Materials For Making Your Own Tools?

[ToolMan]

Hi,

I'm looking to make more of my own tools and I'd be interested to know what materials you guys use to make them. I'm thinking in terms of getting a good quality finish and easy availability of source material. Here's what I'm using at the moment...

LOCK PICKS
My current solution is to buy a cheap 'panel' saw (about 24 inches in length), remove the handle, cut off the teeth and cut the blade into workable sized strips with an angle grinder. The steel is a nice thickness and finish and as long as I'm careful not to get the picks too hot when bench grinding they hold a decent temper. The pick heads do wear out after a few months, but they are easy to make and quite cheap so it's not really a problem.

TENSION WRENCHES
I use bicycle spokes to make tension wrenches, I just file them square at one end and bend them as required. I stripped an old 700c racing bike wheel I found in a skip and got 36 tension wrenches for free! Mountain bike spokes tend to have a thicker diameter but can be good for wider keyways. Bicycle spokes are very tough and last for ages, but I don't think I'm getting as much 'feel' from the lock as may be possible with a thinner/lighter tension wrench. I'd be interested to know what you guys recommend.

Thanks

[Pickey]

Dude...use the search function if u need help with that stuff, you'll find tons of threads about it.

[Jarod]

windshield wiper spines . for both!!! search for that and you'll find some more info.

[Cman22]

You can use hacksaw blades, windshield wiper blades, and brickstrap to make picks. Search! Also thier is a pick making video that pyro made. You can load it in Pick Fu Do Not Try.

Cman