Polymer clay pick handles

[Deathadder]

Very clever idea!

In the States it's usually called cling wrap or Saran wrap (brand name, but it's used for any kind now). Don't worry, we still understand your silly British dialect.

um, thats not cellophane... its some sort of plastic clay molding stuff

[raimundo]

when the handle cures, you could lacquer it with some epoxy to make a finish that wont be easy to get grease and dirt into.

[Jaakko]

Very clever idea!

In the States it's usually called cling wrap or Saran wrap (brand name, but it's used for any kind now). Don't worry, we still understand your silly British dialect.

um, thats not cellophane... its some sort of plastic clay molding stuff

I think that Charodei was replying to Shrubs idea about pick handle mold

[Gordon Airporte]

Either way it looks pretty good. If your really good with a Dremel or are good at carving, you could prolly engrave some designs in it after it's hardened, finish sand it a bit then apply some type of clearcoat.

Good job!

There's a whole lot of room to decorate these. Polymer clay is usually used for crafty decorative stuff, some of which is pretty neat (and some of which is far too crafty). Here's a google images link:
Images of Beads

[bumber]

when the handle cures, you could lacquer it with some epoxy to make a finish that wont be easy to get grease and dirt into.

Ive not tryed any of the things listed but I dont like epoxy too much I tend to get it ALL OVER EVERYTHING somehow. Im looking to get some of the clay stuff and I think Id use urethane you know the stuff you put on after you stain wood. Id use shrubs method for making a mold than when the clay is done dip the handle in a container of urethane, tie the tip to a pencil and let it hang over the container. The only thing about this is it look nice as a clear coat but you cant sand it because it clouds and looks all scratched up(unless you want a clouded red handle )

[Shrub]

This was ignored elsewhere when i mentioned it but you really should look into polymorph, its safe and easy to mould, it sets in a minute and leaves a hard plastic material afterwards,

Can be done at home on the kitchen table just like filmo,

[raimundo]

you might want to try flashing the plastic, use a piece that isnt important to you and hold it near but not over, (beside) a flame and see if the surface of the plastic, becomes shiny, just keep the plastic moveing so it dosent do one spot too deeply. this should seal any pores opened in the sanding, if plastic has pores,

[bumber]

I bet the same would be true if you were to quicklly dip it in acetone or something that would melt plastic ( note i said quickly dip) then it should melt the pores together also, as I said this is just ideas Im throwing out. Dont try em on your last bit of material on your last handle

[Shrub]

Ray, filmo isnt plastic its clay based i think,

Polymorph doesnt have pores,

Ive seen these people in the us on sky tv putting a flamable liquid on the edge of plastic to seal it up after its et alight, ive never tryed that favouring the good old file then sand then polish route so im unsure how it would work on plastic handles but it does strike me the more pores in a handle the better as plastic is slippy when wet and pores will add grip,

[Charodei]

Propane torches are often used to melt the ends of nylon ropes to keep them from unravelling. I've also seen them used to smooth and polish the edges of cut plexiglas, but I don't know how it would work on these materials. You could try it with a heat spreader on the torch; don't use a real pick and have a fire extinguisher handy just in case.

[Gordon Airporte]

If you really wanted to go nuts with the texture I guess you could add sand or maybe a sandblasting medium of some sort. This is if you occasionally find yourself hanging from your lockpick over an alligator pit. (Guy calls out out on a house call, doesn't tell you about the trap door...could happen.)
I'll have the torch out tomorrow for some soldering, so I'll see what happens with heat sealing.

[Shrub]

If you want patterns its easy to do with a mould, you simly use somthign to make the form before hand and then set it in that,

Youmums aligator handbag could be used for the scaley type surface and rough surfacesd could be made with sand etc as said,

Personally i would grab a load of colours and roll then al together so that when made into a handle you have the old 60's style swirling colours thing gogin on lol

[Gordon Airporte]

The psychedelic pick handle certainly is tempting
I tested the heat sealing today and it does seem to work. I mean, it's difficult to tell what the pores are doing but the surface does harden and become glossier. I found that if you overheat the clay it actually shows fingerprints up, so you have to be careful not to overdo it.