Your efforts have not been in vain, Sandman! I've learned more from you regarding the tools of the trade and the history of our hobby than all of the other channels combined. Thanks for doing what you do!🤟
Thanks for the shoutout Sandman. I agree for an edc tool the companion is completely usable with the riv-pick addition. The locksport community has a tendency to be singularly focused on solely locksport use. Add on that “Rule 2” or no discussing locks in use is a thing strongly enforced online any discussion of actually needing to have tools easily at their disposal isn’t allowed so the argument immediately becomes one-sided when comments about how the tool can be useful are deleted. I’d have to carry both a genesis set and arbiter set to have a covert companion with all the additions. So for edc use it absolutely makes sense. Are full size tools more comfortable and easier to use? Absolutely. But for convenience and versatility it’s hard to argue with the CC from a non-locksport perspective. It’s not perfect imo but its strengths far outweigh the few things I don’t like about it.
I really appreciate your transparency and honesty when it comes to these reviews man. You’re partially the reason I got into lock picking, well starting to at least. You are what every community needs, someone who loves the hobby, and is honest about it. Love your work man, keep it up
after a break of a few years i was addicted to lock picking again. With that addiction came the addiction to your videos love them! picking locks watching your vids lifes good!
Excellent review! I made the decision to try covert instruments tools based off your explanation of steel used by different brands. Love the company now and I prefer them in most situations, with multipick filling the gaps. If they make more hook profiles, I’m all in
@@sandman_locksport definitely. I’ve been working on a paclock 90A-pro recently and the CI TOK turners are too big vertically to fit in the keyway. The multipick ones are small enough to notch in nicely
Love the video! I got the Covert Companion as well and I love it! Totally love how you can customize it and personalize it! For me, one of the big benefits of the Covert Companion is the size and that the picks have a full 360 degrees of rotation which allows you to angle the pick into a position that is most comfortable to you. I'm planning on doing an accessibility review of the Covert Companion soon as well. I just got the 0.020" pick set for my Covert Companion as well and I'm thinking about putting it on my second Covert Companion (I got the slim-pickings and added the Genesis picks to it).
I should also add that the only thing I don't like about the Covert Companion is the American Lock Bypass. I couldn't get it to work out-of-box. I had to grind down the profile on it in order to get it working. Once I did that it works great! But it would be nice for them to redesign it so that it works a bit more consistently.
One of my thoughts is that if I pick up a companion I'll ditch the .025 tools replicated in the riv and replace them with the .020 so I'm not using four spots to repeat tools. I also find that the ergo comb turners are nice and compact and I might prefer to keep carrying those as opposed to the combs in the companion.
Nice review. I’m new to this lock picking hobby. I’m hooked. Have a couple CI learn locking picking kits. I think my next move is the sparrows revolver and then this covert instruments companion. 👍
Now I’m so new at this my opinion probably doesn’t matter much, but I 100% agree! I’ve got all the same tools and I even added the scissors to cut plastic & thin metal shims on the fly as well as the full lock harpoon set to disable padlocks at the hardware store I manage.
Thanks man, i was on Reddit and noticed the hate too, because of you i just dropped 200, got the riv, covert companion, dimple and turn add on, i have really wanted to echelon but i edc all my stuff in my pockets including an leatherman and benchmade, i didn’t want to add a wallet sized item, so hopefully this will be a game changer for me.
I carry the companion everyday I have it in a belt case from a utility knife I had from husky it fits perfectly in it and I have everything on the companion as well
I bought my first real lock pick set from covert instruments after watching lpl but did not know if he was being objective about his products. I found sandman and he reviewed a lot of pick sets and said the geniuses set from C.I was if I remember correctly he said the best. 10 minutes later I ordered it and I'm very happy with it. Thanks sandman your reviews are spot on.
Thank you for the honest review, and while your objective reviews are greatly appreciated, there's nothing wrong with having an opinion on lock sport tools, so keep being you and don't worry about it! Unfortunately I recently lost mine. I believe my covert companion hitched a ride with my car keys and was lost while I was leaving the store, so one suggestion to anyone with these is find some way to attach it to your belt loop outside the pocket whether some Paracord, chain clip, etc.
They’re $70 on sale now. But I don’t want to even try single pin picking with it. I might take the rakes and hooks off. But i want everything else with it! And I’ll have my genesis kit, ergo turners, with my southern specialties force set with me at all times.
