lever picks

[Mr Ules]

although the tools wouldn't last very long, the idea popped in my head when I was looking at my glasses. I thought to myself, wouldn't those make great lever picks. So I went to the dollar store and bought a pair of reading glasses. Cut off the arms on them, and bent them. They work alright for basic lever locks, but I don't know about higher security lever locks.

[kodierer]

Sound alright; let us know how well they work.
Got any pics

[Kaellman]

Sounds cool! Always nice with a wide asset of Macgyver "tools" at hand.

Some pics would be really nice!

[kehveli]

Nice idea!

What's the diameter of the arms? Is the metal stiff?

It's always good to be able to improvise tools. Many times after manufacturing something from a not-so-easy-to-get material, one may see better material in their environment and think 'why didn't i come up with that earlier'.

[Mr Ules]

Still trying to figure out how this whole picture posting thing works. Haven't had the time to really figure it out. But, in regards to the diameter. I just made them and am expiramenting with them still. I wouldn't use glasses that have a circular diameter. A flat surface would be better. Due to the fact that this isn't really strong material, you must be gentle with it. But that's not realy a problem because so far, they're doing an alright job.

[Mr Ules]

Here's the pictures. All you need to do is file down the bent part of the pick.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/loc ... C-011S.jpg

[quicklocks]

nice idea
i use the wire that they make car arieals out of not the telesoping ones the fixed ones its pretty good but you need a blow torch to bend it properly
try and get the shiney silver ones they are the best of all (go to a scrap yard to get them )

[phoenixtears43]

try bike spokes, they work nicely

[master in training]

quicklocks, the only fixed car ariels i can think of are the "beesting" kind and they're always coated in black rubber or plastic, what type do you mean?

[skold]

i make lever picks out of hardened coat hanger. i grind the tip down so it is square and thin. .i have rubhber hadles and the hadles are similar to raimundos bogota rake handles..i'll post picks and making tutorials if anyone wants them

[kehveli]

skold, by hardened coat hangers do you mean that they are hardened by the manufacturer or hardened by you?

[master in training]

i for one would mind that tutorial and some pictures

thank you for offering this skold