Made some picks but they broke

[cirictech]

Well i Started out on this whole thing Thursday so i am still very new to this.

I went out and got a cheap deadbolt to use and some hack saw blades. i followed the instructions on how to make the picks and they worked well for my first ones. How ever while using them they started to bend right at the handle then they just snapped. My question is could i have made them wrong(gotten to hot or ground to thin) or did i just use to much pressure.

Secondly now that i have to make some new ones which one would be best to have?

If pictures of them are needed i can put some up just let me know.

Thank you

[unbreakable]

Unless you were really rough on them, i think the most likely cause ofthe problem is overheating during grinding. Try quenching more next time, or just temper them once you have them all ground out.


How "thin"were they?

Hope this helps.

[Eyes_Only]

Quenching them in oil is even better I hear. It's supposed to make your picks able to withstand bending by being more flexible or something so it doesnt snap so easily.

[cirictech]

Well i took a picture to show you all what happened. how thick should the shaft be?

i think the ones here are a little more then 2 mm

[Libris]

Depending on the pick and the measuring position (the shaft gets wider towards the handle), the width of the shafts of my picks varies from 2mm to 4-5mm. On some picks, it's even 1,5mm, but I found it nessesary to temper them if they are so narrow.


Hope that helps,
Libris

[Libris]

Oh, by the way, your picks at the photo definetely got too hot - notice the color change in the second one from the left. Quench them after a few seconds of grinding, and quench more frequently as the shaft starts to get narrower and narrower.


Sorry for double,
Libris

[CVScam]

Those picks got way too hot when you were grinding them I bet you could see them glowing as you were grinding. I guess you are using too much force on the tension wrench and that makes the pins bind so hard that you have to use too much pressure on the picks to lift the pins.

[cirictech]

yeah well live and learn i guess i made some new ones and made sure to keep it cool and made the shaft taper down. I am also finishing the tips up by hand slowly.

Pictures as soon as I am done.

Thanks for all the help.

[Wolfe]

You can tell by the discoloration of the metal that it got to hot while you were grinding. I quench mine about ever 3-5 secs. or so.You dont want any discoloration at all while grinding

Also make the neck of the tool about 1 1/2 long.The neck width starting at about a 1/4 of a inch with a taper of a 1/8 per 1 inch.

Hope this helps bud
W.