McNally’s Reaper Lock Pick Set Review - Covert Instruments

[@averageguy7136]

Some features locknoob wasnt aware of: The cut outs under the pick shank is to allow more room to maneuver the pick with BOK turntools. The TOK turntools have a cutout on the shallow end that prevents the tool from catching on the shackle screw rivet on American locks. The slanted part of the handles allow for a more secure grip against your index finger. The BOK wrenches are tapered to provide more keyway room for raking and zipping.

[@NiqHowie]

I absolutely have improved in my single pin picking with this set. Are they and end all be all? No, but they certainly are very useful. I’m so happy I got mine

[@Longshot762x51]

Loving mine thus far. Got it mostly for the BOK turners but the McTickler is pretty neat.

[@TuMayPicking]

Respect! A Review as it should be, from my point of view as a consumer. Lately the reviews seem to be from Resellers. You look at them, you try them out and at the end you give your verdict, that's how it should be. Others just praise them, they don't even use them.

[@TassieHerpersTV]

I haven't put mine down since I got it. Love the kit and find it to be my go too out of the Echelon and Reaper.

[@derbmed1]

Great review. This is the first time I’ve seen this set ( I haven’t been on CI’s website in a while ). I agree with many of your views here. On the BOK turner length ( and possibly on the picks) is with the kinks, bends, and the torque placed on the tools- a shorter length was needed to reduce weakness in the tool= less likely to break sooner than other tools. A longer tool in that design would probably produce a weaker tool with a much shorter life.

[@dre-explores]

Agreed on all points. I will say that the adaptive turners/tensioners allow nice access to locks, and the 40 thousandths is very versatile. I hope they sell them separately, and in longer lengths. They are a new design that it'll be interesting to see if other companies consider, despite the additional complexity.

[@Thesnakerox]

From what I've heard, CI will start selling the Reaper tools separately in the Chop Shop in 2025. They're waiting for that because they want to make sure they'll be able to have full Reaper sets in stock for the holiday season!

[@jimmy_jamesjams_a_lot4171]

So nice to see how you hold your pick, as I am more the newby than you, Mr. Noob! And so I can try now to further develop the dexterity through my middle finger and as you do, I’ll practice using my middle finger as a pin detector and at the same time I’ll let it serve as a focus to get upward leverage for those hooks! Thanks once again for all of your endeavors!! That is assuming that it’s your intention to help teach those who lack fundamental knowledge that doesn’t necessarily come as instinct!!

[@LockSpaz]

To my own surprise, I'm a fan of the really long but very simple Southord BOK wrenches like the TW-61L for the bench; but for portability, shorter works fine. I actually really like the Reaper wrenches, and the aesthetic is amazing. I think the set is meant to be something of a specialized add-on to your base collection, not a "if you could only have one pick set what would it be" type of kit. Great review though, always value honesty over sycophancy.

[@Jackxen]

Their marketing is really good, McNally is a talented fellow in picking, production and fabrication. Not every picks going to be for every lock/style. So a fair review i think. Has made me think about getting out the monkey paws again though... I'll admit i brought those because of some youtuber (i forget his name) but didn't get on with them the first time.

[@1shagg420]

I like the McTickler for the tight paracentric keyways. You can kind of see saw the pins a lot of times.

[@mumbles1justin]

I think this set maybe designed more for US locks. The shorter turning tools would be nice for US door locks. Because theres only 2” ~ 2 1/8” of clearance from the center of keyway to door frame on a lot of doors. Sometimes less if theres extra weatherstripping.

[@iyeetsecurity922]

This is by far my favorite pick set. Every curve and groove in each tool serves a purpose. *They're not for aesthetics.*

[@LockNoob]

I’m glad you like it. Not sure if this is satire though…

[@iyeetsecurity922]

@LockNoob No, I'm legit loving this set. And CI released a short showing the purpose of the curves in the TOK turners, which is to clear the domed bolt that's on some padlocks. *Not sure why Palmer had such a harsh opinion on these, playing them off as a gimmick or novelty.*

[@nope8535]

The prybars are jaw bone shape. Its the back of the jaw that attaches to the skull.

