.:: Keypicking :: Anything And Everything For Locksmiths, Hobbyist Lock Pickers, Locksport, Lock Picking, lockpicks, cutaways and Security. Simply The Best Lockpicking Forum Around!

Riff wrote:Quick question guys. I have just about every pick set out there. Many of them have a layer of "black" coating the blade and pick tip...... paint? Anyway from picking with picks that I use the most this coating is coming off. Should I do some light sanding to take this layer off before it has to wear off?? If heard talk of a breakin period. And someone mentioned how you should sand all of the edges of a new pick to it doesnt tear up pins. So do I need to sand all of this layer off as well as all of the edges??? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Couldnt find a good explanation by searching the forum. Just curious. Riff

Riff wrote: I'm hoping that I will adjust to this "new" feeling I'm working with. It's defenitely different. Hopefully different in a better way once I get used to it. I liken it to before the sanding I developed some bad habits. Now that everything is nice and smooth it will force me to be a little more refined in my picking. Shorten up my movement a bit.

HallisChalmers wrote:

Riff wrote: I'm hoping that I will adjust to this "new" feeling I'm working with. It's defenitely different. Hopefully different in a better way once I get used to it. I liken it to before the sanding I developed some bad habits. Now that everything is nice and smooth it will force me to be a little more refined in my picking. Shorten up my movement a bit.

Just don't try so hard. You're psyching yourself out by thinking too hard. Do this: Stick the pick in and just try touching each pin tip and count each of the pins.

Play around with it. Feel the drag on the pick from side of the keyway. Just make believe it's a new pick - wrap some colored tape on the handle. Anything to break that image of the old pick.

I think your head sees that pick and you revert back to your old ways. If you change it around and make yourself look at it as a new pick - your brain will adapt to it and you'll ingrain that new feeling.

It's like burning a new recording on a CD. You need to reformat your head.

Make sense?

Riff wrote:
But my question to you Hallis is; It it really worth it to sand down picks like that? what does the added smoothness help with? Why is it benificial. I dont mind retraining myself of what I'm feeling inside the lock OR unlearning bad habits to start learning new ones. Even if it requires alot of work. I just want to know if there really is that big of a difference when the picks and sanded and all smooth compared to unsanded. Obvously there is a big difference...but I want to know if it is a big difference in the "right" direction, to furthur my skills. I think you know what I'm trying to ask. Thanks .........Riff

HallisChalmers wrote:

Riff wrote:
But my question to you Hallis is; It it really worth it to sand down picks like that? what does the added smoothness help with? Why is it benificial. I dont mind retraining myself of what I'm feeling inside the lock OR unlearning bad habits to start learning new ones. Even if it requires alot of work. I just want to know if there really is that big of a difference when the picks and sanded and all smooth compared to unsanded. Obvously there is a big difference...but I want to know if it is a big difference in the "right" direction, to furthur my skills. I think you know what I'm trying to ask. Thanks .........Riff

Is it really worth it? Well, if you are asking that if in the overall scheme of things - will polishing make a HUGE difference?

No.

Will it give you superhuman hyperkinetic tactile powers - allowing you to feel the subtle intricate nuances in individual fibers of molehair?

No.

All it does, like Steve14 said, is help avoid eating up your pins somewhat. If it's a cheap Master #3 - who the **ck cares. But if it's that high dollar Mul-T-Lock you payed an obscene $$$$$ amount for on eBay - you may want to consider not abusing the lock's guts.

Obviously you are not a truly afflicted obssessive compulsive personality. Don't worry. That will come to you in due course.

There is a certain ritualistic sexiness in laying out your tool pouch, taking out your shiny hand polished tools, stroking them lovingly, maybe even talking to them in soothing tones while methodically contemplating the plan of attack - and then like some kind of wacked out sex fiend - sticking it in, moving it around, in-out-in out, looking for the sweet spot on the lock and then WHAM!

Nailed it.

But hey, that's just me. That's the way I roll. That's why I have a MANCARD. Don't leave home without it.

ToolyMcgee wrote:There is no explanation that can replace just doing it. Corners bad, rounded good, sharp bad, smooth good. No tool marks, no sharp points. Make a few of your own and polish them if you want to practice. Steel wool, 500 grit sand paper... you can't jack up your picks if you look at them every few seconds to check your progress. It's steel after all. I tried to say I like the unpolished picks just fine when I got my petersons, but after awhile began to come to terms with the serious limitations rough edges have, got over it, and finished those picks with sand paper.

A factory pick is a dull knife, and a polished pick is utility sharp. I use razor blades to work in keyways an unpolished pick of the same thickness would never even fit into. Just do it already, and you will notice the immediate change in feedback. Smooth picks have cause less friction, and don't have edges to catch on warding. Less white noise from rubbing, and less false clicks from your picks square edge catching, then snapping off a ward.

-Tooly

ToolyMcgee wrote:There is no explanation that can replace just doing it. Corners bad, rounded good, sharp bad, smooth good. No tool marks, no sharp points. Make a few of your own and polish them if you want to practice. Steel wool, 500 grit sand paper... you can't jack up your picks if you look at them every few seconds to check your progress. It's steel after all. I tried to say I like the unpolished picks just fine when I got my petersons, but after awhile began to come to terms with the serious limitations rough edges have, got over it, and finished those picks with sand paper.

A factory pick is a dull knife, and a polished pick is utility sharp. I use razor blades to work in keyways an unpolished pick of the same thickness would never even fit into. Just do it already, and you will notice the immediate change in feedback. Smooth picks have cause less friction, and don't have edges to catch on warding. Less white noise from rubbing, and less false clicks from your picks square edge catching, then snapping off a ward.

-Tooly