Materials for home made

[picker_boy]

I am really new to lock picking. But so far i really like it. I have made three of my own picks so far. I use old butter knives, that i found at a dump for them. I thin and grind them down to my desired shape and size and they work really good. What do the rest of you guys make yours out of? Ive heard of using hack saw blades but those seem kinda flimsy to me. Also i have made a pick with a triangle at the end, one with a circle at the end and one with two different sized circles on the end. What are the correct names for these and what are some other types that are nessesary for lock picking.

Thanks

[Guitar_J]

Well... if it is shaped like this /\_______ that is a half diamond, the ones with circles (if they're complete circles) are called Ball picks. They're usually used for (I think) double sided locks, I've not found a use for mine since I've had it (I don't own any double sided locks) Look into making a rake and a hook... search for them on the site.. you'll find them... also don't forget a variety of tension tools, they're just as important as picks...

[Romstar]

If you have flimsy hacksaw blades, you are getting them too hot when you are grinding.

The other material to try is flat steel plumbing snake. Try to find at least 1/4" wide snake. This stuff can be hard to find, as they are trying desperately to sell people the much more expensive coiled spring snakes.

Another material that some people have had good results with is stainless steel table cloth clips. Find them at any outdoors store, or anywhere you buy camping gear.

Paring knives and cheap steak knives also can provide decent steel stock, as they are almost always stainless. If you use knives, you might want to use a belt sander to reduce the thickness of the metal. Try to find a caliper that measures in thousandths of an inch. Your picks should be .025" or 25 thousandths.

If all else fails, go to www.smallparts.com and look for the spring steel strips. .025" thick, 1/2" wide and 6, 12 or 24 inch long. They are sold in packs of 12 strips I believe.

Good luck,
Romstar

[skold]

well romstar has the idea


some stainless steak knives are ok but i prefer high speed steel hacksaw blades they can bend in a circle from one end to another and bend back to their original shape. hack saw blades are very cheap aswell

[Retrovertigo]

I have had good success with spring steel lumber banding.. Check it out: http://www.univpack.com/Portal/PortalCS/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=4&tabid=17

It may not be the best but best of all it's free at your local lumber yard. They just throw it away!

[S3rratedSp00L]

If the lumber banding is like brickstrap, it should do wonderfully! I installed an antenna on the roof of my house a few years ago and used the excess brick strap that was in the installation kit to make a few picks and a tension wrench! It worked just fine! Same things apply as with anything else. Keep it cool when grinding, etc, etc...

I like hacksaw blades a lot! If you treat them just right they last a long time, and I can get 20 blades for 2 bux at one of the local hardware stores.

I even made some picks with used hacksaw blades that turned out ok. A few of them broke, but the ones that I take the care to keep cool are still in use a couple years later! Making picks is half the fun!

[mart!n]

about hacksaw blades:
i occasionally read here that they need some tempering and stuff, the last post above doesnt indicate any of this.
now, do they need some temperature treatment (when they dont get hot while grinding)?

btw, what are hacksaws exactly? being from germany im unfamiliar with some technical words. i assume hacksaw means saws used for cutting metal, the ones with the dark blades and the very fine serration.

[hex]

this is the site i learned how to make picks and wrenches from, it has great pictures and provides some mesurments. as for tempreing the hacksaw blade while your grinding, i believe the site said to put it fully into water every 3 seconds or so, at least thats what i remeber doing, and my picks have been around for a while now.

http://www.gregmiller.net/locks/makelockpicks.html

[Peter Martin]

I have had no luck trying to make picks from hacksaw blades. They are flimsy. Even after hardening and quenching they stil bend.
Try stainless steel from inexpensive steak knives bought at your local thrift store - preferably japanese steel. Don't overheat the steel while cutting or grinding - go slowly.

[Romstar]

I have had no luck trying to make picks from hacksaw blades. They are flimsy. Even after hardening and quenching they stil bend.
Try stainless steel from inexpensive steak knives bought at your local thrift store - preferably japanese steel. Don't overheat the steel while cutting or grinding - go slowly.

Sounds to me like bi-metal hack saw blades. Difficult to harden, and even harder to temper.

Stick with plain carbon steel blades. These will result in a pick that is decently flexible, but would require proper tempering to bend in the same way as spring steel.

Romstar

[Serethipas]

i think what they mean is that the hacksaw blade itself is to flimsy to use as a lockpick
while they are wiggly side to side,that only makes it more durible
plus when your picking,they arent flimsy vertically,so there should be no problems

-and i dont think the blades need to be tempered,from what ive heard/seen(in pyros pick making video),you want to stick them in water once you start to feel the lightest bit of heat if your holding the blade in your hands while grinding

[Romstar]

i think what they mean is that the hacksaw blade itself is to flimsy to use as a lockpick
while they are wiggly side to side,that only makes it more durible
plus when your picking,they arent flimsy vertically,so there should be no problems

-and i dont think the blades need to be tempered,from what ive heard/seen(in pyros pick making video),you want to stick them in water once you start to feel the lightest bit of heat if your holding the blade in your hands while grinding

Bi-Metal blades have a very soft blade, and a hardened edge. The teeth are the only harded part of the blade.
They suck for making picks. Thus, if it's all you have, they MUST be hardened, and then tempered. There just isn't any other option if you are using bi-metal hacksaw blades.

Pyro was using common carbon steel blades. Hardened all the way through. This is their strength, and also their weakness. Spring steel picks will bend 45 degrees out of line, and return to their original shape. A hacksaw blade can't do that when you are talking about something the size and shape of a lock pick. The pick shaft is too small to accept that sort of deflection when it is made of carbon steel. Try it sometime, and you will get either a broken pick, or one that can't be straightened.

Trust me when I tell you that I have made picks out of just about every sort of material going. If he has bothered to make a pick out of this blade, and discovered that it is too soft, he most likely has a bi-metal hacksaw blade.

Romstar

[Serethipas]

thanks for clearing that up rom.i havent had any personal experience with any of those 2 metals,i was just remembering what i heard on the pyro video

once i get a dremel and a few blades and hacksaws,i plan on working out a few.and the probobly a few more untill i have a decent set