What do you guys make of these designs?

[Exodus5000]

First off these designs were inspired by lockpicknewbies picks he's posted recently. I thought that a curve in the tang was a good idea.

These picks are designed to provide better tactile response, better leverage, and have a "spring" action that manages spool pins better. The down side is the curves probably create a more fragile pick.

The tang on the pick after the curve is about 3.5cms.


The tang after the curves on this pick is about 2.5cms (plenty of room for a 5 pin schlage or kwikset.)


These images are NOT to scale. I havn't made these yet, but let me know what your initial thoughts are.

[raimundo]

I think the pigtail curl on the shaft is really a handle function? perhaps someone should post a photo of the pick held in a hand being used to pick a door mounted lock, that would probably show the utillityof the design better than describing it.

[Isakill]

I would think the pigtail part would be more in the way than anything.
too bad I don't have the tools or i'd prototype these myself

[hurri]

Nice....I would like some templates...

[LockNewbie21]

I created my elbow idea as a flex point in the tang. Basically I like my tangs as thin as possible as ray above said there should only be what you need on the pick.

Other designs I simple put a resting spot on the tang before it sloped into the hook shape because my handels are comfy and on wierd key ways i pivot my picks alot to navigate.

It really all started when i wanted an alternative to putting a 90degree twist on my tangs, it was to much flex and was not entirely accurate.

But feel free to have a go at one, I found feeler gauge stock at 19 to be strongest and after proper filing and a nice round shape i have had no problems.

I vote ray trys the design, concidering after all the damnn sandng and everything else.. I still can't get his bogata finish (punches ray)

[Gordon Airporte]

It seems to me that for maximum feedback you want as little mass as possible absorbing vibration between the impulse and your nerve endings; thus anything you do to lengthen the tang wouldn't really help - at least for sensitivity.
That's all theory though, if it works for you, go for it.

[JackNco]

they looks really nice dude

John

[Krypos]

ive been working on making some picks with curves that are hand fitting, so your fingers naturally go into the curves. i dont have an actual handle, but rather just these curves.

so far, i am about 50-50. some turn out decent, some turn out trash. ill post with updates when i figure it out.

[LockNewbie21]

I hear ya gordon, playing guitar doesn't help my tension hand the one i use to hold the strings and the calusus kill the feeling

[Peter Martin]

I don't see the advantage to the curve by the handle.

I presume this portion of the pick doesn't enter the keway. While it may make the pick more fragile or springy (probably not both), the design doesn't strengthen the pick. A straight shaft is most likely more stable. If the pick does have more spring, I would think that you lose feeling needed to set the pins accurately.

However, it is artistic and looks interesting from a cosmetic standpoint. It probably also functions very well for what it was intended to do--be a hook pick.

[Exodus5000]

I'll have these two picks ground out by the end of the day. What my hope is, is that the curves by the handle will create more spring. The "elbow" of the curve will bend when pressure is put on it - for example when pushing up a pin that is offering resistance. In this way I hypothesize it will increase sensitivity in that the shaft of the pick will "snap" back, or give a little when it sets a pin. For example:

1.) The pick pushes on the binding pin which ever so slightly bends the hook shaft.
2.) When the pin has set, and the resistance is gone, the pick snaps back to a more straight form because the resistance that was pushing on the "elbow" is gone.

Or something like that. I'll let you guys know if it actually ends up working that way or if these picks are just polished turds.

[LockNewbie21]

1.) The pick pushes on the binding pin which ever so slightly bends the hook shaft.
2.) When the pin has set, and the resistance is gone, the pick snaps back to a more straight form because the resistance that was pushing on the "elbow" is gone.

That's pretty much it, I mainly only use the flex with security pins, it minimises the neg. plug rotation required, and i do screw up as much.

[Exodus5000]

Well I finished these picks, I'll try to get a picture soon, maybe by the end of the day. They look really cool, but if I'm going to be completely honest - the shape does nothing like I expected it to. In fact it does nothing that a normal hook couldn't just as easily do.

Final Judgement: Polished turds. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

[Peter Martin]

At least you're out there trying new designs! That's part of the fun. And there is nothing wrong with designs that don't work because we learn equally as much from them as designs that do.
I'm sure the designers at ILCO and HPC when they first made picks in the 1950s sat around and thought: "Hmmm, I bet this would look cool..."

[Exodus5000]

As promised, heres the result.