FAQ  •  Register  •  Login
UKLockpickers.co.uk Lockpicking supplies such as Lockpicks, tools, and more! COMMANDOLOCK.COM Military grade padlock systems lockpickshop.com A source for lockpicking supplies such as lockpicks, locksmith tools, and more!

Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

<<

LocksportSouth

User avatar

Active Member

Posts: 369

Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2015 6:51 pm

Location: UK

Post Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:29 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

I've heard that HPC are a very well respected brand, however I'd not used them myself.
No idea about Southord Max, sorry - hopefully someone else has more knowledge of these :)
<<

Papa Gleb

User avatar

Contributor
Contributor

Posts: 1108

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:10 am

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Post Fri Dec 11, 2015 9:30 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

Guys Peterson are still great picks even with a few minuses in QC. The metal is still the same and that is the most important part. If you placed an order and something isnt to your liking, give them a call and they will make it right. HT and I both got wrong picks on separate orders, a simple call and the right picks were shipped to both of us with the addition to keep the wrongly shipped pick. This most recent purchase, I got picks with a finish I havent received a year ago so they still have the top notch stuff, you just have to go through a little customer service process and maybe a return but youll get it.

As for an alternative, these past week I have heard several mention HPC as a great alternative as well as SouthOrd which is probably their Max series. I have a few basic HPC picks and I think they are horrible. I also have a few basic SouthOrd which are better than HPC but not my much. If anything I would probably go for the SouthOrd Max but at $12 a pick that crossing the line lol. Or start making my own as I really like brass handle.
<<

LocksportSouth

User avatar

Active Member

Posts: 369

Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2015 6:51 pm

Location: UK

Post Fri Dec 11, 2015 11:17 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

I'm hoping that they are as good as people say, as I have a not-insignificant order with them heading my way at the moment. Tracking says it's currently... Stuck in customs here in the UK. Assuming I don't get locked up by suspicious customs agents in the meantime for buying lockpicks :D I'll post a review the second they hit my doormat :D
<<

Doogs

User avatar

Contributor
Contributor

Posts: 494

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:26 pm

Location: Gananoque, ON, Canada

Post Fri Dec 11, 2015 6:09 pm

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

I was making up an order last night to take advantage of the xmas special and held off as the shipping was $32 on a $37 order. I'm wondering if I should even bother now.
The other, other, other, other Mike

(21:55:20) HAL 9001RC:: Heh heh uh heh uh heh uh uh heh PhoneMan said ass
<<

davesnothere11

User avatar

Familiar Face

Posts: 146

Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 8:41 pm

Location: Alaska

Post Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:52 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

Doogs wrote:I was making up an order last night to take advantage of the xmas special and held off as the shipping was $32 on a $37 order. I'm wondering if I should even bother now.


What were you ordering?

Even though I have some issues with Peterson's quality I still believe that Peterson's gem and short hook in all three thicknesses are some of the best purchases I have made yet.
(18:56:54) HAL 9000 Sez: It isn't so much bait as it is chum

My lock photography: https://flic.kr/s/aHskv3U6Tx
My picking videos:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr_YDBWHU0VpoIjmfocIbuw
<<

Scrince

User avatar

Familiar Face

Posts: 128

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:25 am

Location: California

Post Sat Dec 12, 2015 6:38 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

I have noticed their discontinuation of picks. Stock up now while you can. :tension:
A spy is just a criminal with a government paycheck.....
<<

MrPicky

User avatar

Newbie

Posts: 12

Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2015 7:24 am

Location: UK

Post Sat Dec 12, 2015 6:58 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

LocksportSouth wrote:I'm hoping that they are as good as people say, as I have a not-insignificant order with them heading my way at the moment. Tracking says it's currently... Stuck in customs here in the UK. Assuming I don't get locked up by suspicious customs agents in the meantime for buying lockpicks :D I'll post a review the second they hit my doormat :D


You can also buy them in the UK from tradelocks.co.uk

Not sure if it would work out any cheaper. From my experience the customs charges and duty fees when importing from the U.S. can be a sonofabitch.
<<

Pat57

Newbie

Posts: 2

Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:55 am

Location: Quebec

Post Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:59 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

For those of you looking for alternatives to Peterson's:

Having tried many different brands I would have to say Southord Max are my favorite picks. They are VERY stiff and durable, and remarkably smooth. I ordered one a couple of years ago that arrived slightly curved, I wrote an email to their customer support and about 2 weeks later I had a brand new pick in my mail box. BUT... they are expensive!

I've tried many HPC picks and have never been impressed. They have a great design, great in its' simplicity. The problem however is that they are always very rough upon arrival, and I find they deform easily (compared to Southord Max).

Rytan, comfortable, simple handle... but again, rough and weak.

Sparrows. Very good value. Fairly smooth, and fairly stiff, all for a price much lower than Peterson's or Southord Max. As a plus, for me, they are a Canadian company, which makes them an even better value since I don't have to pay as much for shipping, and US currency is getting to be expensive.

Southord regular, again, a good value. I find them to be smooth enough on arrival, and stiffer than HPC or Rytan.

Peterson's are pretty good, but I don't find them to be as good a value as the rest. I find them better than the rest (EXCEPT Southord Max), however they are not worth the extra cost. The Southord Max ARE worth the extra cost, IMHO.

