Lock Picking 101 Forum
A community dedicated to the fun and ethical hobby of lock picking.
       

Lock Picking 101 Home
Login
Profile
Members
Forum Rules
Frequent Forum Questions
SEARCH
View New Posts
View Active Topics


Live Chat on Discord
LP101 Forum Chat
Keypicking Forum Chat
Reddit r/lockpicking Chat



Learn How to Pick Locks
FAQs & General Questions
Got Beginner Questions?
Pick-Fu [Intermediate Level]


Ask a Locksmith
This Old Lock
This Old Safe
What Lock Should I Buy?



Hardware
Locks
Lock Patents
Lock Picks
Lock Bumping
Lock Impressioning
Lock Pick Guns, Snappers
European Locks & Picks
The Machine Shop
The Open Source Lock
Handcuffs


Member Spotlight
Member Introductions
Member Lock Collections
Member Social Media


Off Topic
General Chatter
Other Puzzles


Locksmith Business Info
Training & Licensing
Running a Business
Keyways & Key Blanks
Key Machines
Master Keyed Systems
Closers and Crash Bars
Life Safety Compliance
Electronic Locks & Access
Locksmith Supplies
Locksmith Lounge


Buy Sell Trade
Buy - Sell - Trade
It came from Ebay!


Advanced Topics
Membership Information
Special Access Required:
High Security Locks
Vending Locks
Advanced Lock Pick Tools
Bypass Techniques
Safes & Safe Locks
Automotive Entry & Tools
Advanced Buy/Sell/Trade


Locksport Groups
Locksport Local
Chapter President's Office
Locksport Board Room
 

DIY picks

When it comes down to it there is nothing better than manual tools for your Lock pick Set, whether they be retail, homebrew, macgyver style. DIY'ers look here.

Postby technik » 8 Mar 2004 3:14

thas wat im talking bout chucklz. Hey, tell us how you go with the Falle picks
technik
 
Posts: 395
Joined: 12 Jan 2004 1:40
Location: Australia

Postby WhiteHat » 22 May 2004 4:23

hey, chucklz - did you end up making those picks?
Oh look! it's 2016!
WhiteHat
 
Posts: 1296
Joined: 28 Jan 2004 21:41
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Postby Chucklz » 22 May 2004 13:47

Im still working on them and other projects around the house.

Anyone in the US have a brand name (or offbrand name) recommendation for wide, cheap, hacksaw blades?
Chucklz
 
Posts: 3097
Joined: 4 Nov 2003 17:58
Location: Philadelphia

Postby pick_maker » 22 May 2004 17:04

Great Neck- found at Menards (here). Yellow painted blades. I don't use anything else.
Image
pick_maker
 
Posts: 328
Joined: 11 May 2004 19:02
Location: Midwest

Postby monkeE » 25 May 2004 11:30

Big Lots is a veritable gold mine for steel. From old fashioned flat steel plumbing snakes (don't get the newer, more expenive, non-flat steel, stainless steel snakes) to regular hacksaw blades by the dozen for a dollar a buy, I love Big Lots. For a dollar, I get about enough material for about 36 picks (three a hacksaw blade).
-MonkeE
monkeE
 
Posts: 73
Joined: 6 May 2004 0:14
Location: Colorado

Postby pick_maker » 29 May 2004 12:30

I should be more precise: Label on the Great Neck blade says 'Special Flexible" and in this pic it is the center blade and you can plainly see the temper. These blades are quite flexible. The blade on the left is by Vermont American - 'High Speed Cutting'. It is hard steel- in making this pick, certain of my dremel stone bits wore down before the steel did. When I bent and broke the blade the small shard made a cool twirring shrapnel sound and the break was clean. That one and the blade on the right, I guess they are high-carbon steel- doesn't say on the package lable. Very durable and flexible but difficult on the dremel bits- an important consideration considering the best bits cost $7-$10.

Image
Image
pick_maker
 
Posts: 328
Joined: 11 May 2004 19:02
Location: Midwest

Postby monkeE » 29 May 2004 16:41

I buy the cheapest blades I can, and use whatever dremel/hand file combo is around.

"How's that?" you inquire.

Well, I play with the temper. In the Pyro video, Pyro keeps the original manufacturers temper pretty much the entire way through the process (except for parts of the torque making).

I like to normalize the blade right off the bat, making it MUCH easier on my tools. This is basically heating the blade to red hot, and letting it air cool.

I then shape my tool with the nicest, softest material on earth (almost like nerf :D j/k).

Next step, once shaped, is to heat to cherry red hot again, and dunk in a vat of water. This step is tricky because you can add a bend to the pick that you might not like... Practice a bit before you try it, if you do. At this point, the pick is VERY brittle, so don't even bend it a few degrees!

Next come tempering. I like to heat my picks up to a nice deep to azure blue, which gives it a super springy kinda feel. You can experiment with different temper colors.

If interested in tempering, PM me, or research the process on GOOGLE. I highly recommend it, as it is useful in many walks of life...
-MonkeE
monkeE
 
Posts: 73
Joined: 6 May 2004 0:14
Location: Colorado

Previous

Return to Lock Picks

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests