Cutting picks with only a dremel.

[headshot tM]

I prefer grinding over cutting just due to the simple fact that I feel like I have more control over how much metal I'm removing.

Yeah exactly that. I will probably cut chunks out later on, but for now since I'm still a beginner, there is less of a chance that I will up my cuts.

[headshot tM]

Ok it's coming along VERY nicely, almost done the rough cut. It's late so I'm going to finish it up tomorrow.

I'm quenching about every maybe 3-4 seconds... My finger is about a cm away from where I'm grinding, it gets hot pretty much as soon as it touches, but how hot are you talking about like where you can't put your finger hot or just warmish?

[bumber]

you really dont want to have your finger that close because if you slip you will lose a finger nail or something, but as far as getting hot if it starts to turn color its gotten too hot. You can just dunk it every few seconds for the best results because if you wait till its turned blue or purple its probably to late and you will have to grind off the colored part.

But Ill just say that I have rough cut out a whole pick from handle to snake tip without having to quench more than maby three times using a cutoff wheel and it only took about 4-7mins.(compared to a grinder doing it almost instantly with multiple quenchs )

And I wear gloves when i use the dremel because Ive hit my fingers a bunch of times, but when I quench the metal if it has a real bad hiss then I dunk more often or dont cut/grind as hard or fast.

Oh yeah when/if you do start using wheels alot you will notice sometimes they tend to break and fly off at what seems to be the speed of light so watch out for those(they hurt REAL bad when they tag you)

[headshot tM]

Alright I got the idea, yeah when I was cutting the grill off the back of my CoolMaster case, I was using it for quiet a bit and the cut off wheel got to about half grinded down, and then a chip broke off and flew and scratched my case :/

[paulvalente]

I dread to think what that could feel like.

I remember at college have to go to casualty to have a piece of swarf from a bench grinder cut out of my eye!! (I was wearing safety specs and everything)!! The swarf managed to shoot under the specs!! Goggles all the way now!!!!

Seriously be bloody careful!!!

Has anybody tried using a belt linisher for making picks?

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... isc-sander

The link above shows a similar product to the one I mean. I shouldn't imagine the disc sander part would be much use but I bet the belt would be quite handy, what do you guys reckon?

Cheers

Paul

[headshot tM]

Ok my short pick came out very nicely... It's deburred and everything, it's smooth as hell.

I sanded it from the thickest-lightest sand paper and then I tried to shine it with the fiber wheel(?) and the shining paste. It came out decent, but I want to get it to that amazing shine like Locknewbie21's picks.

It fits in locks perfectly, and it doesn't get snagged or anything. Although it's not PERFECTLY straight. Does anyone know how to make it perfectly straight and not have slight dents(barely noticeable)?

Also, I don't have a propane/butane torch or anything so I can't temper a pick...Will it be fine if I can just bend it? Or is there any alternatives to using a torch?

I just used duct tape for the handle for a nice grip, and thicker handle.

[Isepic]

Your picks look like my first attempts a long time ago, unfortunately the only answer is practice. To get a mirror shine, nothing beats manually sanding the picks with finer and finer paper. Go to an auto parts store and get some made for sanding the paint on a car, it can usually be had in a "variety pack" , with several small squares of varying grit. As for the imperfections on the pick itself, those can generally be sanded down (not with the dremel, but with your hands) to get a lot smoother. As for tempering a pick, it's not really necessary if you didn't get it too hot when you were grinding it. The temper in the blade from the factory should be quite adequate.

[headshot tM]

Alright thanks.

But I mean if I wanted to temper a tension wrench. In the video that pyro12345 on google video on how to make picks, he would heat up the tension wrench to scalding hot and then bend it, then dunk in water.

I don't have a torch, so I was wondering about the alternatives to use, or even if it would be fine to just bend it without heat.

[headshot tM]

Also, is my pick half decent? From your experience would it be effective enough to actually be used for picking?

[Safety0ff]

The shaft looks a little thick to fit into tight keyways in my opinion.

I never had much luck using the dremel in one hand and the metal in the other.

Bumber why shouldn't I put the dremel in a vice? You can't effectively quench the metal that way.

I would advise against tempering your picks! Especially those made from hacksaw blades!!! There's two common outcomes (atleast for me) 1) the pick will bend rather than flex 2) It will be hard but brittle.

I feel like making start to finish dremel + vice only guide now, so stay tuned. So I won't go into detail as to how I do it here, I'll try to finish it this after noon. It won't be a guide to end them all because a lot of it is personal preference.

[Isepic]

There's not a lot of need to heat a tension wrench, just grab it in 2 pairs of pliers and bend it. As for if the pick works or not, the best way to find out is to try and use it. If it works, it works, and if it doesn't, well, there ya go.

If you do really want to temper something, you can get by with using a butane jet lighter, you can get them at about any gas station for about $3. The only downside is you can only effectively heat a small section of the metal at once, but for softening and tempering a simple bend, it should be adequate.

[headshot tM]

Well the pick is suitable for all the locks I tried in my house (even mounted ones - I didn't pick it, just checked if it fit).

My tension tool I made is quite nice, doesn't bend or anything so I'll be using this.

I had some old desk drawer locks lying around, and I can pick those easily.

I had an old deadbolt which I replaced a bit ago, I could set the 1/2/3 pins, but I just can't get the rest without knocking the first one/second one down.

I want to cut open a lock so I can practice opening it, It's much better when you're able to see the pins move and see when you get them.

There is this lock which looks fairly simple and is a no name brand (I don't even have the key anymore it's so old), but I can't even set the first pin. I apply light tension.

I watched Lockpicking for the New Millennium and read MIT guide but I just can't seem to get it.

[headshot tM]

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[bumber]

You could put the dremel in the vice but, the one time i put it in the vice it caused it to burn out the motor because the vice crushed the brushes in the motor...I called dremel and they said don't put it i a vice, so thats why i said it...

And if you arent using a grinder your pick doesnt get hot enough to matter about quenching.

Just how ive been doing it since i started using mine

[Safety0ff]

Here's a teaser from my guide, I just have to do the write up now.





Not trying to thread jack or anything.