Electric Pick Guns 2 More Info
Electric Pick Guns
I once spent four hours straight trying to Single Pin Pick the legendary Banham dimple lock. A dimple lock like no other, where each pin in each two-pin stack is separate and opposed to the other, they push into the lock by a spring each, and made even trickier by one of the springs in each stack being stronger than the other one. This of course creates two shearlines, one on each side. It is, I must say, the hardest lock I have ever picked.....And I have only ever picked it once!
The point is I spent four hours on it. The time I have spent on Bumping locks - were you to add all those hours up - is even more insane. Hand filing new patterns from scratch onto blank keys, measuring fractions of fractions with vernier calipers and polishing the cuts with wet n dry for days on end. It's a pleasure, sometimes - as I pointed out in my last blog - to spend time on things in a culture that is obsessed with speed, that is obsessed with getting things done and moving on.
Yes, lock picking can bring out the patient craftsman in us all, tirelessly working over minute details, it appeals to the romantic image of the watchmaker working by candlelight, hunched over the object of his obsession, way into the night. It can in this sense be a beautiful, calming, almost meditative thing.
All well and good. But there comes a time when none of the above is required. When there's a job to do. And when there's a job to do time means money, not a relaxing pleasure. When you're staring the bottom line in the eyes, you don't want to be meditating!
This is the moment of the Electric Pick Gun (EGP) a tool that does nothing but open locks. There's no art, no eloquence, no style or passion. Just a unit, an engine, a needle and a Hell of a lot of vibration. A lock picking robot that completes the circuit between the human picker and the mechanical lock. Enter the machines!
There's many EPGs on the market, each with the usual array of pros and cons, I've used most of them and over the years, tried them in the field and in the workshop. I've spoken to many, many people about what they like, what they don't like, what works and what doesn't, what they want and what's on offer. That's why we offer three EPGs: An economy version, a mid-range pro version, and the very top of the range EPG you can lay your hands on.
In this article I'll tell you a bit about each, and help you - should you wish to buy one - make an informed decision, and work out what's best for you. So without further ado - let's go!
1 - The Multipick Kronos
Like all Multipick tools the Kronos EPG is immediately nice on the eyes. OK - that's the understatement of the century, they're absolutely beautiful, the pornography of electric pick guns: Elegant, cool, stylish, and slick. You can tell just by looking at this German designed and manufactured EPG that you're dealing with quality.
Once you pick it up this feeling is compounded tenfold. These hand-built machines are a work of art, the finishing is perfect, the weight is satisfying without being clumsy and there's a good sense of balance with a bias towards the needle end. In fact, everything about this in-house built EPG is an absolute pleasure. And explains why Multipick literally cannot keep up with demand. If you want one and they're in stock, I suggest you pounce!
It works as you'd expect - in a manner consistent with the build quality. The power is staggering for such a small unit and yet it purrs like a cat, unlike other premium (priced) EPGs.
With the option to purchase it alone, in a bespoke case, or with the case and an array of associated Multipick tools, the Kronos offers the user the choice of continuing the build his kit, and create what I think is the perfect EPG system. Being able to build up in stages is just perfect, and keeps this wonder of lock picking magic, available to all.
KRONOS in short:
A pure lock opening machine.
Top quality German engineering from top to bottom
Almost silent yet extremely powerful picking action.
In his excellent review, Bosnian Bill called it a 'Master Key'
2 - The KLOM EPG
Once upon a time about 10 years ago there were no budget EPGs. You either forked out a few hundred for a top of the range professional gun, or made your own. Yes, made your own. There was even one lock pick supplier that was selling an EPG that was converted from a set of electric scissors. They're no longer around, the scissor-based EPG or the supplier, by the way!
The KLOM EPG - They came out of nowhere and took everyone by surprise.
Then one day some stock arrived from China. Usual stuff, wafer rakes, padlock shims, some picks. And there in the corner was this funny looking orange pick gun. I thought nothing of it and went about running my business. They even sent me an email with a price - $40 or similar it was then, which made me laugh. I mean, can you imagine what kind of EPG you're going to get for $40?
A few weeks later with a lack of anything better to do I decided to charge it up and have a go. MIND-BLOWN. I'd just made a video about bumping locks and had 15 Eurocylinders on my kitchen table. The KLOM EPG opened 11 of them. Wow. $40 you say? And I ordered 25. The following week I sold 25. The following day I was inundated with emails asking when I'd be getting them back in stock. The KLOM had landed.
I got so excited by this I saw an opportunity. These were going to sell like hot cakes. There was pretty much no competition and a huge demand - gold dust to an online business. I spent the night looking for KLOM online, the original Korean company. No luck. These people were keeping their heads down. But I did find their main distributor and we exchanged emails all night, me asking for European exclusivity to sell the KLOM EPG. You can imagine my shock and delight when finally it was agreed. At about 6 AM I got the email I had been waiting for. For a fixed fee and an initial order yet to be agreed I was going to be given exclusivity for this new, budget, wonder-tool. Convinced they would sell millions I set about making some videos, still amazed at their incredible lock opening ability.