[@Thesnakerox]

I feel like if someone has a Genesis set and is looking to up their game, the Reaper is a much better value than the Echelon. The Echelon comes with a bunch of extra tools that probably won't be very useful for building actual picking skills (namely the rakes and tubular picks), whereas all of the hooks in the Reaper can find a use in some situation or another.

[@PETEfromPA]

Yes! Great review. Been hitting this set really hard. Made some locks easier but like you said, I think I might have reached their limit. Trying to open some Best Padlocks and struggling hard. Was able to open all with their original short hook. Think I got lucky only twice with the Reaper set on the same lock.

[@CF_Sapper]

Some things that I've noticed over my use with them, a lot of what I had thought were stylization choices ended up having some use or function, either to avoid protrusions in lock faces, and body, depth of the core in the lock body. that notch in the bottom of the pick, also interfaces with the notch of the BOK tensioner allowing a very steep angle giving the picks a high lift then they otherwise would have. I do wish the handles were a bit longer, as I have longer hands/fingers and they are a tad short for longer picking sessions, but a 3d printed handle could fix that easy enough.

[@codyc.4830]

Great review . I also find the CI handles to thin and short for my liking. I personally like a the Law lock and Peterson size handles . Obviously, this is all a personal preference .

[@LockSpaz]

Agreed. Jimy Longs too, great handles. You can add 3d printed handles to the popsicle stick type of picks; Delta44 is making handles for the Reaper set now so that's an option at least, but overall I'm not sure how I feel about 3d printed handles, they've typically looked toy-ish to me, but maybe they'll evolve. Looking forward to the CI Apex set!

[@TsiolkovskySportingLocks]

Great review

[@roysammons2445]

I think you can only be absolutely honest and I think you've been absolutely totally fair. I think the train the shaft is so thick is too compensate for them only being 20 thousands thick. Personall I go for 19 thousands as my go to thickness. It looks like a great set and very eye catching but possibly as you say not quite as practical as some other sets.

[@Premises225]

My cheap acrylic lock is binding also now I want to progress in the hobby (hopefully turn it into a career) should I got out & buy an assortment of locks & use the cheap tools to learn those locks? Or should I buy some more of the acrylic ones but get different types?

[@mukashilt9229]

Depends what you mean by cheap tools? I bought one of those little fake credit card sets and managed to open a decent amount of padlocks. But the moment I bought one of the Southord beginner kits I realised how much easier it is to learn quicker and feel feedback more accurately. I suggest getting a beginner set from a reputable brand and practicing on more real locks. Snapped euro cylinders or locks without keys can be found cheaply

[@Premises225]

@@mukashilt9229 I have the cheap kit like the one in his “how to lock pick video” I’ve been looking for a cut open padlock with different pins & whatnot I thought that would be beneficial you think I should get on Facebook or eBay & get some cheap locks with no keys or do that after?

[@averageguy7136]

Great review. Thank you for doing this. I'm curious how the CI picks 'feel' when picking. I've only used petersen picks before and was wondering how the feedback is with CI.

[@lockpickertheo6435]

Hello, It's muchhhhhhh better actually :) The steels are very different as well as the polish. CI offers much greater feedback overall i believe

[@apnovi]

Cheers Ash.. Great video, Very informative :)

[@Tor_Locks_Viking]

Good video and review of it👍 and verry good things you point out, and I am 110% agree with you. Made for the US market and beginners/+

[@TheTimeProphet]

Looks like a nice set, but why no rakes included?

