Good pick set?

[n8n]

Hi all,

long time no nothin'. Used to be fairly regular here but life has gotten in the way... About two years ago I started dating someone and we're still together; sadly in that time she has had some serious medical issues that have made life rather frantic. Also somewhere in that time period I gave up on my intended goal of transitioning to the automotive service industry and went back to my old career as a fire alarm/other electronic building systems designer because, well, I needed money even though I knew that anything construction related would be a hectic soul crushing job. So I haven't really been trying to complete my tool collection as some life goals have changed and the thought of doing another project car is becoming more unrealistic, although I can't say I'm unhappy overall.

However, one of the things my girlfriend in I have in common is a love of music, and as I'm always drawn to "vintage" stuff I've amassed a bit of a collection of semi-busted vintage mid to high end stereo equipment that has given me something to play with to satisfy my urge to be fixing/restoring something. One thing that I find myself in need of is a good pick set; I destroyed a Harbor Freight set in about an hour trying to get a circlip off of the main platter spindle of an old Garrard turntable that is now taking up space under the bed in the spare bedroom. I also need to pop the top on a few muting relays for a good Deoxit treatment so either I start paying someone to fix my stuff (not my style) or else I need to buy a GOOD pick set that isn't made of poop and fail.

I'm sure Snap-On ones are great but a) they don't appear to make the hard handle ones anymore which would be my preference and b) they're Snap-On prices.

Is there another brand where the metal is just as strong an alloy as SO that I can purchase for a more reasonable price? Preferably available with hard handles like old SO stuff? Or should I just **** it up and order the SO soft grip ones?

thanks for any advice!

 

[RedneckWelder]

Mayhew, Western Forge, etc take your pick. Think Channellock has a set from Western Forge with the acetate hard handles

 

[T45]

Mayhew-mini for the grip-handles

http://www.tooltopia.com/mayhew-tools-60003.aspx

Ullman is more compact and more sizes

http://www.sears.com/ullman-devices-corp-6-piece-9-3-4/p-00921005000P

 

[SMKS]

If you're looking for mini picks I like the Pratt-Read ones. They're also sold at Menards for only like $7 under the Masterforce brand.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BZZ33W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[n8n]

Thanks guys. Looks like Pratt-Read might be the go to as I have no local sources for any of the ones mentioned, but they are available on Amazon and what's her face has an Amazon Prime subscription. Wish I'd thought to mention this earlier today as she was looking for some filler for an order (lost the gasket to her blender so had to place an order ASAP)

Unless someone has a compelling argument/personal experience that one of the other brands is better steel?

 

[gdocktor3]

I have all the Craftsman USA pick sets and they work awesome. The big ones are made by Mayhew and the small ones,(not hard handles, the rubber grips) are the same sold by Matco, SK, etc.

 

[Spdfreak91]

Channel lock has a hard handle pick set , the craftsman rubber handles are made by Ullman

 

[Dookie2122]

The Channel Lock set is awesome and available at great prices.

 

[Fedwrench]

The Channelock pick set is actually made by Pratt Read along with their U.S. Made screwdrivers.
A decent hard handled pick set is hard to find. Mayhew, Gearwrench, and others offer soft grip versions. Great picks but, not hard grip.
Cornwell offers a nice witte made set that has nice blue hard handles for around $25. Don't confuse the Taiwan made black/blue rubber handled sets that Cornwell sells with the witte set.
Pbswiss has a great but, expensive hard handled pick set that comes in a very nice leather pouch..
To be honest, the inexpensive ulman devices made aluminum handled picks with a rubber sleeve over the handle sold under many brands are probably the best bang for the dollar set available. You can get short or long versions. They're pretty durable. They're often on sale and if you lose or break them, they're easily replaced.

 

[SMKS]

The Channelock pick set is actually made by Pratt Read along with their U.S. Made screwdrivers.

Isn't this just a guess?

I've guessed this as well, but there's no real evidence that I've seen.

 

[Fedwrench]

Isn't this just a guess?

I've guessed this as well, but there's no real evidence that I've seen.

Place the picks next to each other and compare them

 

[shockwave]

The witte made ones are great option aswell as Mayhew both will bring years of use

Also look into heavy duty picks aswell for tough circlips if you don't have pliers to do so

 

[pescados666]

Ullman has these also, which can be had for $9 on ebay. Has anyone used them before? I assume they're the same steel except with a hard handle instead of a soft rubber grip. They're 5-1/12" Long, according to the ebay listing.

 

[pescados666]

I found these Vermont American picks for $6. Doesn't seem to be quite as popular as the other brands in the thread, but they are made in USA and have lifetime replacement, although I can't seem to find them on Vermont American's website.

Edit: well, this is the set I bought, so I'll be able to say more about them soon. I got mine from http://www.ebay.com/itm/252323713786

 

[Jeeper]

Mayhew-mini for the grip-handles

http://www.tooltopia.com/mayhew-tools-60003.aspx

00921005000P[/url]

I have these and use them a lot. One of those tools that you wondered what you used before you had them.

I also have the CM Pro regular sized picks. They don't have them any more but believe they were made my Mayhew.

 

[Sine Swept]

I found a 4 pc Mac hard handle pick set at the pawn shop, seems real nice.

