kinds of picks?

[§ilentdeath]

Hi guys im new here just experimenting the art of lockpicking. I was looking at several templates and was wondering what picks I should make for my very first time, I have all the tools, dremel & desk grinder, hacksaw blades im not sure what ill do for a tension wrench yet but ill work something out. Any suggestions? Ill post up pics when im complete

[vitti]

A small hook, half diamond and maybe an "S" rake is all I'd make to start with. You can make a tension wrench out of the hacksaw blade too but you'll have to heat it up in order to bend it without breaking it. Bend it slowly and keep it hot, a cigarette lighter will get it hot enough to bend it.

Have fun.

[§ilentdeath]

oaky thanks for tips, im tracing a template as we speak...err.. type

[§ilentdeath]

oh i forgot to ask are cobalt blades any good or are they the ones to stay away from cuz on them it says non-shatterable

[vitti]

if you bend them a little bit do they stay bent or do they snap back?

If they snap back they'll be fine. If they stay bent, they wont make a very good pick.

[vitti]

And make sure you quench the metal frequently while grinding. If you get it too hot it will destroy the temper of the metal. If the metal turns blue, you're better off starting over with a new piece. I grind mine bare handed, if it gets uncomforatble to hold, quench it. The smaller the part you are grinding, the faster it will heat up. When grinding the tips of a pick you'll want to grind very very often, like every few seconds of grinding.

If you're using a cutoff wheel to cut out the rough shape (I do, it's faster than grinding all the metal away) then you'll be much better off if you keep the dremel tool itself on the outside of the lines. If that makes sense. This is because when you are cutting with a cutoff wheel, it's most likely to slip towards the hand holding the tool. If you keep that hand and the tool on the outside of the lines then a slip wont carve an ugly stripe across the middle of your pick.

Practice makes perfect, play around and find what works best for you. You'll get better with each one you make.

[§ilentdeath]

hopefully i dont slip up and lose a hand, nah i seen loads of videos and am pretty comfortable i now got a s rake, half diamond and a hook traced i'll cut them out tom and post pics.

[§ilentdeath]

i made a hook and a half diamond thats not very good tho, is too late to post pics but i did successfully pick a lock which was a master 5 pin padlock, i tried a 6 pin Guard lock couldn't get that one and broke my tension wrench tommorow ill make some sort of rake and a dozen tension wrenches.

[StabbyJoe]

SPPer's arsenal - 5+ assorted hooks and some wrenches... I suggest making at least 3 (small medium large) hooks... Maybe experiment with other styles aswel.

But if you like to rake, that's good, too... How did your wrench break? did yo make it from a hacksaw blade? keep in mind that id you make one of a hacksaw blade you do need to heat it to bend it... but try to do it in 1 heating, and to quench it in water right after the bending instead of leaving it to cool or it'll go soft where yo bent it...

Hope this helped a bit
~Stabby

[bumber]

I would get some windshield wipers and tear out the metal strips in them to use as tension wrenchs, they come in a bunch of sizes so you have some to choose from just go down to your local auto part shop or garage and look in the trash and ask to guy at the counter to look in the trash in the part of the garage you cant go in (some call it the 'bay' its where the cars are on lifts etc.)

[§ilentdeath]

it broke when i was trying to pick a padlock no big loss made from a hacksaw blade. I was looking for blades the other day and couldn't find any many places sell them single now and are about 1.50-2.00 ea plus their even painted.