[@Odyngungnir]

Liked the review. And agree with you. I have the set. Absolutely love it. But yea would love to see some of those shorter picks longer. The bottom of keybway turning tools were game changer for me. All of the bottom of key way tensioner I had previously had were either sontiny they didn't really grab much or so tall it blocked more of they key way than I would have liked. This set opened up better bottom of key way tensioning for me. The shorter tensioning tools help me keep from over tensioning . Feel like when I get out further on the tensioners, I have too much leverage I'm sure most of that is skill issue but found these helpful. The wide tok tensioner I like how wide they are. Nice big flat surface to work with. Haven't tried and euro locks but they worked well on the seven pin pack lock 90 a pro that number reached back well enough. But yea little more length would be nice

[@candyquahogmarshmallow8257]

I get that reviewing picks looks better if you get the locks open faster than usual (which is why you use the same beginner style padlocks) but putting a new pick set through their paces with difficult locks is surely a better endorsement for those picks?

[@LockNoob]

No one would watch it though, I get what you are saying, but it’s a cake and eat it type thing. In the end, I’ve picked thousands of locks and used hundreds of pick sets, so I hope my opinion sort of carries where I don’t do long technical demonstrations

[@carlo6510]

Have you done a video on the covert companion and do you think the expansion packs for it are worth it?

[@mcdpoor]

I don’t have this set but sure interested in reading these comments.

[@shadroid]

It's interesting hearing people's opinion on pick widths. I call my 20k pick the crowbar and only pull it out for the paclock 90a pro. It barely fits in anything else I'm picking and when I first started it wasn't until I got Peterson's in 16 and 18 thousands that I started opening things intelligently. The fact that the CI kits include a standard hook in 25 thousands boggles my mind. Why and what would you be able to fit that in? Buy this set if you like mcnally and ci. I like both of those but honestly even though I've bought a LOT of stuff from ci, I only ever use the ergo turners and the case, and I only started using the case after I cut the magnets out and put velcro patches on so I could carry it in my pocket next to credit cards

[@ghost-wolf0742]

Awsome vid boss. I gotta admit I love his lock picks. I feel like I kinda did advance my picking skills with these then the geniuses picks. But I'll admit also, I am a big big fan of McNally. It didn't make sense to me either why the #1 profile is so short but personally I just use it for Zipping then switch to a different profile. Yea the Mctickler works great but keep in mind these are more delicate. Overall it's a great set.

[@TheInfoInstitute]

Hi Mr Noob. I've recently got into lock picking, and after getting hooked (pin intended) using a shitty Amazon set I just ordered the Sparrows Darkshift kit ... Can you please recommend some fun locks that I can buy to pick as a beginner?

[@hansmntfr]

For what I have seen in his videos Mcnally really really likes zipping, personally I think its kinda risky feels like you should be really confident in that you would do it without something breaking, I would love to try it but for some reason they dont ship to my country

[@wolfganggrojcig2528]

🤔 hmmm i'd love to test these too. See how they fair against intermediate and high security locks

[@Leonslockpad]

nice review Ash mate great video 👍😊🇬🇧👊😎

[@jamespaley8981]

Out of curiosity what’s the damage after shipping and taxes to UK?

[@LockPickingTeen]

I don’t understand why they don’t ship to me

[@coltonware5627]

Honestly, I wish I could just purchase those BOK turners.. I like the offset on them but that’s it. The gray case is nice too.. but again, that’s it for me. I’d rather use that $60 for a few Mokis

[@NickJaggers-yo6sz]

Agree with your summary, found them too short but have got use to the length, couldn’t recommend though.

[@Redawesomeoby]

Only gripe is the handles. I poke myself each time I use em

[@daRock1212]

Personally, having just crossed from what I consider beginner to intermediate, sets lose their appeal. For me, an intermediate picker starts getting "picky" (hehe) about the types of tools they like, they specialize on their strengths/weaknesses, and it makes more sense to piece together a set. For example I was looking for a good upgrade set because I was reaching the limits of what I could pick with my beginner's AMZ set. Watching a ton of your videos and scouring the typical sellers, the best I could find were Multipick dual and triple gauge sets. But I already knew I didn't like raking (and I could live with my beginner's AMZ rakes when I wanted to try), and being left-handed I had specific requirements for turners. So instead of getting a big expensive set that would honestly come with a bunch of spare metal I wouldn't use, I pieced together a really nice Sparrow set of L, Euro, M, and H hooks and the full suite of Monkey Paws in .025 and .020 in (actually .023 and .018 post tumble, if you measure) and a load of Sparrows and CI top and bottom turners, all non twist. I'm really happy with my choice and picked an American 1100 for the first time while watching this video! Now to get good at it :) Cheers