I agree 100% as I am not in locksport. I am a hobbyist who got into picking out of necessity and interest. However I disagree with one point - that it’s perfect. I have one recommendation that I made to them - they need a riv pick option with the hooks reversed because of how I hold it, it constantly breaks in my hand. If they were reversed, I could pick with the riv identical to how I pick from the companion hooks.
I really like the Southern Specialties!! Just wish the handle was a little longer. Sometimes I feel like I am gonna drop it!!! But still a decent tool!!!😊
This is my EDC since it first came out. Use it often. Couldn’t single pin pick with it at all until the Riv Pick came out. Made some mods to it, added some of my own stuff, and posted a UA-cam video on it. I did go buy a pack of stainless steel washers and added posts so the picks are spread out more making it easier to fold everything back together. It is wider, making it more like my 'overt' companion. My one suggestion, would be to make the entire CC as a series of modules that slip into universal holders. So you could easily customize your carry based on your situation. You could have the Riv Pick module of spp picks only, a jiggler/rake module, warded pick module, bypass modules and so on. And maybe that would fix my other wish-that they locked when opened for easier use. Also, just wish they made a simple, thin slip in case for my pocket to make it a little more comfortable. Any Swiss army type, or leatherman case is just too bulky, taking the 'covert' out of the covert companion. I wouldn’t worry about defending your opinions in the comments. It’s a review. It’s your review/opinion. I wouldn’t let it bother me for one sec. Enjoy your videos. 👍🏻
I bought the covert companion with the tension bar set, & riv pick is on my list. You do great reviews! Opinions cost a lot of money, you have to listen to them, work through the holes they can't see for themselves, and they pull guys off of work on the job. Knowing the problem is half the battle but don't come to me without a proposed solution. On another note what are your thoughts on the Tool Wicked Waves that have cycloid and sinusoid shape?
The toool wicked waves were designed by Christina Palmer, they are the same rakes found on the riv pick, and the Genesis set, and echelon, and 2/3 of all rakes on the market. Also, covert instruments makes the Toool set for toool.
I pulled out a city rake and half diamond from a knock off of the Southern specialties and added them to my CC. You may be able to do the same if you are looking for more options.
thank you for your work and for your reviews, thank you for introducing me to moki and thank you for being yourself, I always say, "if I wanted to please everyone I was born cocaine", I wasn't born cocaine so I know people won't be agree with me
I love mine but i took out the single pin picks that came with if and replaced it with the riv pick. And took out most of the warded lock picks since I never see those in my area. Keep it clipped on my key chain.
Do you know why Covert Instruments does not send you a covert companion with it completely assembled? They should give the option to have them built it with all there different parts.
I think one of the main selling points of the Covert Companion for them is selling a tool that you can completely customize the assembly of. But I also agree, I would love to have the option of them preassembling the Covert Companion to one of their blueprints.
As a person who works with tools, or even firearms, learning how to completely assemble/disassemble any tool is very helpful. I’ve probably modified mine two dozen times since I purchased it, as I’ve been using it.
Right now i have a slim pickings on the way. I only watched your teardown of the Escort earlier tonight, but even my inexperienced ass could figure out that the relative lack of tools made the price point ridiculous. I'm still on the fence about the Companion but only because my though would be that if im not putting it directly on my person, and have Slim on me instead, I have the Genesis, Arbiter, and Eschelon nearby, which, save for the warded picks and three jighlers, makes a lot of the Companion redundant. All of that aside, it is cool as hell and might go on a "black Friday sale" list anyway. And as for subjective vs. objective reviews. I think a lot of us out here value an honest review more than anything else and I absolutely believe that's what you given us here. "This is what i use. This is what I carry. This is what I trust." Is about as much of a no nonsense review as we're going to get. Scarborough was my first ren faire back in '97 but I never got to TRF before I moved back north.
Yeah, there does seem to be an almost irrational hate for this tool in the community. Not srue why. I mean, it's not perfect, what tools is? At the end of the day the best tool for the job is the one you have on hand. I also carry one in my EDC.
Like Georgia Jim discussed in his comment, it seems like a lot of it comes down to that pesky "Rule 2," which forbids discussion of picking locks that one doesn't own or are actively in use. In fact, I once got shot down just for mentioning needing to pick a lock in an emergency situation! Matter of fact, whenever I see someone in the locksport community talk about Covert Instruments, they will more often than not mention "Rule 2" in the same train of thought.
