Potential Metal?

[Sower]

I was thinking about different metals that I easily have access to that I could use to make my own picks with.

One that came to mind was either a computer case or the harder metal on the backside of the case...

Yes, no?

[Gordon Airporte]

I think you could get workable picks out of it, but they might be kind of bendy. You might be able to heat treat the picks to help things out, but really, hacksaw blades give you nice hard steel already in the right shape for a blank, and they're not exactly difficult to come by.

[gostone]

I would not suggest computer case metal, it is too soft, and could not be hardened properly, it has low carbon content. I would suggest you get at the minimum, cheap hacksaw blades. Even this material is not ideal, better yet would be machinists shims, also called feeler gauges. They can be obtained in lengths of 12" by 1/2" just right for 2 picks. Also they cost less than $2.00 each, this material is about the best you can get. You can get it at any machine shop supply house. .030 gauge, or .025 gauge would be ideal.

[mjwhit]

i have tried the computer case... just bends rather than flexes. Way rather use hacksaw blades.

[raimundo]

You should try some metal that you dont' have to do so much work on before finding out its mild steel made for stamping into computer cases, where the temper of the metal is soft.
there are plenty of other types of metal, hacksaw blades were mentioned, these have their own varients of temper, with the tooth side usually hardened and the back of the blade is left somewhat tempered. (tempered means that it has been hardened and then 'drawn', left to cool slowly while the crystal structure resets itself.
hard metal cuts the soft brass of the locks, and its brittle, so it breaks easily. tempered metal is springy, more likely to spring back than break or take a permanent bend.
Try some sweeper bristles,windshield wiper stiffeners,drain snake,feeler gauge, really cheap steak knifes with thin stainless blades and wood handles. there are a lot of metal parts that require less work than the computer hood, and of course, the metals temper is important, look for springy. if its too hard, it will not cut well and will destroy the tool you are using to cut it. anyway, hard is not desireable either, brick strap comes in some mild steels and some of it comes in tempered steel, I don't know the exact source of that last one, but I have seen the stuff, in fact I have some waiting for a project.

[mjwhit]

i work at a hardware shop that also sell timber. They use plastic straps for the smaller wood and metal strapping(brickstrap)for the big posts etc. actually, they dont use brickstrap to strap the bricks were i work...anyway there is a huge metal bin used to throw it all in... every now and then il raid a few meters of it. Personnaly i find it a bit soft for picks but good for tension wrenches if you want to spend the time to get all the paint off. Ill also add that there a different thicknesses, some thinner ones are used for ligher wood and the real heavy ones arre used for the bundles for 6m posts..if you even need any go to a timber yard and if its anything like mine the stuff willl be all over the ground and also in the bins...