First try at custom picks

[hisse]

Well not quite, I've tried with hacksaw blades but just wasn't a fan of the material, this time around I'm using stainless steel steak knife blades, much prefer the material and holds up to much more stress without bending or breaking.

There's three picks in various stages of completion, the top two are essentially modified hooks, the bottom one is still little more than a blank however I think that may become a half diamond. I want to get a bit more used to working with the material before I try my hand at a rake. I've done these using a combination of a dremel and files, the stainless is a bit of a brat but I'm getting used to it with each try.

[femurat]

It's difficult to get a straight line with dremel and grinder, or even small files. I suggest you to use a big flat file to straighten the diamond shafts, and a big half round one to smooth the falle-style one with the wooden handle. Keep at it, you'll get nice picks in the end.

Cheers

[lockstar5000]

what is the thickness of the picks before and after filing/sanding?

[hisse]

Yeah I can definitely agree with the straight line problem, even being careful the dremel wants to take just a bit too much off on each pass, so I will definitely be finishing the shape off with some larger files before sanding.

As for the thickness, haven't been able to measure the exact thickness however based on simple measurement it's a bit under 1/32" I would estimate in the range of 0.020" to 0.030" probably closer to the middle of the range. I don't have to remove much off of the thickness at all and they've been fine in any key way I've found, the only adjustments I make are mainly personal preference.

[IndigoChild]

Well they dont look bad. i can see some skills and knowlege you applied and your on the right track. however these look very rushed. try keeping the pick wet when grinding and sanding and like said allready using the right tools makes an incredible difference. I fear your tensor may not give proper feedback but try it out and see what you think. i am very interested in how these work. keep practing and have patience.