Ahh... the wife got new wiper blades today...

[dragonriot]

That means I got the old ones, with the metal inserts, so now I have 4 2-ft long pieces of steel taped together and ready to go home with me tonight... I think that's about enough to make at least 4 sets of bogotas... w00t...

The metal is pretty flimsy, but of course, I don't know jack about how stiff it's supposed to be. I'd imagine, like anything else with flexibility, cutting it shorter will make it feel less flexible.

[Tygart]

Reading here I see that not all will work.

I too would like to know how flexable it should be... For pick and Wrench.

[dragonriot]

I understand that Bogotas shouldn't be tempered, but maybe a bit of tempering on these would help with the strength and lessen how flimsy they feel... I'll report back after I've cut them...

[FiapFiak]

I wouldnt worry too much about the flimsiness.
Remember, you're probably bending it on the flat side...
when the pick is made, the pressure doesnt go on that side.
As well, bogotas dont use heavy picking pressure... feather touch.
so the flimsiness really doesnt matter.

[Exodus5000]

I think most of the wiper blades out there work just fine in terms of "flimsyness" when they've been cut down to size. The main problem you'd run into is how wide the wiper blade is, which might inhibit you from using it in some keyways.

The ultimate test would be to compare your wiper-blade material to a store bought tension wrench. They should be very comparable.

[dragonriot]

As it happens, I left the wiper blades at the office last night, and completely forgot about cutting them until just now. I'll bring them home tonight and get to work on cutting them to length and possibly cutting one pair tonight...

[Tygart]

If you get a chance could you take a photo of them when you are done. And maybe show me were to bend it??


Thanks
Rob

[Eyes_Only]

I work in a auto repair chain store so when I need to make another tension wrench to add to my already large and unused collection, I just go "dumpster diving" during my lunch break. This is also how I save money for lunch. My co-workers are such wasteful people.

[jzorn1]

Wiper blades are good for tension wrenches, but I have found it is to thick for most lock keyways. I found that it is ok for kwisets, but usually nothing else.

[Eyes_Only]

From what I found at my work place, there are about at least 3 different sizes of wiper blade metal inserts out there. One of them is small enough to fit well in the keyway.

[SmokieD]

yeah, wiper blades are perfect for tension wrenches.
I even made a hook/diamond pick out of one, and picked an ultramax kwikset with it.
Though it was uncomfortable.