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

Posted: **Thu Jun 30, 2016 6:25 pm**

If anyone on the forum sells their homemade picks please me know prices and pictures of the picks. I'd appreciate it a lot.

Posted: **Sat Jul 02, 2016 4:04 pm**

I haven't seen as many ads for handmade picks lately, but this is one place to keep an eye on for when they're posted:
viewforum.php?f=49

Posted: **Mon Jul 04, 2016 2:25 pm**

I think you just have to keep your eye on the BST area. Speaking for myself. Hand made picks (if they are any good) take hours to make. The price I would have to ask just for my time would make them not worth putting a price on. Nobody is going to pay $20 - $30 a pick. And that's what I would need to compensate my hourly and materials.

So I don't even bother trying to sell them. But I do trade them sometimes.

Posted: **Mon Jul 04, 2016 2:44 pm**

WestCoastPicks wrote:I think you just have to keep your eye on the BST area. Speaking for myself. Hand made picks (if they are any good) take hours to make. The price I would have to ask just for my time would make them not worth putting a price on. Nobody is going to pay $20 - $30 a pick. And that's what I would need to compensate my hourly and materials.

So I don't even bother trying to sell them. But I do trade them sometimes.

Right. I have been struggling with this lately. For just the utilitarian ones using good material, after tuning them just right and quality finish work it's a bit over an hour. Add another for decent handles with a simple finish. Add another hour for a good finish. Add yet another for anything uniquely artistic like inlays or etching. That is just so expensive. Imagining someone actually paying what they would be worth seems silly. Tens of dollars for something marginally better, but much more pleasant, than what can be bought for two. The skills and pricing are similar to knifemaking without the market volume to support ongoing work.

Not to dissuade, there will be people selling picks both artistic and simple for reasonable prices one of these days. It's just money isn't the motivation.

Posted: **Mon Jul 04, 2016 3:06 pm**

Josephus wrote:
WestCoastPicks wrote:I think you just have to keep your eye on the BST area. Speaking for myself. Hand made picks (if they are any good) take hours to make. The price I would have to ask just for my time would make them not worth putting a price on. Nobody is going to pay $20 - $30 a pick. And that's what I would need to compensate my hourly and materials.

So I don't even bother trying to sell them. But I do trade them sometimes.

Right. I have been struggling with this lately. For just the utilitarian ones using good material, after tuning them just right and quality finish work it's a bit over an hour. Add another for decent handles with a simple finish. Add another hour for a good finish. Add yet another for anything uniquely artistic like inlays or etching. That is just so expensive. Imagining someone actually paying what they would be worth seems silly. Tens of dollars for something marginally better, but much more pleasant, than what can be bought for two. The skills and pricing are similar to knifemaking without the market volume to support ongoing work.

Not to dissuade, there will be people selling picks both artistic and simple for reasonable prices one of these days. It's just money isn't the motivation.

Locktool making seemed like a great job, until I hit this problem. My Abloy tools take ages to make, it can take many hours to make just one part. Thus, the price goes up to a point where people think it too expensive. I have come to realise that financial reward can not be a motivator, a lone toolmaker can never compete with a factory on price.

Posted: **Tue Jul 05, 2016 1:54 am**

If someone is not willing to spend 30$ for a homemade pick, doesn't deserve a homemade pick.
Yes, it's just a little better than a 2$ one, but there lays all the difference!

Cheers

Posted: **Tue Jul 05, 2016 2:08 pm**

I agree with fermat. I make some nice picks, but still have purchased several. The reason? I now have some art in my pick case. A little bit of some of the craftsmen that frequent this site. I have an appreciation for their skill that goes beyond the piece of metal I received with my purchase. Similar to buying wall art, there is a huge difference between a master's work and a print, tho the picture may be the same.

Posted: **Tue Jul 05, 2016 3:30 pm**

A lot of what makes handmade picks as good as many of them are is the sanding and polishing which allows them to glide more easily in the keyway. It helps avoid false feedback as burrs on the pick shaft grind against pins or warding.

Even a $4 pick can usually be improved a great deal with some judicious application of wet/dry sandpaper.

One more option to think about.

Posted: **Wed Jul 06, 2016 5:11 am**

There is a guy by the name of John Falle. For 50k+ and 6 sacrificial locks of the most secure kind he will make you a device to defeat it. FYI.

Posted: **Wed Jul 06, 2016 5:41 pm**

mastersmith wrote:I agree with fermat. I make some nice picks, but still have purchased several. The reason? I now have some art in my pick case. A little bit of some of the craftsmen that frequent this site. I have an appreciation for their skill that goes beyond the piece of metal I received with my purchase. Similar to buying wall art, there is a huge difference between a master's work and a print, tho the picture may be the same.

Never thought of that lol. I guess some people would pay just to have them. I couldn't picture using a $30 pick when I could make one though. So I would just collect them, not actually use them lol.

There are some very nice looking picks around here.

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

Buying Picks

Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks

Re: Buying Picks