ball pick size double side discs/auto locks

[Peter Martin]

This evening I made a "ball" pick (y'know, the bottom half of a snowman pick, hehe) from a hacksaw blade. Previously I never liked hacksaw blades as material because I claimed it was too soft andthe pick would bend. This was many years ago--I hereby change my opinion and state that the hacksaw blades are fine material for making picks. I must have overheated and weakened them in previous attempts and not realized the error of my youth.

However, my question is: What size ball (height) are your most useful picks. I made mine slightly larger than the body of my HPC snowman (OK, it's really called a double ball).

I intend to make a series of ball picks of different sizes, so the question may be moot, but I want to know if anyone has made one which the believe "fits" double sided disc and auto locks better.

Has anyone made a good measurements on their favorites, please post.

[Peter Martin]

Or I could ask... what's the diameter of your balls?

[Exodus5000]

Some balls are held for picking, some are held for jest.
But when they're held for pleasure, they're the balls that I like best.
(vague AC/DC reference... hehe)

As for picking wafer locks with a ball pick I find that I prefer smaller balls rather than large ones, especially on double wafer locks. Large ball picks just feels so clumsy to me in a keyway, I like something that's nimble and I can work around wards in a keyway.

This is of course a preference thing, but I say you should experiment with ball sizes *ahem* and post pictures of the picks. If nothing else it's a great excuse to make some picks.

And if nothing else, just take advice from DigitalBlue's Misses and remember that it's not the size that matters, but how you use it.

[sivlogkart]

Provided that the pick fits in the lock OK, it is normally possible to pick with it, but smaller would be better in general. How much smaller though is the question, and this is also a function of picking style as well as the type of lock. So the short answer is try it and see, and if it works well keep it and if not grind a bit more.

KJ

[SFGOON]

They're massive!