise works for me.
How you'll hold the pick - this may determine what type of handle if any, you'll prefer.
Picking/Pinning mat? Without one you will be spilling springs and pins onto a plate or tupperware. A pinning mat makes it much easier to repin a lock. Choices are mini mats that cost around $10 to extra large mats $30 and up.
With most pick sets and an assortment of tension wrenches. However the best wrenches are never included. You will find hints about top-of-the-key way wrenches. They are almost never included in pick sets. So they are something you discover later.
ToK as it is known is cheating in my opinion. It is an order of magnitude easier to use and provides that much more feedback.
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