My homemade pick idea

[phrygianradar]

I made this little pick earlier this week. I took a piece of 5/8s aluminum doweling and cut it about three inches long. Then I just drilled a hole in the top of it to slide a piece of street sweeper wire in and a small hole in the side for a screw to hold the sweeper wire in place. Done! Doesn't look pretty, but it works really well on my MTL Interactive. Plus if the sweeper wire breaks, I can just loosen it, take the piece out and put another in. I'm sure this is not an original idea (like, really sure...) but this is what mine looks like and a quick explanation of how to make one; if you wanted to.

http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/Natha ... sort=3&o=0

http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/Natha ... sort=3&o=1

[femurat]

Your pick handle looks a bit crude but I guess it works well.
I like round handles for dimple lock picks.

Cheers

[GWiens2001]

Round handles do work well for dimple picks. There is this guy who makes some excellent ones with bamboo handles. Extremely happy with the one he made for me!

The set screw is a nice idea. May have to play around with that idea when I get some time. Thank you for sharing, Indigo.

Gordon

[phrygianradar]

That is why I made it; so I would have a round handle for the dimple locks! I saw everyone using them on all the Youtube videos and I thought, "I gotta get me one 'a dem"! It works so much nicer than it looks. I think I will have to make another that isn't so homely. Maybe take a picture of each step. It was really easy to make... I got a 3 foot piece of doweling so I have plenty to play with.

[easy-e]

Looks nice! I've been thinking about making one myself. I will probably just epoxy the pick into the handle. I've also thought about splitting a round handle down the center and bolting it together with screws in recessed pockets.

Does the big screw at the front of the handle make it difficult/uncomfortable to use?

[phrygianradar]

No, I haven't had any trouble with the screw. But, I just used spare parts from around my garage (aside from the dowel), so I bet you could use a smaller screw. The aluminum made it really easy to screw into because it is such a soft metal. Just drill a hole a bit smaller than your screw and it will tap itself. Unless you have tapping bits. Also, use a flat screw, not pointy. It will hold the sweeper wire in much tighter. I was going to use epoxy but then I thought if it broke I would have to get rid of the handle also to make a new one. This way I can just pull out the broken piece and put in a new one, or a different pick even.

If anybody does anything cool with this I would love to see it! Mine looks cruddy and I know there are a bunch of you who are way better craftsmen than me.

[easy-e]

I love pick porn as much as the next guy but it really doesn't matter how it looks as long as it works!

You make a good point that you can use the handle for other picks made out of the same material. The aluminum may be easier to screw into but it will also be easier to strip out and there isn't very much material there anyways. I don't have bottoming taps so I would have to drill and tap it all the way through.

[phrygianradar]

I love pick porn as much as the next guy but it really doesn't matter how it looks as long as it works!

Truer words were never spoken! Picking dimple locks became instantly easier with it. You can't tell from the picture, but I actually ground the flat side of the pick down so it would be kind of sharp (not really sharp, mind) so it would get under those pins easier. I think that made the most difference. Plus being able to just roll the pick in my fingers to raise the pins. I don't remember who gave me that idea of making the tip sharper (it's like a tiny little axe head), but I know it didn't originate from between my ears!

Here is another pick I made out of an old paring knife. My wife was not happy about it even though I asked her if she still wanted it!? She was probably not paying attention...

http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/Natha ... 0.jpg.html

I need to get a caliper so I could tell how thin it is... It's gotta be about .022 or so. Maybe a little thicker, maybe a little thinner. It is hard for me to tell.

[easy-e]

Plus being able to just roll the pick in my fingers to raise the pins.

If you have a lock with a crazy key profile and the shank of your pick is skinny enough you can actually slide the pick in and rotate it to raise the pins. I've done it a few times with moderate success but I don't really have a pick with a thin enough shank. I almost just need a bent piece of music wire mounted in a handle.

I need to get a caliper so I could tell how thin it is... It's gotta be about .022 or so. Maybe a little thicker, maybe a little thinner. It is hard for me to tell.

Harbor Freight. I've been pretty happy with my digital caliper I bought about 8 years ago. The thing with digital calipers is that when you turn them off they really just go to sleep and will slowly drain the battery so I always take my battery out when I'm done a project. The 4 inch ones are actually sufficient for most projects. I have compared mine to my more expensive analog calipers and micrometers and they are within a few thousandths.

[phrygianradar]

Thanks for the tip easy-e, I love Harbor Freight. As for the skinny pick; it was street sweeper bristle, but I used my grinder to thin it down significantly. The only lock I can really roll it in is the MTL, otherwise, like you said, there just isn't room enough. I made that pick specifically for those locks, and it works well for it, but I haven't found any good use for it in any other types of locks yet...

[cuttinedge1]

These look alot like bosnian bills quick picks. Just look that up on youtube and he has a good tutorial.

[Durzo Blint]

I made a pick and wrench yesterday on a whim just to see if I could pick a lock (yes im that new). I used a piece of 1/16 mild steel tig welding rod. Heated it up and hammered it flat. Ghetto yes but it works. When I figure out how to post pics ill show you