I also have what appear to be Ullman, though no name on anything, came in a pouch approx 12 longer picks and the best part - Magnetic tips on every handle. I've had them in the pouch for years and recently put them in a cup on my work bench.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I got mine a HF. Not the freebie orange handles ones. The next step up has black handles. About the same size as pictured above. They do everything I need.

 

[oldwino]

I've got a set of snappies but find myself using dental picks (free from the hygienist) most of the time

 

[justme-]

My normal set is an orange handle HF set from over 10 years ago. Decent item, nothing like the junk orange handles they have now. I have an ulman set also and they are fine tho I would like a better handle.
Fwiw I was about to pull the trigger on a Mayhew mini set until I found out the coo is China. Just a hard pill to swallow when the ulman set is so inexpensive.

 

[nikerret]

I was thinking lock picking...which most of my stuff is Southord.

 

[90zcar]

Snap on


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blackwire]

I had a green handled snap on pick. I ended up bending it. Replaced with a USA craftsman one. The handles don't feel as nice but it seems to work.

 

[JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN]

I have Mac, Cornwell, and Snappy. They are all equally stout it just depends on your handle preference. If I was a betting man I would say that the cheaper USA alternatives mentioned in this thread will do the job well at a fraction of the cost.

 

[impactsocket]

Which of these 3 Craftsman pick sets is the best?

 

[JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN]

Which of these 3 Craftsman pick sets is the best?

The soft grips pull off of the bottom two sets easily

 

[finn]

The Menards Masterforce by Pratt & Reed should be available on the Menards web site.

I'm happy with mine.

The HF, in comparison, are junk.

 

[gte718p]

The soft grips pull off of the bottom two sets easily

They do and it is annoying, but some super glue will take care of that in short order. I like the thin handles as I feel like I have better control. You can also position them in your hand several different ways.

 

[gdocktor3]

The soft grips pull off of the bottom two sets easily

I have both lengths of those picks and though I've never had a problem with the grips pulling off, the handles did unthread at first. I just put some goop on the threads and let them harden. Problem solved. I've been very happy with mine.

 

[genevabuck]

Someone stole my hard handle Snap-On set. So I went to Harbor Freight and bought the orange ones. Two of them broke as soon as I used them. In a pinch I bought these Stanley ones at WalMart for $8.00. They are every bit as good as the Snap On set that I had. Very impressed.

 

[djcslice]

This is my choice.

 

[archirelic]

Someone stole my hard handle Snap-On set. So I went to Harbor Freight and bought the orange ones. Two of them broke as soon as I used them. In a pinch I bought these Stanley ones at WalMart for $8.00. They are every bit as good as the Snap On set that I had. Very impressed.

I've had a set of those for several years now and while the tips are ridiculously durable and strong...the only issue I've run across is the shanks slipping out from the handles. I've had to epoxy several back into their handles.

 

[n8n]

^ good to know re: the Wally World ones.

I've already ordered the Pratt-Read ones but I will get those as a backup and compare if I have the chance.

I too destroyed the orange handle HF ones in about half an hour. Completely useless, although it was a challenging application. (removing internal clip from a messed up Garrard TT spindle bearing) Stabbed myself a few times as well which helped my mood not at all.

 

[pescados666]

I just got my Vermont American picks today and they seem to be very well made.
Here's some pick pics. The yellow/black handled ones are a set I've had for about 10 years now and are way past their prime.

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/13510451_1097979756925884_1183051774_n.jpg?oh=55035828a47804447fc6a12f78ae181c&oe=576ECEF3

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/13530580_1097979736925886_6762277_n.jpg?oh=1e1d8deb50ff34990415d090fb6c78e3&oe=576EB3B3

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/13514433_1097979766925883_499097276_n.jpg?oh=5ac421b2441b93fc0b14087c665891b4&oe=576EF5B0

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/13514354_1097979780259215_1480885940_n.jpg?oh=6551250c036eb302b60bc0edfdafeefc&oe=576E8DEF

 

[OHMS LAW]

Matco has a new set out by witte. I love them. They are the short ones but they have a great handle.

 

[wafrederick]

Matco has a new set out by witte. I love them. They are the short ones but they have a great handle.

Witte always has made Matco's picks

 

[n8n]

Well, I just got the Pratt Read ones the other day and last night tackled a job I was previously unable to do - popping the muting relay cover on an old Marantz integrated amp without major disassembly (for a little Deoxit cleaning) they worked fine...

next - the Garrard turntable platter bearing clip test - that is what utterly destroyed two sets of HF picks (and the TT is still under the bed in the spare bedroom, nonfunctional)

 

[dkroth]

Which of these 3 Craftsman pick sets is the best?

I have an older set of these from Craftsman. Clear, blue and red handles. Knurled shafts, nickle plated. Made in USA. Just wonderful. Just like the Pratt Reed mentioned earlier

I ordered another set - the exact ones pictured here - with some free SYW points. Made in China. No knurling. Cheap chrome metal shafts. Yech.

I'm trying to get up the nerve to buy these. List price: $47:

 

[Mastermind]

I have several sizes and handle type snappys, love them. Not too expensive. Have some freebie hf ones at home for light stuff. Wouldn't trust them as my only option. Have some older ones like the stanley that have lasted quite well.

 

[ryan20021982]

I'm not a mechanic so I don't put my stuff through its paces like others but I have the stanley ones posted above and the Gearwrench set which is good because it has large and small in the same set, both have been good for me.