Poor man's handle sheath?

[pretender]

I got some South Ord picks a while back, hated the slide-on grips, trashed them...had some aquarium tubing around today, and opted to try it instead...beautiful.

Stuff in particular is blue and made of silicone; not your typical acrylic crap. Goes on with a good deal of difficulty, but imparts almost no weight/bulkiness while adding a ton of grip and comfort.

I can hardly distinguish it from the bare pick insofar as feel.

Hopefully this helps someone.

Oh, and hi all.

[iworathong]

My problem with handles is that they limit my feel. Alot of the pick handles I tried (ie. southord ones) I couldnt feel the pins as well but I dunno about said tubing. If it dosnt limit feel where can i get some?

[pretender]

Well, caveat emptor - it is a real to get on. (Pardon my French, but hey...it's painfully true in this case!)

Part of the appeal I've found in randomly trying this crap is that you really stretch it to death to slip it on the SouthOrd picks, but it doesn't get damaged if and when you actually manage to do so. I can drag a silicone covered pick across my mousepad and still feel every bump in the fabric, for reference.


Silicone is very, very grippy, and apparently quite stretchy as well...so you should be able to get even finer control, I'd imagine.

As for where to get it - pretty much any reputable pet store, or you can search online; here's one major site with the stuff:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... 004+113029

Don't beat me up if'n you dislike the results, though...moreso if getting the crap on the picks turns out to be as hard as it is for me.

[dpal]

I just made some picks and I used heat shrink tubing for the grip. I really like it because the tubing can be bought in all different diameters. I can layer it as much as I want to with in an assortment of colors. You can buy it at electronics specialty stores and in lengths up to four feet. I pay about $ 3.00 US for 48 inches of one size. I use a heat gun to shrink for best results. I think it does limit feel with the more layers applied. There is also better quality tubing than that at radio shack. Try it post results.

[raimundo]

I haven't tried this one yet, but someday I will, its the plastic barrel of a bic biro, commonly white plastic, it takes bending and forming without cracking, so I though it could be flattened in a vise, or just put it between two boards and run your car over it carefully, till you have a flat sheath that wants to expand a bit toward round, this could be a good pick Handle I think, If anyone tries it on one pick for an experiment, let me know how it works.

[pretender]

I dunno - they aren't that pliable, and a little thick to boot.

Heat-shrinkable tubing is too much like plastic; it's my opinion that not having to exert yourself to maintain a grip on the pick is as important as comfort.

[another aussie]

I have heaps of that aquariam tubing at home, looks like it would be really good in terms of feel.
I am working on making a set of picks but because I'm new at this and don't have any professional picks (I'm working more of less of the templates here) ... anyway tangent off I think that tubing is what I'll use for handles.
Thanks for the tip.

[iworathong]

you dont need handles ive found that the 3 layers of spring steel is good enough fer me on the southord kit. not the most comfortable but it got better after some practice with em. i may try that trick with the bic that raimundo mentioned. just flatten a pen? sounds easy but a bit thick. ill see what i can do. ill also try to find somea that tubing.

[another aussie]

Yeah that tubing is cheap as cheaps comes in different thicnknesses etc the large hardware store near me sells it but when I bought it (ages ago) they sold it at the pet shop.

[stick]

I haven't tried this one yet, but someday I will, its the plastic barrel of a bic biro, commonly white plastic, it takes bending and forming without cracking, so I though it could be flattened in a vise, or just put it between two boards and run your car over it carefully, till you have a flat sheath that wants to expand a bit toward round, this could be a good pick Handle I think, If anyone tries it on one pick for an experiment, let me know how it works.

Yet another great idea from raimundo. I found an empty old Bic pen right after I read this. You don't need that much weight, I simply put it between two large brick stepping stones I had in my backyard and jumped on it for a minute, and it took on the perfect shape. I first had thought that the pen casing would be too small, but it fits my Southord handled picks tightly and securely. It's perfect. Only problem: I picked a pen that had a clear case, and you can see the stress marks from when I flattened it. You shouldn't have that problem with white cases though. Now to sand off the Bic logo.