@@Thesnakerox I understand why they have the rule. It makes sense, but I don't think CI is focused on Lockport. I think they are more about emergency entry and law enforcement. Though a lot of their products overlap with Lockport. Also, I would bet if pressed in private many would admit to picking an in use lock somewhere. Most likely helping a family member or friend who locked themselves out of something.
Solely for locksport, it makes no sense to buy. For the EDC or the first responder? It's probably the single best tool to have. I get the hate, but I also get the appeal. I own one, I'm not a fan because I do not need to carry one, but I own it because maybe one day I will. It's the 2021 revision with the southern specialties steel and poor finish but certainly all of the tools inside would still function just as any tool would. It's the most polarising tool for a reason, but it has a place. Yes, that place is out of exclusive locksport. But it has a place. And I'm tired of the hate and thought that it doesn't.
I noticed a lot of the blueprints include eliminating a tool to make other things fit - yet I noticed yours looks like it has every option available…. Any assembly tips to have a complete kit?
@@sandman_locksport thanks man. They say you are only as old as you feel. So I suspect I'll be in geriatric care, pickin my way into the depends cabinet soon 🤣
![[76] Covert Instruments Practice Lock Set Up](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qCe_PAEB8rQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Your efforts have not been in vain, Sandman! I've learned more from you regarding the tools of the trade and the history of our hobby than all of the other channels combined. Thanks for doing what you do!🤟
Thanks for the shoutout Sandman. I agree for an edc tool the companion is completely usable with the riv-pick addition.
The locksport community has a tendency to be singularly focused on solely locksport use. Add on that “Rule 2” or no discussing locks in use is a thing strongly enforced online any discussion of actually needing to have tools easily at their disposal isn’t allowed so the argument immediately becomes one-sided when comments about how the tool can be useful are deleted.
I’d have to carry both a genesis set and arbiter set to have a covert companion with all the additions. So for edc use it absolutely makes sense. Are full size tools more comfortable and easier to use? Absolutely. But for convenience and versatility it’s hard to argue with the CC from a non-locksport perspective. It’s not perfect imo but its strengths far outweigh the few things I don’t like about it.
Lol reddit is such a cesspool of actual brainrot takes and arbitrary rules i don't mind being permanently banned all i need are the answers 😂
Thank you Sandman. Catching some of your past videos. :)
Sandman!!!! So awesome that you're reviewing the Convert Companion!!!! Thank you!!! Looking forward too watching!!!
I really appreciate your transparency and honesty when it comes to these reviews man. You’re partially the reason I got into lock picking, well starting to at least. You are what every community needs, someone who loves the hobby, and is honest about it.
Love your work man, keep it up
after a break of a few years i was addicted to lock picking again. With that addiction came the addiction to your videos love them! picking locks watching your vids lifes good!
Love my covert companion
Love your honest reviews Sandman!
Glad I got the chance to catch the premier!
I've waiting 2 years to buy one, I ordered it yesterday.
Excellent review! I made the decision to try covert instruments tools based off your explanation of steel used by different brands. Love the company now and I prefer them in most situations, with multipick filling the gaps. If they make more hook profiles, I’m all in
I agree, I use some of the multipick turning tools, and look forward to future profiles from covert.
@@sandman_locksport definitely. I’ve been working on a paclock 90A-pro recently and the CI TOK turners are too big vertically to fit in the keyway. The multipick ones are small enough to notch in nicely
Love the video! I got the Covert Companion as well and I love it! Totally love how you can customize it and personalize it! For me, one of the big benefits of the Covert Companion is the size and that the picks have a full 360 degrees of rotation which allows you to angle the pick into a position that is most comfortable to you. I'm planning on doing an accessibility review of the Covert Companion soon as well.
I just got the 0.020" pick set for my Covert Companion as well and I'm thinking about putting it on my second Covert Companion (I got the slim-pickings and added the Genesis picks to it).
I should also add that the only thing I don't like about the Covert Companion is the American Lock Bypass. I couldn't get it to work out-of-box. I had to grind down the profile on it in order to get it working. Once I did that it works great! But it would be nice for them to redesign it so that it works a bit more consistently.
One of my thoughts is that if I pick up a companion I'll ditch the .025 tools replicated in the riv and replace them with the .020 so I'm not using four spots to repeat tools. I also find that the ergo comb turners are nice and compact and I might prefer to keep carrying those as opposed to the combs in the companion.