Homebrews, I've made a few awesome homebrews. Better than anything and everything on the market... but very time consuming. If you have some free time and enjoy building things, opt for homebrewing... my very best picks cost me around 1$ for my materials... they are incredibly smooth.. stainless steel.. and stiff!

I almost forgot: Cases. By far, Peterson's are the best! HPC, mediocre. Sparrows, decent. Southord, mediocre. Peterson's, awesome!
<<

LocksportSouth

User avatar

Active Member

Posts: 369

Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2015 6:51 pm

Location: UK

Post Sat Dec 12, 2015 4:54 pm

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

Pat57 - first of all, thanks for the comprehensive tips list!

Just a quick Q since you have experience with the SouthOrd Max picks - I've just looked them up and they seem to use plastic (ABS) handles - can you confirm that these don't have significant moulding marks? My biggest bugbear with the GOSOs (yeah, cheap crap brand I know) is that the point at both "edges" of the handle where the two parts are bought together has that nasty scratchy moulding mark line that makes them uncomfortable to pick with. OTOH, I love the rubberised handles of the Sparrows set which is much smoother and softer - good for gripping for longer periods of time.

Also I know Alex Blate did a review and mentioned that they're not amazingly well finished in terms of the metal - Did you notice any issues like that? His review was a few years back so they may have cleaned them up since.

May try out the SouthOrd Maxs if they're well regarded, since I can get them here in the UK easily.
<<

Pat57

Newbie

Posts: 2

Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:55 am

Location: Quebec

Post Sun Dec 13, 2015 7:54 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

I know what you are referring to, however, I have not noticed any significant moulding marks. I like their handles, the only thing I could say that I dislike is that they are a little too smooth. I like handles with a little bit of texture, particularly if they are not rubber. Aside from that, the overall length of the picks is slightly longer than other brands, so sometimes they don't fit too great in another companies case.

As for the metal, I have yet to buy one that was anything less than smooth. They can use a little bit of sanding and polishing, but far less than HPCs. They arrive smooth enough to use. Southord tend to all be fairly smooth, even the regular stuff.
<<

rerun12

User avatar

Contributor
Contributor

Posts: 435

Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 4:32 pm

Post Sun Dec 13, 2015 9:43 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

agree w the downgrade..rly sucks. dcaps and the .18's are tits (and prybars obv) but the rest arent anything like what they used to be. shame, wonder what ole' ken is thinkin
Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly; Man got to sit and wonder, 'Why, why, why?' Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land; Man got to tell himself he understand.
<<

xeo

User avatar

Catministrator
Catministrator

Posts: 2180

Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 9:30 pm

Post Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:54 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

Papa Gleb wrote:Guys Peterson are still great picks even with a few minuses in QC.


I'm a perfectionist with such things and expect nothing less than consistent quality from a company. Anything less is just unacceptable to me personally. Peterson lost a customer due to his lack of QC.
Image
The code is hidden in the tumblers. One position opens the lock, another position opens one of these doors...
http://www.youtube.com/xeotech1

(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

░░░░░░░░░░░░░Image
<<

just1pick+open

Active Member

Posts: 310

Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:13 pm

Location: Pennsylvania

Post Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:11 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

:agree:
xeo: i use an electric buzzer exclusively for my ass that gets sanitized afterwards
PhoneMan: would have freaked my friend out if hed come over
MBI: Most anything goes.
PhoneMan: way to give me nightmares
selim: ok then blow your load,, i'll take anything free now a day's
<<

LocksportSouth

User avatar

Active Member

Posts: 369

Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2015 6:51 pm

Location: UK

Post Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:12 am

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

I agree, Xeo - most people accept that "you get what you pay for" - usually used as a way to disparage those who buy cheap stuff by saying "Well, you should have expected poor quality if you didn't pony up the cash". But it works both ways - when you pay a premium, you expect premium quality and service, that's only natural.

FWIW, I have an order in with Peterson and I have just placed an order with a UK company for some SouthOrd Max (Euro) picks too. I'll review them individually when they come in but I'll probably do a head-to-head with both of those, the Sparrows set and probably my cheapie GOSOs / Southord C2010 set as well. If my reviews can help save others money on inferior products (or less-than-ideal / poor price-to-performance-ratio products) then I consider that a success :).
<<

Papa Gleb

User avatar

Contributor
Contributor

Posts: 1108

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:10 am

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Post Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:00 pm

Re: Peterson's Significant Down Grade (?)

I placed anther order since I was returning a hook and just received the new picks. Half are old stock (meaning the pre budget cuts) and half are post but what I understand is that if your pick has a stamp on the metal (e.g. H1, H7 etc) then that is the old pre budget cut picks and if your picks dont have that then they are the newer stuff. All of the picks that have that V or U finish I mentioned have the pick style stamped on them.

Also I order their clearance diamond pick in the dipped handle and the pick is good but the handle in that thickness sucks as the metal is to flexible.

Can anyone explain or better yet show the difference between their dipped pick and their rubber pick. The price on the rubber is double compared to their standard plastic and my mind cant understand why.
PreviousNext

Return to Product Reviews

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

Don't forget to visit our sponsors for all of your lockpicking needs!
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Grop
"CA Black" theme designed by stsoftware