DIY 2in1 Picks

[NIC]

a better alternative to the hacksaw is a plumbers tube cutter. Anyways, i find it is. Just need to find some silver solder and my 2 in 1's are done!!

[Gordon Airporte]

I found valve handles from the hardware store that I think work really well. You can see the little ball that the handle fits over soldered to the tube there. I cut it off of an old valve that I had laying around and drilled it out. This way the handle orientation is adjustable. I still need to find a nice way to keep the handle from sliding off the ball. I was thinking of threading the tube and putting a nut on or making a collar with a set screw.
The rear handle is held on by a set screw pressing into a flat I filed on the bar, so it's removable and the outer tube can come off. That handle is just plugged with a dowel until I can think of something better to use... maybe Fimo...



The octagonal sort of webbed valve handles are also available separately and would work. They have a square cutout in the middle that you'd need to figure out how to attach. I chose the brass ones mainly for aesthetics .

[SEVEN]

Looking good Gordon very nice

[NIC]

Gordon !! Fill the middle of the handle with JB WELD. Let it dry ,drill it it then fit it !!

[NIC]

I don't have my lock yet so i'm not sure how big i should do my tang ??

[JK_the_CJer]

I followed this guide (with some minor changes) a while back and with the help of step-dad crafted this:

http://theamazingking.com/images/pick-2in1.jpg

It was fun, to be honest I never got it to work on the really low quality lever lock i bought (from the US, not many options locally). The levers just wouldn't set. Eventually, I pushed it too far and the one of the silver-solder joints broke. It's repairable, but I still haven't gotten around to it. I just wanted to say thanks for the guide, it helped out a lot.[/img]

[Shrub]

You need more tension on most lever locks than pin tumbler locks,

If you can not tension the bolt enough to bind the levers without the tool breaking its likely not up to it however a common problem for people new to 2 in 1's is for them to leave/make the tensioning tang too long,

If the bolt throwing tang is too long is can catch or even jam on the 'V' of the bolt, if this happens you think you are putting tension on but in fact your not and simply turning against a jam up,

To check for this you simply look to see if the bolt moves in and out slightly when you put tension on or take it off, in and out is differant to a wiggle up and down by the way anything in contact with any part of the bolt will give the wiggle now and again so make sure it is moving in and out,
If you want further info including pics on this check my guide out on 2 in 1's,

Another possable reason is the two tangs may not always be the same size, some padlocks use a shrter bolt thrower than the part that lifts the levers,

[samfishers]

my question is: how does it work, i read the posts and still don't get it? any pictures on how to use it?

[Gordon Airporte]

One of the little tangs goes in the groove in the bolt and applies tension, the other one slides in and out so it can be positioned under each lever and it's turned to lift the lever until it sets. Which tang is used for which action depends on which side of the lock you're picking from.
It's very much like picking a pin tumbler where you do everything a key does but in several steps. One hand provides tension to push the locking mechanism against whatever's blocking it (pins or levers), and the other hand manipulates the pins/levers one at a time in whatever order they bind in.

[jpb06080]

great posts. I recently got an old mortise lever lock that im eager to pick. I want to make the picks, but I don't have silver soldering tools. Does anyone know how much that stuff costs?

[paulvalente]

Hey Guys, I've finally made myself one of these.

Here's a tip, when crafting the tangs from the 1/16th brass, it pays to get them as clos o the right size as possible prior to soldering them on, otherwise when you come to grind them down to the correct size there's a good chance they may break off!

Anyway here's a picture of my new 2 in 1 pick!



Cheers

Paul

[magiclockman]

I've finally made a couple of these. Work like a charm! I use plumbers compression blanks for the thumbwheels which can be directly soldered on to the rods to make the joints strong. Thanks for the instructions snapcarp!

[magiclockman]

Oh yes, and here's a photo of them...

DSC07871.JPG

[Jaakko]

magiclockman, what is that green stuff you used for the box?

[magiclockman]

It is a cut-up kneeling pad for gardening, from Homebase in the UK. Cost about £3 sterling and has lined 2 boxes for me...