Feather Touch Tension Tool

[Riff]

So I've been thinking about ordering one of these. What do you guys think? I dont know if they are more of a gimic or what. I dont wanna waste my money. I know someone out there has one. How good does it work? Thanks guys.

http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-To ... h-A-2.html

[Uncle Gut]

i had one.. i didn't like it at all.. to flimsy

[Riff]

i had one.. i didn't like it at all.. to flimsy

I figured that. I dont see how you can get much feedback from it.

[jailersmith]

I had one for years, gave it to another retired locksmith as a gag gift. The working end is to big for most US locks and the feedback is poor. I would not recommend this as it won't work very well on counter clockwise tension.

[Riff]

I had one for years, gave it to another retired locksmith as a gag gift. The working end is to big for most US locks and the feedback is poor. I would not recommend this as it won't work very well on counter clockwise tension.

Thanks jailersmith

[the lockpickkid]

Just like the other guys RIff, I have heard nothing good about these, a novelty item it seems.

[Riff]

Just like the other guys RIff, I have heard nothing good about these, a novelty item it seems.

Thanks kid.

[eeze]

hello, i have one, the fact that it is probably the most useless tool i have is what lead to me making my own spring tension wrenches.

[uklockpicker]

I didnt want to be the 1st person to down this tool !

But ive still heard nothing good about it

[knacnud]

Yep, useless! I got one in a kit I bought. The end was too big to fit in to just about any keyway I had. So I made one with a much smaller head on it. It would work, but 0 feedback. They are easy to make if you have axcess to high carbon wire, but don't waste your time. I work for a place that makes steel cable and can get just about any size, and grade of wire, so I have tried to make a lot of tools out of wire. I still fall back on to wiper blade inserts or band saw blade for most of the tools I make.
Keith

[dgtlcrack]

Like Knacnud said, the way it's shipped to you, it won't fit in most locks you want to pick. You need to alter the head, which can snap on you because the wire is thin and flimsy.

I had one of these in one of my many lost or stolen picksets, to be honest it has not been missed one bit. I originally bought it many years back to pick medeco's with, but I quickly realized my regular tension wrench with a sensitive finger does a much better job.

If you want great tension wrenches check out Falle-Safe's tension set, they are sold for around $75 online.

[abroxis]

I found the following reference about using a feather tension wrench.

You can see why (at least in theory) some people may find a feather of use.

Ripped from Steve Hampton ......


MUSHROOM AND SPOOL PIN TUMBLER LOCKS
High-security pin tumbler locks may contain specially made pins to make picking them more challenging. The pins are machined so as to make picking them quite dif- ficult. When picking these locks, the pins give the impres- sion that they have broken, when in fact they could be a long way from breaking. You can tell whether or not you are picking a pin tumbler lock that has these pins by the fact that the pins seem to align so easily with a louder than normal click. The cylinder seems eager to open but to no avail.

The picking procedure relies on a well-yielding tension wrench. The tension wrench has to be lightly spring-loaded so that the pins can bypass their false breaking points. You also have to "rake" (seesaw in and out) the pins with your pick. The feather-touch tension wrench is ideal for the job. Use light pressure with it, and it will let you in.

(Note: A feather-touch tension wrench is not necessarily required. A normal tension wrench will work fine with an extremely light tension on it. The weight of just your index finger alone should be enough in most cases.)

The mushroom and spool pins are used in locks for high-security purposes such as bank doors. The American Lock Company uses them in some of their padlocks.

[Riff]

I pick americans quite often so I know how to deal with security pins. Do you have any experience yourself with the feather touch tool??? I'm curious because you seem to be the only person saying anything good about this tool. I"m not sure who Steve Hampton is. I dont know if he is a spokesperson or something. I dont hold much stock into those types of peoples opinions. I'd rather have people that I know actually using the tool (no matter what tool in question) to give their opinion. That's where the rubber meets the road. At any rate thank you for your input. I just dont see how a spring loaded TW can give much feedback. Everytime you picked up on a pin, instead of having feedback transfered through the regular wrench and into your fingers it would be obsorbed into the spring loaded wrench. I hope that made sense. That's what prompted me to make the post to begin with. I'm just really curious about these things. I read what you posted........It just seems like kind of a cheating way to set security pins for people who arent very skilled (if it actually works). I believe that these skills need to be developed anyway with a regular TW if you are going to be a picker....Thanks again for the input abroxis.

[bouncer965]

I pick americans quite often so I know how to deal with security pins. Do you have any experience yourself with the feather touch tool??? I'm curious because you seem to be the only person saying anything good about this tool. I"m not sure who Steve Hampton is. I dont know if he is a spokesperson or something. I dont hold much stock into those types of peoples opinions. I'd rather have people that I know actually using the tool (no matter what tool in question) to give their opinion. That's where the rubber meets the road. At any rate thank you for your input. I just dont see how a spring loaded TW can give much feedback. Everytime you picked up on a pin, instead of having feedback transfered through the regular wrench and into your fingers it would be obsorbed into the spring loaded wrench. I hope that made sense. That's what prompted me to make the post to begin with. I'm just really curious about these things. I read what you posted........It just seems like kind of a cheating way to set security pins for people who arent very skilled (if it actually works). I believe that these skills need to be developed anyway with a regular TW if you are going to be a picker....Thanks again for the input abroxis.

Steve Hampton is an author of a few books. High security locks and picking them. I believe you got the download of it Riff on pdf!!!!!

[awol70]

hello, i have one, the fact that it is probably the most useless tool i have is what lead to me making my own spring tension wrenches.

same...i have one...never used it...ever.
oh wait..i threw it at someone once...i guess that counts as use....