what i did over the weekend

[jessopher]

Well, not over the ENTIRE weekend, but a good 3 or 4 hours of it.



(clockwise starting with the tension tool)

1) a double ended tension tool bent and ground out of a squared stainless barbeque skewer, this image isnt that great, but if you had a better look at the tension tool, you would see small serrations along the sides of the blades

2) a short hook with a angular bend and a widened tip.

3) what i was trying to make out of the last peice was a deforest pick, but its more of and enlarged version of southord's slimline 'slight hook' pick.

oh, and the brown spot is a penny, for comparison.

comments? suggestions? i know it isnt much, but it was quite a bit of work no less, and im impatient .

[Geek142]

Hey Jessopher

Good work on the picks man, Dou you plan on making more, Some Hooks Diamonds and some rakes would make a good set.

If you need any help or advice on making picks see pyros video if you already havent it is packed full of information on starting your own set.

Good luck and keep us updated

Cya

[jessopher]

Yeah, i plan on making more. And ill definitely look into that video. Im mostly waiting on payday so i can get the polishing kit, and the diamond carving bit for my dremel.

Since that original post, i added some handles .


if you look at the finish on them, you'll understand why im getting the dremel polishing kit... its really uneven.

The handles are grip dip, ive not really had any problems with them yet. Though admitedly, they dont serve any real purpose. Without them, the picks are just about as comfortable. But nowhere near as prettty .

Ill be getting the dremel accessories this weekend, so i should have a few more come monday.

[Geek142]

Hey again

With Practice you will get better and your picks will become as good as the ones you can buy.

I remember my first pick it was a stupid large diamond now i am making all kinds of things

This is a link to the topic on pyros video its worth the hours wait (if you are like me and have dial-up)

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=6269

Cya

[Geek142]

Sorry i stuffed up just copy that url into the address box

cya

[Kaellman]

Looking good! Craft more, learn and never be afraid to try out new wacko designs! I mean the worst you can do is a bad pick

Adding some of the most common picks would be nice. A couple of nice hooks, a diamond and a snake will help you pick any lock out there. Make sure u get some nice tension wrenches aswell.

There is _alot_ of info about making your own picks. I strongly recommend pyro's vid and all the threads about pick hardening!

Keep on making picks and keep us updated on your progress!

[jessopher]

Ok, ive made a couple more picks, a couple more tension tools, and modified the original two a little



I took the rubber grips off to heat treat the originals. I also shaved down the tip and the angle of the original hook and its now a more modest, but also more effective cross between a short and full hook.

The two additional picks are a curve, and some kind of rake. It was supposed to be an s-rake, but it turned out as more of a c-rake, if such a thing even exists.

The variations between the picks are intensional. Ive been playing around with shaft lengths and handle lengths, and the newest of the 4, the curve, seems to be right on. Its 12 cm long, with 6 for the bussiness end, and 6 for the handle.

There are variations in the finish too. All but the curve were polished and then blued with 'perma-blue'. From what ive read on cold bluing, it doesnt really impart any kind of rust protection on the treated metal. Its real purpose is for touching up worn hot blueing. It also smells like urine, and is extremely toxic stuff. another pleasant side effect, is that if you cold blue your picks, they will permanently give off that urine stench.

The curve was blued, but not cold blued. I just left the natural discoloration from when i anealed it Real blueing, a very slow process,goes allot deeper than either of these, and probably neither will keep your picks from rusting, so i just left it there for looks.

Also, i broke down and bought some windsheild wipers, and made a couple tension tools from the inserts. These things are really wide, so i just narrowed the tips.

So this is what i have, and what ive learned so far. Im beginning to like making this stuff more than using it,

[karl]

nice!!!

how did you get that twist in the tension wrench?

[master in training]

thats a nice set you have there! keep making and picking and you'll soon find a style of pick that you like you make and use!

i tried making a twist-flew wrench and it just didnt turn out at all, i was using a cooker though! i'll have to start again and make some good tools

[jessopher]

I just slapped the wiper blade insert in a vice and twisted with a pair of pliers. I was expecting it to snap, but it twisted just fine. The twist isnt as tight as the one on my SO twisted tension tool, though. Not really sure what if any difference that makes.

[Guesss]

really nice looking set and the polishing tip that you got makes them even prettier. You are doing a very nice job i can't wait to start making some of my own i hyst need to go out and get some sutff but no money

anyway i think i am going to get a file and some blades... lets hope i have some patients. looks great though

[noctorum]

Impressive

Just work on polishing everything as smooth as possible. Try different materials etc. and see what you feel comfortable working with. Some people just prefer one material over another.

[jessopher]

Yeah, i havent played around with too many different materials, a few different types of hacksaw blade, but not too much beyond that. I like the width, and the high carbon content of the sawblades im using. They arent too bad as far as price goes, two bucks for a pack of two. Thats somthing like 50 cents a pick.

Oh, I have an update; its a wafer pick,.I modeled it after something in an automotive pick set i saw online, i imagine it would be good for some of the locks on the desks at work.




Again, i left the coloration from the anealing process on it, and then brought it up to a mirror shine with a buffing wheel (the little cloth disks in my dremel set). Theres a little countour on the bottom for the first knuckle on my middle finger to rest in when i hold it.

Cant wait to try this booger out. Its really pretty, but i dont really have any idea wether it works well or not.

[omelet]

woah, looks like you got a flame job there

That is like the hot-rod of picks

[Guesss]

ooooo looks like camilion paint. are you trying to have suped up lock picks looks great man. you are really turning those out.