[@dennisvanslingerland2258]

Super!!! 😃

[@pickbeard2305]

Quiet like the look of the scalloped parts of the picks, the case does look nice, however the magnetism on the case on the picks would annoy me after some time. Thank you for pointing out the difference in length as I think this would be an issue for some. Loved the video

[@Triggerhappy938]

Wait what's wrong with the dimple rake?

[@kckmjohnny1984]

dear lock noob! please help me! I'm an amateur lock picker who has reached the top of his game... and a tool collector in the second place. I would really like to get any Covert Inteuments set, but they no longer deliver to Europe and have no reseller partner. (if Sparrows covers Europe why not THEY???). help me to get them, since they are the only ones missing from my collection. postscript: Thank you for this hobby and the detailed knowledge you gave.

[@OscarHernandez-rj1dl]

I just ordered one they ought to be breaking you off some some

[@danareed1656]

nice set!

[@truckinglock]

Great review!!!

[@EncyclopediaCatanica]

I explained everything in my videos 22 and 24. To much dust rised for nothing.

[@ShadowBanned-247]

Sold out as usual 🤐

[@0zmose]

I just bought one. It still shows them in stock for me.

[@cameronrich2536]

It's designed for experts. So it's not better it's a worse design to make you struggle and get better

[@LockNoob]

Ah I see!! 😄😄

[@cameronrich2536]

@LockNoob terrible terrible design and honestly will probably mess up everything you've learned over the years. I'll take it off your hands though so you don't have to stress about that

[@LockPickingPastor]

First. Nice video!

[@3vil3lvis]

This set is LACKING.....Laser Etching!

[@christinapalmer]

This set is form over function at a level more typically expected from Sparrows. They are not rationally engineered, they are artistically stylized. There are far more practical picks on the market.

[@Lilwoozyhere]

You must have never seen McNally’s feet. It’s the only explanation for your blasphemy.

[@joelbaruch1066]

@@Lilwoozyhere McNally is more or less an entertainer and not a lock pick designer. Most of his picking videos are faked by altering the pins so that it can be picked easily, its known thing among the locksport community.

[@Lilwoozyhere]

@@joelbaruch1066 hater

[@joelbaruch1066]

@@Lilwoozyhere yeah, it hurts when the truth is revealed. Blind will follow the blind and believe any lie.

[@Lilwoozyhere]

@@joelbaruch1066 all those fake locks he picks right out of the package. It’s crazy.

[@robdubent]

LOL it’s hilarious when inept pickers claim someone uses fake locks or alters them simply because they have zero clue or ability. Face it Reddit haters- you oniomaniacs should spend less time spending money on tools you can’t use and more on the very skills you refuse to believe when you see them 😂 🤡

[@mikemar42]

This set wasn't designed to pick 7-pin euro cylinders. It's designed to zip open locks in the US. I know this review really matters to Europeans but in the US I don't give a shit about those euro locks.

[@RobCrawford23]

Either you are saying euro cylinders matter to you or you actually mean you couldn't care less.

[@mikemar42]

@@RobCrawford23 They got men over there in the UK or just women like you rob?

[@RobCrawford23]

@@mikemar42 awww poor baby you think only women are literate?

[@dretrott1652]

Dude I'm so sick of McNally. Covert instruments lost my business when they brought him on board

[@johncooper9887]

This must be the 8th review of the reaper set I've seen advertised. Since CI is sponsoring most of the locksport podcasts in the USA, these are pushed ad nauseum so I'm not going to watch. Just know anything about CI is overexposed to us.

[@LockNoob]

Well, this I bought with my own money, so rest assured, this video might not be what you expected