You can imagine my shock the following day when I received an invoice for some $3 million. Ha! Needless to say, I didn't have anywhere near that kind of money, and even if I did I wouldn't have been able to store the zillion KLOM EPGs they were intending to send over by the shipping container full. So I wrote back and said - I'll just take another 25 for now.
The KLOM comes with a wide selection of picking needles.
The KLOM EPG works a treat. It's not a high-end product but doesn't pretend to be. If you're looking at a tool you'll be using all day every day, this is not for you, budget items don't offer that kind of luxury, their strengths lie elsewhere. If you want that kind of toughness and durability you need to spend a bit more. However, what you are going to get is a very good EPG - a gun that will open a decent amount of locks with very little training and very little fuss to use. It doesn't purr like a cat, sure, and it's a bit orange. But it comes with a good range of picks, a nice case and it does what it says on the tin. The KLOM EPG opened up the lock picking machine to everyone who wants one and that's an incredible thing.
The KLOM pickgun in short:
For the price of a night out your getting an excellent lock opening machine
With almost no lock picking knowledge you can open many locks, immediately.
Ideal for caretakers, handymen etc with occasional lock opening needs, and little or no lock picking training or knowledge.
3 - The Dino Li ion pickgun
The Dino EPG came onto the scene with little or no hype and gradually established itself as the go-to mid-range EPG for the professional lock opener. Well built, good design and a ability to open locks well out of it's price range, the Dino has been a regular contender for best EPG for many years now as it ticks so many boxes.
The Dino Li-ion, a good quality, durable and effective pick gun.
There's a couple of things about this pick gun I really like. The Li ion Battery technology was a real step up for the time and continues today to provide a superb amount of power from a relatively quick charging time. Li ion batteries have a notoriously bad charging to use ratio - but in the case of an EPG when you only need a few short bursts to open a lock it's like the perfect battery. Set it on charge the night before work and you'll have a fully functioning unit for more than a few locks, certainly more than you'll need. In short, it works.
Comes with a good range of needles, wrenches and a broken key extractor.
I am also impressed with the light on the front. Many locksmiths will tell you a lot of their work - especially emergency work is carried out at night or in other low light conditions. Looking for a tiny keyway in a tiny lock can be a problem yet this was solved nicely by attaching a torch-light on the front which activates when the trigger is pulled and stays on for a short while after.
The Dino Li ion, understandably a favorite among locksmiths for years.
Dino Li ion in short:
Durable, tough, professional quality pick gun that opens more locks than its price suggests.
Great battery that will last well beyond what's required and last for years
Light makes a difference to an all round quality EPG
4 - The SouthOrd Compact pickgun
The SouthOrd Compact EPG is a beautiful machine. Slick design and the usual high manufacturing specs expected from SouthOrd this pick gun packs a wicked punch for it's 3 Volt engine.
The remarkably well made and understood pick gun. Years of lock picking knowledge radiate from this tool.
A development of their alternative 4.5 Volt EPG, the SouthOrd Compact brings all the amazing picking success of their previous EPG, in a smaller, less energy hungry unit.
Knowing the market so well, SouthOrd have successfully create what most people want from an EPG, an adjustable flicking needle that covers the full range of swings required for a wide range of locks, tough, resilient build, coupled with a very stylish housing. The smaller battery is not to be misunderstood, they just found a more efficient motor to get the more out of less.
I had the previous version for years and years, and it never let me down. It was only after I 'loaned' it to someone - and we know how that often goes - that I replaced it with the smaller, more compact version I am showing you here. And in every way it's the same, very effective, exceptionally comfortable EPG.
SouthOrd Compact pickgun in short:
Exceptionally quality build with a very stylish finish
Remarkable power for such a small battery
Lock Picking know-how radiates from the picking swing range
Compact, discreet, and tough as nails.
So there you go. There's plenty of other EPGs on the market, but these are the ones I have selected over the years having tried most of them. I have made sure we have a EPG for everyone - their different needs and their different budgets. If you can trust my decades of experience and the many great reviews all of our EPGs have received then you have here a fair and honest summary of the best of the pack upon which you can base your purchase, and know you're getting the best EPG for the money, and for your own unique requirements.
While we're at it - it's worth mentioning, circular tension tools are absolute dream for using with EPGs, they tend to hold in the lock that little bit more, ideal when you're pumping it full of mad EPG energy. You can see ours at locksmith training merseyside, at our workshop
The Multipick Circular Tension tool is Predictably awesome probably the best circular tension wrench on the market
KRONOS EPG
KLOM EPG
DINO EPG
SOUTHORD COMPACT
CIRCULAR TENSION TOOLS
We have all the above tools and more at our workshop, for you to practise with on the course, if your interested, then get in touch, locksmith training merseyside or contact Dave on 01744 613202