Idea for a lockpick knife

[Varminter]

I just had an idea for a lockpick knife, thees "blanks" varies from 0,05 - 1,00 mm. But if they were all replaced with ones with the same thickness, for instance 0,75 mm or around there. If you unscrew the black screw you can take out every one of them, I think this measuring tool would be ideal for making a lockpick knife. When it is unfolded you can tighten the screw and it is totally locked in that position and there is perfect feedback. It both looks and feels nice in the hand.
You can also replace all of the "blanks" with picks made out of hacksaw-blades and it is a nice way to keep all your picks nice and tidy.
What do you all think about this idea?

[jamesphilhulk2]

been done a few times, i don't think the screw will hold the pick tight enough

[Varminter]

Really?
How was it done? Was the measuring thingy replaced with picks or modified into picks?

[sfi72]

Well, those are feeler gauges, for measuring the gap in spark plugs, and the metal they are made of is extremely flexible, so I'm not so sure that they would make decent picks. I haven't personally tried it however, I'm just speculating.

[Varminter]

I had a look because I had the same thought, those over 0,60 mm is ought to be decent enough for picks.

[jamesphilhulk2]

feeler gauge is fine for picks

[apb]

When it is unfolded you can tighten the screw and it is totally locked in that position and there is perfect feedback. It both looks and feels nice in the hand.

I agree with the idea that these guages make some decent picks. I made a short hook out of one and it works as well as my Southord short hook. However, I dont think you would be getting decent feedback if you kept the guage attached to the set as a handle. Instead, maybe use the locking nut to hold a set of picks made from the guages, but to get good feedback I think you'd have to remove the pick from the whole set and use it individually. Even commercailly made lockpick folding sets have a loss of feedback as one of their main problems. But again, these guages make nice pick material and a good source for other home made tools.

[savs2k]

there fine for picks. I've done a few personally. I forgot which thickness was the best (in my opinion). You can make a few and leave the rest of the thick/thinner feeler gauges normal so your picks are kind of hidden like mine. It's just something fun I did to leave in my toolbox.

[TheSkyer]

Great idea, never thought of that. Should work fine and even if it doesn't you could indeed just substitute the feelers for sawed of picks...

[Baloopaloop]

If you tempered it, some of the thinner ones might even work well. Just heat treat it about 10 times, if you have the patience, it does get sort of boring and quench it in water or oil. After you have done that about 10 times, heat it red hot again but let it cool slowly.

[Zheol]

If you tempered it, some of the thinner ones might even work well. Just heat treat it about 10 times, if you have the patience, it does get sort of boring and quench it in water or oil. After you have done that about 10 times, heat it red hot again but let it cool slowly.

i have herd it said dont quote me on this but i herd that when heat treating during the cool down you can use your oven set at its Highest to help with the temping so the metal cools slower if any one has info on this or has tryed them selfs i would love to hear if it works

[ratyoke]

I don't know what kind of steel those are, but the high carbon steel feeler gauge I use comes heat treated and tempered. The stainless feeler gauge i have seen is not an alloy that can be heat treated.

[raimundo]

Feeler gauge is used for many industial processes where tolerances are important and need to be checked, for pickmaking the best are the footlong pieces that you can order according to thickness at a machinest supply company.

You may believe that the screw will tighten well enough for a jackknife pick, but over time it will probably loosen with wear.

The best homemade jackknife picks do not try to hold many picks. Most experienced pickers can actually get along very well in the situations that you might carry a jackknife pick for with just a few picks and in a tool with all the parts on a single axis, this is probably the better way to go. I would suggest three picks half diamond, hook, and I would include a bogota rake for its effectiveness.

The more picks you attempt to include the more difficult it would be to keep them tight whether when open or closed. The attempt to carry too many is self defeating, the tool is heavier, unwieldy and more prone to loosening.

My own thoughts on carry picks is to have as few as possible and make them as capable as possible. This is all designed into the bogota pair, two parts, including two tensors and two picks optimised for being as universal as possible. With larger picksets, many are little used, and they become hard to keep track of especially when other people are around who may try to supply themselves with a pick from the pile. Every time you pack them back up you need to count them if you have a lot of them.

In general, jackknife picks have poor handle characteristics. A premium set would be just 3 picks to keep the handle light. More is not better.

[TheSkyer]

Yea, agreed! You only need 4 or 5 picks in a jacknife tops. Good thing about feeling gauges is that there are AT LEAST 4 pieces of steel in it that are think enough to make picks out. Gonna give this a try myself, very cool concept.

[yanksfan]

My suggestion would be to go find or buy a set of spark plug spacing tools (Couldn't tell if that's what you plan on using) and making the picks out of that considering their already on a "Knife like" hinge.