bike spoke picks and nail tension wrenches

[kevlarsoul]

I started making picks waaaaaay back in the day when I first got the internet and discovered the MIT guide to lockpicking. In there, I belive, it mentions something about making picks out of bike spokes and wrenches out of 8 penny nails. So that's what I've been doing for years. I recently read and watched a video about the proper way to make picks from hacksaw blades and possibly brick straps and thought, "oh sh*t, I'm doing this all wrong." but then my senses came back to me and realized that the picks I was making were working just fine and there was nothing really wrong with them. So here I am, my first post, showing off the beginings of the set I made today in my garage with a Dremel and a hammer and a cup of water for cooling. I took a lot longer than it should have, but hey, it was fun and I didn't want to rush anything.

So, as I said I use bike spokes for the picks and an 8 penny aluminum nail for the tension wrench. This is the most absurd tension wrench I've ever made because I usually just hammer the one end of it flat and leave the rest round, but I was feeling ambitious today and decided to flatten the whole thing. I then followed Pyro's advise in regards to the bends and twists and bam, there ya go, my tension wrench. The handle there is a drafting pencil, I believe, and it just so happens to take pencil lead that is the exact same diameter of the spokes I use! The thing keeps a pretty good grip on the picks and works pretty durn well.

This is the set I have so far (these two open most of the locks in my house):


This is a closeup of the picks and wrench:


This is what the pick looks like in the handle:


PLEASE give feedback. I know my picks work for the locks I have in my house and at my disposal, but am I setting myself up for disappointment when I'm exposed to a different lock that I've never seen before? Is there really a purpose to those silly looking snowman picks I've been seeing? And what the hell is the purpose of those huuuuge looking hook picks I've been seeing pictures of? They don't look like they'd fit in any keyways I've encountered. Ok, ramble off.

[devildog]

Well, we really need to know what kind of locks you have around your house that you've been picking--if they're Sargents then you've been doing quite well, or if they're Kwiksets then you might be in for a bit of a challenge. Overall very nice workmanship on the tools pictured, BTW I like the idea of bicycle spokes and a drafting pencil for a handle. If you want a real project you can find one of the Falle-Safe templates people have posted on here and take a crack at copying those

[devildog]

Snowman/ball/half-ball/double-ball picks are for wafer locks, they're particularly good at raking open cheap ones (snake rakes are good at this too).

The exaggerated hook pick you describe sounds like a postal pick: http://www.peterson-international.com/individualpicks-detailed.htm#postal They're used on certain mail box locks; not quite sure how one of those locks worked or why they require such a tool, having never messed with one myself, but that's the only thing they're used on, not regular pin-tumblers.

[Raccoon]

That looks like a nice hook pick. Is this hook too deep for other locks? Seems it would make a good overlifter.

PS, why do they charge SO MUCH ($14.00) for that one hook or Lifter Pick with the green handle?

What do people think of their 0.015" slender set for day to day picking on paracentric and non-paracentric locks?

[Raccoon]

Oh, btw, kevlarsoul. Great picks! I have always felt that spoke or wire would make better picks and permit for nice dental handles. If you want to try these yourself, I found some potential handles that might work well. I'd appreciate any feedback you have on them. Take a look at the light-weight aluminum handles first.

http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/CTG ... l-pick-set
(wide selection of cheap dental picks. i like the rainbow sets)

http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/CTG ... l-pin-vise
(or pin vices, a little heavier but will hold any spoke or wire)

http://www.precisionproducts.us/catalog ... icks,Probe
(more dental picks, cheaper but require wholesale bulk purchase)

Enjoy!

[raimundo]

there are these bike spokes, pickfish knows the real names, they are sort of long oval in crossection, called bladed or some other type, possibly for aerodynamic mountain bike spokes, they are already half ready for pick making. look for them out behind the high end bike shops, in the dump. You will have to thin them a bit on the shaft, but anyone with a two inch wide belt sander will be able to make some really good picks fast. I use the same ergo type handle I make out of sweeper bristle, the difference is that this metal is stainless and polished, and when you shape and twist it then thin the shaft and polish it, you get a really beautiful pick. good for hook, rake, diamond, and probably also good for some special for dimple pins or even abloy. the materials shape will suggest a lot of possibilites, even perhaps something for medeco, since the width is enough to create tips that influence the pin tips.

[undeadspacehippie]

For some reason I can not see the pics, the images don't load. I have used Firefox as well as Safari (browsers)

[kevlarsoul]

you probably tried to look at the pictures today when the power was out. I host them on a personal server. Sorry!

[p1ckf1sh]

there are these bike spokes, pickfish knows the real names, they are sort of long oval in crossection, called bladed or some other type, possibly for aerodynamic mountain bike spokes, they are already half ready for pick making. look for them out behind the high end bike shops, in the dump.

Anyone interested in turning spokes to picks should go to www.dtswiss.com and check their products, they have all the main types of spokes available along with some nifty data sheets showing exact meaurements.

Generally, spokes can come in:

- regular, round profile all the way
- reduced, which means a round profile at nipple and hub and a diameter reduced round profile in the middle (made for weight reduction), generally it's 2.0mm at the wide part and 1.8 in the middle
- oval, usually round profile at the end and a slightly reduced middle section that is not round but oval for added strength, the forming might butted or cold-forged
- bladed, which means a round end section and a middle section that is not unlike a wiper blade insert.

I would have liked to link to examples on the DT Swiss page but it is all framed and javascripted and stuff...

Pro's I can see for bike spokes is that they are stainless steel made with stability and strength in mind. You can get multiple picks from a single spoke, you probably turn the twisted end that mounts to the hub into some sort of nifty tension tool, and there is a nice thread at least on one end of the spoke, so with a few spare nipples you might be able to make a nice pick holder/grip and interchange the individual picks in that.

Con's are that most mail-order places sell them by the box for a set of wheels, that would leave you with 72 spokes... so you should get clearance from your bike outfit to go dumpster diving.

[p1ckf1sh]

Ahhh, finally found something nice to link to.

http://www.wheelbuilder.com/thumbnail.a ... p=1&cid=15

[undeadspacehippie]

you probably tried to look at the pictures today when the power was out. I host them on a personal server. Sorry!

I can see them now, this has sparked my interest - I have a thing for mechanical pencils - its a strange fascination, I do have a pick made from a spoke but its a cheapo spoke (from the squeakycheapo spoke company probably) that opens a few of my locks. Your picks look great to me, they spark ideas for me - thanks.

[Krypos]

so this may seem dumb...but how is everyone flattening their spokes? my spokes are always round, and i ahve no means of heating...so like...would beating it with a hammer work?

[kevlarsoul]

yes. beating them with a large hammer is exactly what I did to flatten them. There's no heat needed for this process, in fact they get pretty hot just from the beating. Oh, that crazy physics is at it again.

[toiletplumber]

yes. beating them with a large hammer is exactly what I did to flatten them. There's no heat needed for this process, in fact they get pretty hot just from the beating. Oh, that crazy physics is at it again.

they look better than mine. Has beating them witha hammer made them brittle? It seems like flattening the spokes would make them too weak and make them risky to put into locks? how strong are they?

[Jason13]

That nail wrench looks so cool How did you get it that flat and stright NICE!!