Nice review. I’m new to this lock picking hobby. I’m hooked. Have a couple CI learn locking picking kits. I think my next move is the sparrows revolver and then this covert instruments companion. 👍
Now I’m so new at this my opinion probably doesn’t matter much, but I 100% agree! I’ve got all the same tools and I even added the scissors to cut plastic & thin metal shims on the fly as well as the full lock harpoon set to disable padlocks at the hardware store I manage.
Thanks man, i was on Reddit and noticed the hate too, because of you i just dropped 200, got the riv, covert companion, dimple and turn add on, i have really wanted to echelon but i edc all my stuff in my pockets including an leatherman and benchmade, i didn’t want to add a wallet sized item, so hopefully this will be a game changer for me.
You’ll like it. You can keep it in your vehicle if anything
I just ordered this with the tension expansion. I can’t wait to get my hands on it and build it
I carry the companion everyday I have it in a belt case from a utility knife I had from husky it fits perfectly in it and I have everything on the companion as well
That’s awesome, I’ll have to try to find that case
Really enjoy your reviews. Very interesting
Glad you like them!
Great testimonial. I love my covert companion and riv pick. Thanks for being honest!
I bought my first real lock pick set from covert instruments after watching lpl but did not know if he was being objective about his products. I found sandman and he reviewed a lot of pick sets and said the geniuses set from C.I was if I remember correctly he said the best. 10 minutes later I ordered it and I'm very happy with it. Thanks sandman your reviews are spot on.
Thank you for the honest review, and while your objective reviews are greatly appreciated, there's nothing wrong with having an opinion on lock sport tools, so keep being you and don't worry about it!
Unfortunately I recently lost mine. I believe my covert companion hitched a ride with my car keys and was lost while I was leaving the store, so one suggestion to anyone with these is find some way to attach it to your belt loop outside the pocket whether some Paracord, chain clip, etc.
Been thinking of getting that and adding tools once I’ve learned to use them.
This channel is incredible man. All of your videos have been tremendously helpful. You definitely earned a sub from me, keep up the great content
They’re $70 on sale now. But I don’t want to even try single pin picking with it. I might take the rakes and hooks off. But i want everything else with it! And I’ll have my genesis kit, ergo turners, with my southern specialties force set with me at all times.
I agree 100% as I am not in locksport. I am a hobbyist who got into picking out of necessity and interest.
However I disagree with one point - that it’s perfect.
I have one recommendation that I made to them - they need a riv pick option with the hooks reversed because of how I hold it, it constantly breaks in my hand. If they were reversed, I could pick with the riv identical to how I pick from the companion hooks.
I really like the Southern Specialties!! Just wish the handle was a little longer. Sometimes I feel like I am gonna drop it!!! But still a decent tool!!!😊
This is my EDC since it first came out. Use it often. Couldn’t single pin pick with it at all until the Riv Pick came out.
Made some mods to it, added some of my own stuff, and posted a UA-cam video on it. I did go buy a pack of stainless steel washers and added posts so the picks are spread out more making it easier to fold everything back together. It is wider, making it more like my 'overt' companion.
My one suggestion, would be to make the entire CC as a series of modules that slip into universal holders. So you could easily customize your carry based on your situation. You could have the Riv Pick module of spp picks only, a jiggler/rake module, warded pick module, bypass modules and so on. And maybe that would fix my other wish-that they locked when opened for easier use.
Also, just wish they made a simple, thin slip in case for my pocket to make it a little more comfortable. Any Swiss army type, or leatherman case is just too bulky, taking the 'covert' out of the covert companion.
I wouldn’t worry about defending your opinions in the comments. It’s a review. It’s your review/opinion. I wouldn’t let it bother me for one sec.
Enjoy your videos. 👍🏻
Great video Sandman...High quality tools like this are hard to come by. Thank you for your honesty and feedback! Peace! #PNW #509 #Locksport
Have it and love it. Slim pickings my carry
I bought the covert companion with the tension bar set, & riv pick is on my list. You do great reviews!
Opinions cost a lot of money, you have to listen to them, work through the holes they can't see for themselves, and they pull guys off of work on the job. Knowing the problem is half the battle but don't come to me without a proposed solution.
On another note what are your thoughts on the Tool Wicked Waves that have cycloid and sinusoid shape?
The toool wicked waves were designed by Christina Palmer, they are the same rakes found on the riv pick, and the Genesis set, and echelon, and 2/3 of all rakes on the market. Also, covert instruments makes the Toool set for toool.
