pick sizes and assortments question

[brivera88]

I have been reading the MIT guide and dozens of other guides that inform you how to make picks but i am veyr lost. I have seen the homemade picks that have been posted here and they rock. anyways, my general question is what sizes should each pick be and what materials would work good. also, sinc ei dont have a grinder would a file work just as good or good enough to pick my first lock? I am basically asking for a guide or web-site with actually measurements of picks and what materials to use, or even a step by step if you will. i know this question has been repeated and i am sorry for asking but i just cnat find anything! Take care guys, and thank you.

[Geek142]

Hey

There are plenty of templates around the site showing the measurements of the picks, as for good materials and you dont own a grinder you are going to need alot of patience to make picks unless you own a rotary tool. But the best material i would say are hacksaw blades but if you are going to use a file its going to need alot of time or you could just think about purchasing some.

Hope this helps.

Geek

[digital_blue]

I couldn't even imagine taking the time to hand-file a set of picks. Yuck! But there are those who have done it, so yes, it can be done. In the time it would take to make a basic 14 piece set with a hand file, you could earn the $30 a commercially produced set will cost by singing show tunes on the street corner if you have to... even if you suck!

So, moral of the story, buy some picks, or get the right tools.

As for tool making specifically, there is a video by PYRO1234321 that instructs on tool making and there are a multitude of pick templates on zeke's server. Have a search for both of these things. It'll help you get familliar with the search funtion of this site, and that's a good thing for everybody.

db

[brivera88]

thanks for the he;lp guys, i am new to lock picking. in my mind, it is a mental and psyical art. i am so amazed by lock picking becaus eit truely is an art! i wont have the money for weeks so i am screwed there, but as for zekes site and templetes, how do i search for them? i am very new to this site and lock picking so thanks in adavnce for tolerating the question.

[digital_blue]

If you look at everything that is on the page that you are looking at *right now* all will become very clear....

db

[master in training]

i'll give you a clue, its waaaaay up there! and its quite small and in the middle of the page

[brivera88]

yea i searched it and it was very helpful. my only concern now is since i dont have a big grinder, if a small portable one will due?

[master in training]

people use dremel multi tool things with tiny cut-off wheels, so any grinder should be big enough, even if it is portable.

[digital_blue]

So long as it has a grind wheel you should be fine. Though there are some that use only a dremel you'll find that the grind wheels and cutoff wheels get pretty expensive if you are using them to cut down that much metal stock. Better to use a grinder to take the meat off and a dremel for the finishing work. Having said all that, use whatcha got.

db

[DeadlyHunter]

in the mean time you can make some make shift picks from wire hangers, people dont give these enough respect, but they work great on regular door locks.