making a gonzo hook

[south town ninja]

So, I've Got the basic shape (profile) by taking a "long hook" and filing it down according to Deviant Ollam's specifications. Now, do i need to thin out the shaft so it is like a euro pick? And do I need to thin it out width-wise? And finally, do I need to sand it so it's round on all surfaces, like a Bogota? Thanks for the help.

[GWiens2001]

The final shape is up to you. Personally prefer making a thin shank, like the euro-picks. If you are heavy-handed with the tension wrench or the pick, it will bend if the shank is thiner.

As for sanding - yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. Any pick, even factory made picks, will benefit from sanding and polishing. The only picks that have ended in my hands that did not need additional polishing so far have been Rai's hand-made Bogota picks and, just received a few days ago, a hook made by Violaetor.

Gordon

[cuttinedge1]

Rounding the edges makes the pick go through the lock easier and it is less uncomfortable on your fingers.

[GWiens2001]

Think the average height of hook versus height of the pick shaft is 250% for a Gonzo. That is based on some checking in to a while back when investigating hooks. Think it was something Deviant wrote.

Gordon

[IndigoChild]

Like GWiens2001 said. Sand them. I can't stress this enough. A well sanded pick is the difference between a 30 second pick and a 3 minute lockpick

[Drifty Flintlock]

I have to say, I tried the same thing with my SouthOrd long hook, and I still just don't find it that useful. Even shortened and rounded, it's still too tall to navigate in any reasonable fashion. Not sure quite what's going on there.