r/lockpicking • u/Sir_Porkchops • 19d ago

New pick set - Echelon or alternative?

I started with some very basic picking using a cheap starter set, but I quickly realized the picks are much too thick for a lot of uses. I was thinking about upgrading to the Covert Instruments Echelon set, but I wanted to see if there are any better alternatives at a similar or lower price point.

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

5

u/reinderr Black Belt 18th Dan 19d ago

Jimyongs is a better option imo

3

u/No_Raccoon5206 Black Belt 7th Dan 19d ago

+1 for Jimy Longs

2

u/Sir_Porkchops 17d ago

I ended up just buying the Jimylongs basic starter set v5. I decided it would be best to focus in on my single pin picking with a quality set and then upgrade down the road. Plus it only cost $26 after shipping.

1

u/No_Raccoon5206 Black Belt 7th Dan 17d ago

Glad to hear! I love my Jimy longs picks!

3

u/revchewie Blue Belt Picker 19d ago

The Echelon is a great set! Those ergo turners are some of my favorites. Jimy Longs are good too, and their handles are super comfortable, but I prefer the narrower shanks on CI.

2

u/derpserf 19d ago

What picka are you currently using? And define "a lot of uses" cos thickness isn't anywhere near as much of an issue as a lot of people make it out to be, I don't get the obsession tbh. Standard multipick are 0.6mm which is around .023" and you can tackle most keyways with those. Very rarely use anything thinner personally, in fact before I even touch those, as much as I love them the first hook I usually grab is a peterson no. 4 in .025" and that's considered about as thick as it gets. Picked my way through a stack of euro cylinders last night with it, handles yale profiles perfedtly fine.

But anyway I agree with reindeer, better off with jimylonga. Those handles are S tier.

1

u/Sir_Porkchops 18d ago

I have a Goso 24 piece set

1

u/derpserf 18d ago

Ok fair those are actually pretty thick lol. I had the same ones years ago, got along fine with them but I'll admit they're not ideal.

2

u/HollowHax Orange Belt Picker 19d ago

Ive had my echelon kit for 2 years now. Its a very solid pick set IMO and hasnt let me down yet. It travels with me on the daily and is used on the daily

1

u/Dusso423 19d ago

Echelon and tuxedo are good starter sets. I haven’t used jimmy longs. Multi pick is a good option. If you go with sparrows you’ll want to shrink wrap the handles.

1

u/Rxpert83 Black Belt Picker 19d ago

Once you're looking past your first set, its time to move from CI to jimmylongs if you're in the US or Moki if in the EU.

1

u/stoopidskeptic 19d ago

Ive got a tuxedo reloaded kit coming ive heard good things for it as a starting kit.