I pulled out a city rake and half diamond from a knock off of the Southern specialties and added them to my CC. You may be able to do the same if you are looking for more options.
thank you for your work and for your reviews, thank you for introducing me to moki and thank you for being yourself, I always say, "if I wanted to please everyone I was born cocaine", I wasn't born cocaine so I know people won't be agree with me
I love mine but i took out the single pin picks that came with if and replaced it with the riv pick. And took out most of the warded lock picks since I never see those in my area. Keep it clipped on my key chain.
Do you know why Covert Instruments does not send you a covert companion with it completely assembled? They should give the option to have them built it with all there different parts.
I'd pay $10 extra just to have it assembled.
I think one of the main selling points of the Covert Companion for them is selling a tool that you can completely customize the assembly of. But I also agree, I would love to have the option of them preassembling the Covert Companion to one of their blueprints.
As a person who works with tools, or even firearms, learning how to completely assemble/disassemble any tool is very helpful. I’ve probably modified mine two dozen times since I purchased it, as I’ve been using it.
Right now i have a slim pickings on the way. I only watched your teardown of the Escort earlier tonight, but even my inexperienced ass could figure out that the relative lack of tools made the price point ridiculous. I'm still on the fence about the Companion but only because my though would be that if im not putting it directly on my person, and have Slim on me instead, I have the Genesis, Arbiter, and Eschelon nearby, which, save for the warded picks and three jighlers, makes a lot of the Companion redundant. All of that aside, it is cool as hell and might go on a "black Friday sale" list anyway.
And as for subjective vs. objective reviews. I think a lot of us out here value an honest review more than anything else and I absolutely believe that's what you given us here. "This is what i use. This is what I carry. This is what I trust." Is about as much of a no nonsense review as we're going to get.
Scarborough was my first ren faire back in '97 but I never got to TRF before I moved back north.
You are not wrong about tools. I was a professional mechanic for 22 years and people would come to blows over tool companies.😊
Damn Sandman that reminds me I gotta put that S.O.B. back together.
Great video as always. It keeps getting harder not to buy that damn thing lol
This is one rabbit hole I refuse to go down. Nope. Won't do it. You can't make me.
Yeah, there does seem to be an almost irrational hate for this tool in the community. Not srue why. I mean, it's not perfect, what tools is? At the end of the day the best tool for the job is the one you have on hand. I also carry one in my EDC.
Like Georgia Jim discussed in his comment, it seems like a lot of it comes down to that pesky "Rule 2," which forbids discussion of picking locks that one doesn't own or are actively in use. In fact, I once got shot down just for mentioning needing to pick a lock in an emergency situation!
Matter of fact, whenever I see someone in the locksport community talk about Covert Instruments, they will more often than not mention "Rule 2" in the same train of thought.
@@Thesnakerox I understand why they have the rule. It makes sense, but I don't think CI is focused on Lockport. I think they are more about emergency entry and law enforcement. Though a lot of their products overlap with Lockport.
Also, I would bet if pressed in private many would admit to picking an in use lock somewhere. Most likely helping a family member or friend who locked themselves out of something.
Solely for locksport, it makes no sense to buy. For the EDC or the first responder? It's probably the single best tool to have. I get the hate, but I also get the appeal.
I own one, I'm not a fan because I do not need to carry one, but I own it because maybe one day I will. It's the 2021 revision with the southern specialties steel and poor finish but certainly all of the tools inside would still function just as any tool would.
It's the most polarising tool for a reason, but it has a place. Yes, that place is out of exclusive locksport. But it has a place. And I'm tired of the hate and thought that it doesn't.
I noticed a lot of the blueprints include eliminating a tool to make other things fit - yet I noticed yours looks like it has every option available…. Any assembly tips to have a complete kit?
Take your time, have fun.
Was never able to properly close without all the tools getting in each others way
I followed the instructions the lawyer guy gave. Built mine yesterday it fits well together
In some places just add one more shim. I have no way of telling you where to put the shims, I bet mine is far different then yours.
Do you think (or have any inside info) that they'll make a 0.02" version of the rivpick?
I have no idea.
@@sandman_locksportThat's something I'd love to get my hands on!
Hey man, my birthday is Monday, if you decide you don't want that anymore 😂
Nope! Happy Birthday
@@sandman_locksport thanks man. They say you are only as old as you feel. So I suspect I'll be in geriatric care, pickin my way into the depends cabinet soon 🤣
Must hate the wait 😢
Why am I so unlucky without this Pick?