Homemade picksets VS. bought brand

[tballard]

Yeah, I would, but I'm more concerned with keeping them from snapping off in the front door those are only the successful ones the other ones are in the front door lucky I have a key extractor

The common way to prevent this is um... not pick locks in use.

[Baloopaloop]

Yes but where's the fun in that? No worry factor that I'll snap a pick, too boring for me, I'm livin' on the edge

OH and I heat treated my picks in the over at 450 degrees for 45 min. and when they came out of the water that I quenched them in, they were PURPLE I was like woah. they actually look pretty cool now

[tballard]

Yes but where's the fun in that? No worry factor that I'll snap a pick, too boring for me, I'm livin' on the edge

Fun right up until you break the lock. Generally this is why we discourage this.

OH and I heat treated my picks in the over at 450 degrees for 45 min. and when they came out of the water that I quenched them in, they were PURPLE I was like woah. they actually look pretty cool now

You understand you just weakened your picks right? As I was trying to suggest earlier, you don't have the proper equipment or knowledge to "heat treat" your picks. This isn't a slight against you, but remember there is a reason "metallurgist" is a career.

[bluefish6900]

There is more to heat treating your material and just heating and quenching.
First your carbon content has to be high enough for the metal to be hardenable. If it is hardenable, if you just heat and quench, you metal is harder but brittle. Try it to a good quality hacksaw blade then try bending it. More then likely it'll just snap clean off. It could be brittle enough to break when just dropped. Cooling to fast can induce cracks as well. It's all in the process. If you quench in oil the temp will come off the material slower and not be as brittle.
For small items such as picks air quenching could be enough as there isn't enough mass to hold heat in steel.
With high corbon steel you could have to anneal, which is heating again and slowly bringing the temp down. If you don't know the actually material and/or the process needed to get the best product it could take alot of trial and error to get the best hardness/spring into the steel with it being tough enough to withstand the pressure bending.

Bluefish

[Baloopaloop]

Oh but I have to do this because they are much too brittle after I shape them, I quench them when they get hot while grinding them, this makes them quite strong and it retains its' flexibility. So far so good, nothing breaking or even feeling like it could, so I am going to keep going with it, and it keeps a very even heat throughout the metal which reduces the likelyhood of the metal failing. I know that this isn't very accurate or exact, but I'm not making these to be lifetime picks, when I get better at making my own picks and the capabilities to properly heat treat my picks I'll learn then.

Honestly they feel perfect right now, no problems at all

[PickPhooey]

Oh but I have to do this because they are much too brittle after I shape them, I quench them when they get hot while grinding them, this makes them quite strong and it retains its' flexibility. So far so good, nothing breaking or even feeling like it could, so I am going to keep going with it, and it keeps a very even heat throughout the metal which reduces the likelyhood of the metal failing. I know that this isn't very accurate or exact, but I'm not making these to be lifetime picks, when I get better at making my own picks and the capabilities to properly heat treat my picks I'll learn then.

Honestly they feel perfect right now, no problems at all

The steel you use to make them is paramount to how you grind/sand them. Treating is a very close second if not equal to the type of steel you choose. Some of the stiffer grades wont do well with heat treating, as they are brittle already. Softer and untreated has been my weapon of choice for making knives and five swords so far with good success. For swords and larger knives, I heat to 1600 and oil bath afterwards to full cool, I do this about 6 times and that's all I can get out of it. Off to the polisher it goes after that. One trick i've used over the years is using a orbital palm sander with about 400 grit onboard, as the grit wears down, the finish gets smoother and I eventually end up with close to if not full polish. This takes practice to master, so start off with some crappy pieces before going to real work. I've been doing weld/fab for some time and just about the moon and the stars is available to me steelwise, but i'll only stick to a couple of grades. If you want to keep your picks from breaking, my honest suggestion would be this, even as a newb here. Grind with a rotrary sander or use machinery that would you to keep the temps as cool as possible, then heat treat afterwards. If you're breaking steel, you've got tiny stress fractures from treating. If I had a mill, oh boy I would be in heaven, as would probably 99 percent of everyone here.

