How to make my tools more strong.

[SsBloodY]

Long ago I made some tools from saw blades they were great I had no problem picking with them but they were too weak. They were bending to easily when caring them or picking with and they look like sh*t now and I will be making now. But how make them stronger?


Oh could you suggest me how to make nice looking handle.

[barbarian]

The section "Lockpicks- Manual" is full of ideas on how to make picks. There are templates there and lots of ideas for handles. Electrical heat shrink tube is easy to get and works well.

To make picks stronger, maybe the easiest way is to choose a better quality material to start with. Many people use Stainless Steel. Other people prefer to use spring steel. It really depends on what materials you can get to start with.

[SsBloodY]

Well maybe for now I will stick the Saw blades... because I only can get and work with them now. But they are to weak isn't there any way of making them stronger and not bending.

[barbarian]

The picks should not bend during normal use. If they are bending, you are pushing too hard, or you might have made them very thin.

If you make the metal harder, it could break inside the lock if you push too hard. Stronger means you have to start with better quality metal. If you are using hacksaw blades, they are pretty strong when you buy them. Try to make sure you don't get them too hot when you grind them. Quench the metal often and use light pressure when you grind so they don't turn red.

[SsBloodY]

Thanks I will be more careful when grinding. And maybe really I push too hard when picking.

[patrickson]

hi Ssbloody! I had the same problem as you.
I also use saw blade to make picks and I also felt them too weak.
I tried to heat-forge them (heat it, then cool it down with water), but I found that
picks I forged like this became even more weaker.
It is probably the material of the saw blade that makes it vulnurable to heat forging it.
(but probably I overheated it...)

However, I agree that if you bend the saw-blade pick, you push it too hard.
When I started, i also got them bend (and damaged the lock seriously!), but later I realized that it s not good. You only need as much strenght as to surpass the spring force in the pins and saw blade is more than enough for that.
Happy picking!