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How to use a hook

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Buford T Justice

Newbie

Posts: 5

Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:04 am

Location: United States

Post Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:45 am

How to use a hook

OK..Noob question. When you are using a hook do you pick up on it, or lever it off the front of the keyway?

I get more consistent pressure and better feel levering it, but the hook rests on my tension tool and messes up my tension. If I pick up on it, I overset the pins a lot. I want to be learning the right way.

Also, been having a real hard time getting a hook under the last pin to set it. When I use a shorter hook, I bugger up the pins in the front that have already been set. Any tips? Maybe a 3rd hook of in between height? Here are the two I have.
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xeo

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Post Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:51 am

Re: How to use a hook

You say the hook rests on your tension tool. It sounds like you're using a tensioner in the bottom of the keyway. I'd advise you stop doing that and instead switch to the top of the keyway with something like a Peterson Prybar. It'll give you more room for your pick. The feedback will be better, you'll have better plug control and you will open more locks.

As far as leveraging the pick, some people use their finger, I use the lock itself as you get a solid stable platform to leverage from. You can use the warding to your advantage in some keyways.

With regard to oversetting and disturbing pins in the front when trying to access pins in the back, this will happen, especially if the lock's bitting is low in the front or middle and high in the back. There isn't much you can do about this when using a short hook aside from learning how to minimize contact with other pins or increasing your tension to the point where you won't disturb or overset pinstacks with a slight touch. It looks like you have a longer hook there, try evasively navigating the long hook to the back of the lock while applying harder tension so you can lift that back pin.

All I can really say is to practice, a lot. Switch to top of the keyway tension, it'll change the game for you.
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The code is hidden in the tumblers. One position opens the lock, another position opens one of these doors...
http://www.youtube.com/xeotech1

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MBI

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Site Owner

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Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:25 pm

Location: Utah, USA

Post Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:41 am

Re: How to use a hook

If you need a "middle" length hook, just take one of the longer hooks and file down the tip until it's the length you want. While you're at it, you can reshape the tip if you prefer, with a groove to "cup" the tips of the pins, or putting a point on the tip like a Peterson Gem pick.
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Oldfast

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OldddffAASSTT the Spin Master Extraordinaire and American Lock Slayer
OldddffAASSTT the Spin Master Extraordinaire and American Lock Slayer

Posts: 4412

Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:16 am

Location: Michigan

Post Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:41 am

Re: How to use a hook

Indeed, a BIG +1 on everything Xeo mentions. Perfect advice and not much left to say.

Tensioning from the top of the lock leaves you an enormous amount of room to attack the pins from below.
And, whenever the lock allows for it, use the warding or bottom of the keyway to your advantage by levering
your pick off them. The result is a very precise and contolled lift. A free-floating pick, as you mentioned,
makes it far to easy to overset pins. You end up with more of a snapping effect rather than a gradual nudge.

Peterson's prybars or the Technical Entry tools are about the best options for TOK (top of keyway).

If you decide to use some homebrews, but have trouble with them falling out, you could also experiment with this...
A pair of side-cutters can be used to obtain a sort of serrated/dimple effect that provides a nice grip on the keyway.
(this idea is not original to me, and I'm not really certain who FIRST did this... but I REALLY like it!)
Image

In regards to disturbing front pins, or not being able to set the back one - I like SouthOrd picks, but their standard
shorthook is far to bulky to be effective on many locks. You might consider modifying it. I always do this
" Enjoy the journey AS MUCH as the destination."
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rai

Contributor
Contributor

Posts: 561

Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 9:52 am

Location: minneapolis

Post Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:04 am

Re: How to use a hook

I found that side cutter grip in a post from legion 303,
either he found it first or he got it from someone else.
just sayin..
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Oldfast

User avatar

OldddffAASSTT the Spin Master Extraordinaire and American Lock Slayer
OldddffAASSTT the Spin Master Extraordinaire and American Lock Slayer

Posts: 4412

Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:16 am

Location: Michigan

Post Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:56 pm

Re: How to use a hook

Yeah, when I first metioned it in my American Lock article, I wasn't sure who
to credit, other than NOT me, lol. I seen Town doing it in one of his vids, but
figured he seen it from someone too. Who ever thought of it.. it's effective!
" Enjoy the journey AS MUCH as the destination."
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Buford T Justice

Newbie

Posts: 5

Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:04 am

Location: United States

Post Wed Aug 28, 2013 8:18 am

Re: How to use a hook

OK, you've convinced me to go TOK. I have a tension tool I made out of a cabinet scraper to go in my wallet for emergencies that is similar in design to the Peterson pry bar. It's only 1/32" thick which isn't as thick as the Peterson pry bar, but much thicker than a standard tension tool and it works fairly well. I'm going to buy one of the pry bars, but I always like to try to make my own stuff.

I figured since I had a tension tool in my wallet, I might as well make a hook to go in my wallet along side my well worn rake. So last night I made a hook out of an old drywall tape knife that I use to make picks out of. Now I can pick on the fly. There's a never used door lock on my office door that I practice on. Before I get flamed on for picking locks that are in use know that my boss doesn't care because (1) there are no keys to any of the interior locks in the building and (2) he owns the building and I have had to pick open locks for the tenants that rent out the other half of the building at least a half dozen times saving my boss that many calls to a locksmith. So he actually gets some benefit from me staying sharp.
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GringoLocksmith

Active Member

Posts: 250

Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:12 am

Location: Gringolandia

Post Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:09 pm

Re: How to use a hook

That's a cool little wallet-sized set you have there. I like that idea. I'm curious about the handles, though. Are they long enough to give you the grip and leverage that you need?
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Buford T Justice

Newbie

Posts: 5

Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:04 am

Location: United States

Post Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:51 pm

Re: How to use a hook

I made the handles to match the size of my thumb for maximum grip. They work well for me.

Found some .050" stainless laying around my office today. I'm going to try to make my own pry bar. My poor Dremel ought to love cutting through that...
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AULockpicker

Familiar Face

Posts: 50

Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:39 pm

Location: South Australia

Post Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:00 pm

Re: How to use a hook

In my experience there's no 'right' or 'wrong' way to use a hook, it's a matter of adaptability in the picker - you - dependant on the keyway you're working on and length of pin stacks.

A personal perspective...

I use the tensioner *across* the warding of the keyway whenever it's practical to do so, and use it to act as a pivot point for the pick. A choice of differing width tensioners are handy.
Using tensioner in TOK or BOK.
Using the actual ward itself in the keyway to act as a pivot point keeping well clear of whatever tensioner and position in the keyway the tensioner is placed.
Thinning of the shank of the pick to allow me to reach back pin while minimising risk of interfering with front pins.

For me it's about 'adaptability'. Adapting tools and methods, including modifying tools, to minimise effort required , maximise feedback and reducing or eliminating the possibility of the pick slipping past or over the tensioner to achieve best possible outcomes.
LDU2U on YT and do unto others before they do unto you

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