wondering if i should make own picks

[ady1989]

I guess it all comes down to personal preference. I've used a grinder as well as a dremel for picks. As an example, I can make a perfect shaped bogota with a dremel and I can't make the precise cuts on a bogota with a grinder. It turns out looking like a normal rake :p. If money is as issue, get a grinder. If not, I'd personally get a dremel.

[Servalite6354]

If you really want to save the money, you can make picks with a few hand files. It will take a lot longer, but it certainly can be done.

There are a multitude of pictures and diagrams of picks you can find on this site to model yours after.

If you're going to get a grinder, I'd recommend a bench grinder, rather than a dremel type. Make sure you understand how to use it, though, regardless of what you get. If you don't you'll end up with no picks, and a broken grinder, and whatever money you spent.

Buying picks outright shouldn't be too costly, and would probably give you the least financial commitment. Don't go out and buy a super-mega 50 pick set, you should be able to find a nice set with half a dozen or so to get you started for less than the cost of a cheap grinder. That's probably what I'd do. That way, if you decide you're really into it, you have a little more experience and knowledge to make a more informed choice on what to get next, and/or a better idea of how to make your own picks. If you decide it's not for you, you're only out a few bucks.

[Pocket Weasel]

My recommendation is to go out and buy a set of picks to give you a good idea of what shapes and sizes they should be, and then get yourself a dremel/grinder/pack of hacksaw blades and start making your own.

It isn't a cost issue, although making your own is much cheaper once the obsession grips you.

The real reason is that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, quite so satisfying as opening a lock with a pick you've made yourself, especially if you've made it for that specific lock.

You all know what I mean. When the sanding and polishing is done, you try the pick out, the lock pops open, and you can look down and say "I did that...!"

[raimundo]

ordering commercial picks is a form of dependency, when the pick is lost or broken, you need to get back to the seller to replace it. If you have the skills to make picks, which will develope if you start trying, and learn from your mistakes, then when you need a special shape or a pick for a keyway so small commercial picks won't open it, it will only take you an hour to make what you need rather than searching the internet to find a company that can send something that might not be optimum for a $100 next week, maybe.

[raven252000]

for polishing the picks i found that the grit inlayed rubber polishers work wonderful. you can get them for the dremel

[gotta]

From a business standpoint, it's makes more sense to buy my picks than to make them. My hourly rate is $75, so I can't hang around the shop too much. I can buy a lot of replacement picks for that. I have 4 or 5 picks that I use and keep several for spares. I can get them overnight. My picks of choice are Rytan. Over the years I've made several special picks, but for the most part I buy them for the sake of efficiency. I do enjoy the process of designing and making them though. Tension wrenches are another matter. I do make most of the ones I use daily.

Regards, Gotta

[LeeNo]

I suggest you stay away from a grinder and get a Dremel rotary tool. The grinding bits are a LOT smaller than a grinding wheel on a bench grinder, therefore allowing you to make more intricate and delicate cuts.

A bench grinder is more than fine to work, you just have to know how to use it and how to keep the wheels in good shape. Juust take a look at these: http://koti.mbnet.fi/einstein/tiirikointi/tiirikanteko/.

I think picks like these were why he suggested using a Dremel. The Dremel would allow you to fine-tune the picks so that they weren't roughly-finished and lopsided.

I was wondering when I would see picks that used heat-shrink tubing though. I've used it for over 15 years and it is obviously a perfect match for lockpick handles.

[Pickyang]

I bought my first pickset, or first i made like one hook and wrench, opened one lock and then I ordered a majestic 13pcs set just to get the feel of real picks, now I make most of my picks. Love that feeling when you open a lock with homemade tools.
And I actually bought a benchgrinder the other day, paid like 10$, so I guess its crappy quality, but whataheck if it only works for half an hour I'm happy.

So I suggest you buy some small pickset to just get a hang on dimensions, then create your own!

//Macke

[BorisTheSpider]

Of course, convenience also plays a part. I live in an apartment and I don't have a spare "shop" room or garage I can keep a grinder in. A dremel would be preferential for me.
I'm actually inclined to agree with the chap who suggested a file set. It will take longer, but it's cheap, quiet, and a whole lot harder to accidentally remove too much material with. You may want to try your hand at that first, then trade up to a grinder or rotary tool after you get the hang of making your own. There is a certain pride associated with using tools you've made.
Final point - there are absolutely no retail stores near me which sell individual picks. I have to buy them in sets (and pay more because of a leather case) or order them online (and often pay just as much as if I'd bought a set due to shipping). I don't have a habit of breaking them, though, so it's not really an issue so much. I can see a beginner winding up with a collection of leather pouches and duplicate picks.
OK, I lied, one more point - making your own,or at least having the ability, will allow you to try out new and different pick designs without spending a lot of $$$ on buying them. It will also allow you to try your hand at an entirely new design if you come up with something that hasn't been done before.

[Guitar_J]

I would say it depends on if you really want to take the time to learn how to make picks well.

Personally I'm not very skilled at that type of work (I have made my own picks and used them for quite a while but they weren't that great) and it would take a rather large time and effort investment for me to be able to make anything near the same quality picks that I can buy. It's not that I don't want to learn but I just don't have the time or a good workshop area.

My suggestion is if you don't have a nice set of professional quality picks pick up a set of those first and then save/ask santa for a dremel kit. If you do have a good set of picks and are satisfied with them get the dremel and try your hand at your own.

[EvoIIIMan]

I was wondering when I would see picks that used heat-shrink tubing though. I've used it for over 15 years and it is obviously a perfect match for lockpick handles.

Have you seen LockNewbie21's picks? He uses heat-shrink tubing for handles. I have to agree with you; they work very well as lockpick handles. Here's a link to his picksets:http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=23414

[LeeNo]

I was wondering when I would see picks that used heat-shrink tubing though. I've used it for over 15 years and it is obviously a perfect match for lockpick handles.

Have you seen LockNewbie21's picks? He uses heat-shrink tubing for handles. I have to agree with you; they work very well as lockpick handles. Here's a link to his picksets:http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=23414

I've looked at those pics several times. They are the best looking lockpicks I have ever seen! They make my SouthOrd set look like... well, like stamped out, filed down pieces of assembly-line utility.

I had no idea he used heat-shrink though. The picks just look so..... perfect.

I want a set of those so bad, I just may take this hobby a step further and buy a Dremel....

[Jaakko]

I suggest you stay away from a grinder and get a Dremel rotary tool. The grinding bits are a LOT smaller than a grinding wheel on a bench grinder, therefore allowing you to make more intricate and delicate cuts.

A bench grinder is more than fine to work, you just have to know how to use it and how to keep the wheels in good shape. Juust take a look at these: http://koti.mbnet.fi/einstein/tiirikointi/tiirikanteko/.

I think picks like these were why he suggested using a Dremel. The Dremel would allow you to fine-tune the picks so that they weren't roughly-finished and lopsided.

Indeed. Fine tune. Not make the picks, but to fine tune them. For sanding/finishing there is this thing called sand paper

[raven252000]

as of late ive been making a lot of picks and i have both a dremel and a grinder and belive or not i use a set of chain saw files the most. no heat problems and no over cutting. if your going to make them try the file set and a vice. files cost me 3 dollars and vice cost me 15 dollars at lowes well worth it.

[raimundo]

I always use files, so I chose metal stock that does not require much mass wasting to get to the pick blank,
I am sure I could make a very good bogota pick faster with files than you could with a dremel.
I don't use a vise, i just hold the metal by hand, while holding it down in grooves cut in a wooden bench in the old jewelers 'benchpin' style.