DIY picks

[technik]

I've got a street cleaner bristle, now what? do I bent it, or grind it? should i wack it in a vise to bend, or heat it? Also, with bike spokes, do you grind both sides of the circle, or leave it round? do you bend or heat the spoke?I realise this may have come u before, but would appreciate if you could answer, because I could not find any posts to do with grinding or heating, and reshaping bicycle spokes.

Thanks

[Grudge]

You probably want to check out the excellent video discussed under this link:
viewtopic.php?t=1095

Although it talks about using hacksaw blades, most of it should apply to street cleaner bristles.

Bicycle spokes seem better suited to tension wrenches. You can find out more at:
viewtopic.php?t=1417
As a pick you would have to grind them down flat (keyways are small, narrow places).

Other foks have had good luck with windshield wiper blades, rake 'fingers' and feeler gauges.

[marso]

viewtopic.php?t=55
viewtopic.php?t=1428
viewtopic.php?t=1294
viewtopic.php?t=738
viewtopic.php?t=856
viewtopic.php?t=1078

Just to name a few posts that already ask the same question.

Look at the below page and also the pyro video (look in faq under videos)

http://www.gregmiller.net/locks/makelockpicks.html

Me trying to keep it togeather ppl

[SlimPickens]

Hey, I have a small set of street cleaner bristle picks and I made some nice handles by wrapping a small amount of hockey tape around them. Then I got a little bit of 1/4" heat-shrink and shrank it around the handle with a lighter. I wrap the tape around the handle because the heat-shrink won't get small enough to fit the bristle, and because it gives a nice feeling in the hand when you hold the pick.

Its amazing by comparison to the picks without the grips, the feel and control difference has made it a lot easier for me to pick.

I'll load a picture as soon as I get around to taking some with the digital camera:P

[SlimPickens]

Hey guys, I finally got the pictures taken and here they are...

http://server5.uploadit.org/files/Ubuguy-picks1.jpg
http://server5.uploadit.org/files/Ubuguy-picks2.jpg

You can see that my feeler and tension tool got a little to close to the flame but they still work like a dream.

These arn't all the picks but they are the only ones that I've put handles on.

Hope this helps someone

[PYRO1234321]

SlimPickens, your comment about tape, then heat shrink was excellent. i had tried each individually but togeather the effect is really good. from now on, that will be my handle of choice. thanks!

[SlimPickens]

Glad I could help

[technik]

yes thankyou for your pictures. Do you think that you could take a close up shot of the heads of the picks? that is what I am really interested in. Thank you

[Eyes_Only]

wow, those look pretty nice, good job!

[SlimPickens]

Hey here are the pick heads but I only uploaded one picture because my digital camera sucks
Anyway here are the heads
http://server5.uploadit.org/files/Ubuguy-ClosePickHeads001.JPG

[technik]

thankyou SlimPickens, much appreciated

[twizzy]

why don't you guys just buy pick sets??????

[Chucklz]

You cant always buy exactly what would work best. Besides, its much cheaper to make your own than to buy.

[technik]

i can go onto google, print out a picture of any type of hand pick i want, and then make it for 50c (cost of hacksaw blade). This gets me excited about making them, and its a whole different feeling piking a lockwood deadbolt with picks you made, then manufactured ones. I pick for the experience of defeating something that humans rely on so much, and get their peace-of-mind from. It makes picking even more exciting when you can do this with tools you made with your own hands.

[Chucklz]

I hope to be making a set of Falle style picks in the next two weeks. Purchasing would be more than 10 times the investment than some cheap hacksaw blades, and a few hours at a grinder. How many of us could easily buy a Falle set?