New custom handle idea: Shapelock

[Legion303]

I got some Shapelock for my son to play with, and found that it would make the perfect handle for custom picks if you don't want to mess around with molding and baking clay, anodizing aluminum, etc. If you aren't familiar with it, Shapelock comes in the form of irregular plastic beads which you can heat to ~150' F (using hot water or in a bowl of water in the microwave), and then mold like clay. When it cools back down it will harden into a nearly unbreakable polymer in the form you molded, and can be heated and re-formed supposedly unlimited times. The resulting form is very, very hard and smooth as soap. I haven't tried it myself, but I'm certain it would give excellent feedback.

-steve

[unjust]

it's great stuff, but i've had a devil of a time getting it to stick to anything. let us know if you've any luck.

[the picker]

if you do have a hard time getting it to stick you might try to drill a couple of holes in the handle this will allow the shapelock to join together at the holes and give it a better grip on the pick.good luck with it.

[Legion303]

Hold the phone. I used the Shapelock to impression an existing pick handle, and found that it is the absolute perfect molding material. It's so finely detailed that I can now impression the "303" lettering into every handle perfectly with the mold, and every handle is exactly the same. No more careful carving of wet clay with an X-Acto knife and post-bake wet sanding to get the edges off. I just mold, trim the seam, and they're good to go.

I can also use this same method to mold Shapelock handles from the SL mold, but the handle color is limited to white unless I paint them, which seems like a hassle.

-steve

[unjust]

Friendly plastic is the same meterial as shapelock, and comes in ~many~ colors and finishes. Bit spendier though.