by raimundo » 19 Oct 2008 8:55
Ive said this many times before, but here goes again,
You can make a pick for the keymark out of piano wire. This type of wire is very stiff, though it is still flexible,
This is one of the easiest picks to make. its a hook.
take about 5 or 6 inchs of wire, about .030" diameter, give or take a few thousandths, no make that take a few, fatter than 30thou will not work well,
dress one of the cut ends by using a file to remove the sharp bit from cutting and then round it a bit so there are no sharp edges, then sand the rounded area. this is so small that it only takes a few minutes.
curl this end into a loop, that goes around your second finger. You will need this type of handle to control the hook you will make on the other end.
put the pick in your hand, with the second finger through the loop, and grip the shaft with the thumb and forefinger of the same hand, this is your measurement to the bend that you will now make. the bend is only about 30 to 45 degrees, this gives you a handle that will easily control the rotation of the wire.
at about the length of a 6 pin keyblade, bend the rest of the wire sharply upward, be carefull not to leave any sharp tool marks on the wire,
Cut into the bend to leave medium to short hook, ( I say medium to short knowing that I don't know what those terms will mean to the particular reader, but just don't overdo it and make it too big.)
now file and sand this end just like the end that you made for the loop handle end. make it very smooth and round on the tip.
This gives you a round shafted pick that will work better than any oval or square shaft in the very restricted keyway,
This pick shaft is quite stiff, for lifting pins, but still flexible, that flex is not a problem at all, the picking should not be so forcefull
You can put this hook in the keyway, knowing that in spite of the restrictive wards, the pins are riding in drillings that open up. and the hook tip can be made to touch the pin at an angle like / or \ if you cannot touch it straight up. Because the shaft is round and flexible, you can work the pick in at an angle, then rotate it to straight up lifting the pin by that rotation.
learning to put a pick in at an angle to compensate for the warding, then rotating it to lift the pins is also useful with and ordinary slim pick in the american padlocks also, remember that rotating the pick tip to straight up will move the pin several depth units. (what is the word for this, the pins have a number of standard depths, and the difference is actually very slight to what you may percieve from the outside of the lock.)
Wake up and smell the Kafka!!!
