New pick tip

[Wrenchman]

This is the final result, don´t know what to think of it yet, but, I have opened one deadbolt with it (and that´s one with max high low pins, and restricted keyway)(currently only four pins in it, will put the last pin in later).



Wrenchman

Ps. The ruler is mm, although a fast look can give the impression that it is inches!

Pss. Can´t wait to see what Ray comes up with!

[Kaellman]

Henning Mankell oh yes. I am surprised to hear about the culture tho. Alot of ppl dont even know where sweden is.

Im picking on various locks. Working on a small American pad and a medeco cylinder atm.

Wrenchman, good job with that hook. Looks smooth and slink alrite

[raimundo]

I dont post photos, thats because I just don't know much about computers, when I need some special computer knowlege, I just ask a young person.
Your piece is beautiful, i think its gotta have some real special pick feel. and while I made some picks yesterday, if forgot to copy yours , but I'll get to it, and it will just be like yours. I think yours is very nice.
Kaelman, minnesota is full of scandinavian heritage people, they came here for the sandy soil and pine woods that remind them of home

[quicksilver]

I usually leave the cams without polish and make most other parts of the pick mirrorish, except for the handle. I dont want any feedback from the pick sliding in and out or touching any other pins.

I am just discovering this concept for myself. I found that the 'feed-back" from the slide in was misleading (other than to count, etc). With a semi-roughened camming surface there is a host of "feel" issues. Plus it grips. Unfortunately after a time the brass fills the roughened surface and the cam feels smoother. Seems to me that a lock that has been used for picking practice can often be filled with brass powder & debris.

[Kaellman]

.......can often be filled with brass powder & debris.

Aye. It takes a while to find a good sanding that doesnt grip the pins and yet produces enough friction to give good feedback. One general goal is not to damage the lock while picking it.

[quicksilver]

I had an opportunity to use a "bore-scope" once that a fellow had who worked with us owned. It allowed one to see quite well the entire inside of the key-way. To a limited degree one could continue to watch while the pick was in place. It was pretty fascinating.

What I saw was pretty grim. In one lock was enough dirt and grime and general "gunk" to obscure all but the pin-tips. Simply inserting the pick stirred up enough old lube and dirt to create new issues. The key pushed this material in corners. But a pick's thin construction got to areas that were passed by with the original key. This "crud" then had an effect on the feel one got when searching for the pin tips.

But what I wanted to comment on was the amount of brass material I saw. Apparently the key itself was shedding brass flakes. The key cuts may have been sharp or the key made poorly. With scopes like these one can understand the forensics involved with law enforcement's efforts to determine if a uninvited entry was used, etc. And from the looks of it, it seems no one could pick a lock and it go undetected. Which is good news. However it also illustrates what contact a pick does have upon key-way entry. It's like driving a back-hoe in a field of wheat....at least with these "Brain-Surgeon's hands"....