I've got an honest question for all here. Over the years, the hands have taken quite a beating from being a mechanic and the "feel" in the right hand isn't there as much as it used to be. Any suggestions for picks that would give me some kind of an edge? The other I had would be this. I have a set of Brockhage picks, smaller starter set that are stamped and chrome plated. Are these any good to sand down and/or should I get rid of the chrome coating? Don'nt bother and just buy a good set? Sorry if i'm full of questions but hey, im a newb. That's what we do.

Phooey

[raimundo]

Just a note to the person who reported a purple color resulting from some tempering.
I have also had that color before, one thing to note about it is that its on there real thin and any fingering of the picks will soon wipe the color right off.
My method of getting that color, I wrap the pick in a layer or two of a napkin, then saturate the napkin in some 3in1 oil, the whole thing being in a tuna can outdoors, I set fire to the napking and leave the picks til it burns out, and or with oil in the bottom of the can you can stifle the fire with another can. the pic will then quench in the hot oil.

I have even seen the color green result but usually its a mix of different colors.

[LockNewbie21]

Handcrafted picks by someone who knows what there doing will always win compared to comercial stamped pieces.

It really comes down to what you want, a good homemade set will run you some extra money but like buying a car, house or anything else that little extra goes a long way.




So, for me i'd say i'm at an advanced picking level, so I have to modify, and refinish comercail picks. Where as my custome tailored picks... well reveiws of my own and rays tools speak for themselves.




In the end you ask... how good do I want to be. I poor craftsmen of anything blames his tools, but it helps to have the best.


Ln21

[Kaotik]

I personally enjoy and prefer to use and make my own tools.

For one: it's cheaper.

For two: it helps better understand the proper shapes needed to do a given task. Shape can be everything, and knowing how the pick will react inside the lock can aid in movement and functionality of the corresponding mechanisms.

I have only owned one commercial pick set and eventually got rid of it even way before joining this community. Since then I have made my own tools and love it. Some of the users here can contest the look and feel of said tools.

Kaotik

[LockNewbie21]

Since then I have made my own tools and love it. Some of the users here can contest the look and feel of said tools.

Kaotic doesn't lie. They are some of the most visually stunning tool's, and are highly functional. I personally own one and it's simply terrific!



LN21

[yono]

homemade picks are mostly the choice for us locksmiths and lockpickers who were already familiar with all the variations and material we need which give us good results through experience and testings. but for a starter locpickers or locksmiths. may i suggest they start with the bought brand. It will take you sometime to have the "feel" of that tools by practicing frequently. once you get familiar with the tools, that's the right time to think, how to tailored some for your need. Homemade picks are my intimate partners in lockpicking.

[tballard]

Please remember that just like learning to pick locks, there is a serious learning curve, and there is always someone whose skills will make your efforts pale in comparison. This doesn't mean it's not valuable to make your own picks, and they certainly have the potential to be far better than any of the commercially available ones, but it isn't an overnight thing. I made quite a few picks before I had something which was better than my cheap Southords. My first picks look like something a chimpaneze made and didn't work much better.

[Baloopaloop]

no worries peoples, I am turning out picks like hotcakes I am very happy with what I'm making I just need a smaller grinding wheel for the bench grinder for making rakes

[mr_chris79]

no worries peoples, I am turning out picks like hotcakes I am very happy with what I'm making I just need a smaller grinding wheel for the bench grinder for making rakes

Nice one Baloopaloop!...still havent cracked the padlock and any pictures of some of your works so far please?

[Baloopaloop]

well most of my picks I gave to my cousin as a grad present so now I have like three picks but I'm going to make a big batch of them and fire them in the oven soon. I'll get some pics as soon as I can, no fancy handles or anything though