Snap Picks

Though they lack the professional presentation of a manual pick gun, snap picks work on exactly the same principle and are operated in exactly the same manner. I am not aware of any commercially available snap picks, but there are many designs for the avid Do-It-Yourselfer. I have found that homemade snap picks made of nothing more than wire coat hangers can be at least as effective as a commercially available product. Illus. (needed through needed) shows a snap pick and its use. The thumb is used to manually pull the arm of the needle downward. Once lowered, the arm is allowed to slip off the thumb, snapping upward to contact the pins.

Though professional locksmiths may wish to carry a more professional looking product – many customers might find it odd and unsettling when a locksmith shows up and proceeds to open their locked door with a bent piece of coat hanger – a hobbyist will likely find that a snap pick is effective enough that it replaces the need for a commercial pick gun.

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