I need good quality IC sockets which will not damage my PICs after
        numerous insertion and removal cycles?  Hows that... better?

    Any turned-pin socket should be OK. I often use "sacrificial" cheap
    sockets to hold the PIC.

Ack!  Get a (usually cheap) side-wipe socket for multiple insertions.  The
expensive machined pin scokets (round holes, round pins) are nasty to insert
into - they might not damage your pic, but YOU will trying to get them in.

Better yet, try this old hack: Use two sockets.  Put one on your board, put
the PIC in the other socket.  Now, instertion/removal wear and tear is on
the (cheap, replacable) socket the PIC is piggybacked on, rather than the
PIC itself.

BillW