Making a good tension wrench?

[Alucadr1383]

i just started lockpicking. now i'm pretty good at it but i can't make a dessent tension wrench they keep breaking. so anyone who can offer advice on how to make a good one is apresiated

[freakparade3]

The best readily available material is the metal inserts that stiffen windshield wiper blades. They are the perfect thickness, come in varied widthe for different locks, and you just cut them to size, however long you want them to be.

freakparade3

[vitti]

If you're trying to make 'em with hacksaw blades you'll need to anneal the metal first to soften it. Heat it with a torch till it's red hot then let it cool slowly on it's own. You don't need to heat the whole thing, just the area where you will be bending it. That should soften it enough that you can bend it without breaking it.

You can re-harden it after bending if you want by heating it again and immediately quenching it in cold water. But that's not really necessary for a tension wrench.

[bumber]

just in case you cant find anything other than what you are using(for whatever reason)...what are you using to make tension wrenchs out of? Maby we can help you make the material work btter for you....let us know what you use and how you use it...

[Alucadr1383]

well i started out with a nail fial i found and grinded it down to shape till it broke then i started using paper clips bent like a L and J joined at the stems but there only good for a couple uses and they will break.

[bumber]

well if you can get the wiper inserts and make them work for you, that is about the easiest thing to make them out of and they work good...you can fnd them almost all the time at auto parts stores in the trash if you cant find anybody that has any.....also you can make them out of hacksaw blades too if you had to...what are you using for picks???

[Alucadr1383]

well for picks i have bobby pins they work good. and i made a strait limb pick out of stainless steel. i'm all set on picks its wrenches that i have the problem making but i think the new one i made will last

[bumber]

well for picks i have bobby pins they work good. and i made a strait limb pick out of stainless steel. i'm all set on picks

sorry but you NEED to atleast make hacksaw blade picks if nothing else...

[Alucadr1383]

nope i do just fine without a hacksaw pick. what i got works you don't fix it if it ain't broken. now tension wrenches are broken thats what needs to be fixed

[bumber]

you don't fix it if it ain't broken. now tension wrenches are broken thats what needs to be fixed

Ok well i guess your right, thats almost like telling omeone who uses hacksaw picks that work really good that they NEED to buy pro picks...you can use whatever you want but I prefer not to use bobby pins, paper clips, safety pins, or anything like that...if it works, use it

[patrick181]

get one of these http://www.lockpicks.com/browseproducts/U-BEND-IT-Assorted-Tension-Wrench-Set.HTML

[Abus]

If you have access to a grinder or a dremel, I'd consider grinding down allen wrenches (keys).

I have to say that although I bought one of the Petersen bend it yourself kits, it honestly isn't much better than just using a pair of vise-grips or a vise on windshield wiper blades.

[Kaotik]

I have to say that although I bought one of the Petersen bend it yourself kits, it honestly isn't much better than just using a pair of vise-grips or a vise on windshield wiper blades.

Your correct on that note. However, the advantage to carrying a u-bend-it tool is that you can keep it and some spare unbent windshield wiper inserts in your pickset and use it on the fly (ie. use it when other tools are not accessible).

I keep mine on my keychain and hope I don't loose or lock my keys in the ride and have to make a tension wrench to get in. j/k, but it does come in handy at times. Heck, instead of buying it, a similar tool can be fashioned out of some 1/8 or 1/4 inch aluminum flat bar stock.

[Alchemic_Revolt]

here's an instructional video on making tension tools

[robotmaxtron]

here's an instructional video on making tension tools

seems you forgot the link there