My DIY Falle style wrench

[Josh66]

I was watching videos today on how to make Falle wrenches with hack saw blades and a salt solution... I didn't want to mess around with all that and figured there had to be an easier way...

I made one out of a cotter pin, here's how:

I marked a line on both sides to make sure my bends were even:


Two 90 degree bends:


Then I twisted the ends:


Then I spread it:


Then I filed the ends flat:




Open, it spans about 3/4". Squeeze it a little, insert in keyway - the spring pressure keeps it there.

It works great and only took 5 minutes to make.

[Josh66]

The 'legs' aren't quite long enough to work well on a lock where the plug is recessed or surrounded by a shroud (like a Master Lock), but as long as the face of the plug is reasonably flush to the bottom of the lock it works great.

It wouldn't take much to modify this (make it off-set a little) to work on recessed locks, or just make another one with longer legs.

[zeepia]

Clever idea, and again something to my project list. Thanks!

[Squelchtone]

Very well done Josh66, that's very creative of you!

Nice photos too, what do you use for a camera/lighting set up?

Thank you for sharing, I predict a sticky in your future...

Squelchtone

[MBI]

It reminds me more of a Southern Specialties pronged double sided tension wrench, or an HPC STW-3 variable size tension wrench than a Falle wrench (if you really want to get technical), but I think that's very clever using a cotter pin like this. I've never seen that before.

I have a pile of cotter pins in the garage, I think I'm going to give this one a shot. Thanks for sharing the new idea!

[Josh66]

Thanks everyone.

I think it would work even better with a smaller diameter cotter pin, if you have one (I'll have to dig around for one - I want to make a few more in different configurations). You can always file the legs down to fit too. As it is now, it fits all of my non-restrictive keyway locks - but a smaller diameter cotter pin would give you more room for the pick.
It also wouldn't be hard to twist one or both legs 90 degrees.

Nice photos too, what do you use for a camera/lighting set up?

I used a DSLR with a macro lens on a tripod. The background is a small piece of stainless, and the lighting was just ambient room lighting with a custom white balance.

[Josh66]

Here it is in action:

[Josh66]

It reminds me more of a Southern Specialties pronged double sided tension wrench, or an HPC STW-3 variable size tension wrench than a Falle wrench (if you really want to get technical), but I think that's very clever using a cotter pin like this. I've never seen that before.

I have a pile of cotter pins in the garage, I think I'm going to give this one a shot. Thanks for sharing the new idea!

Thanks - I'm still pretty green, so a lot of the technical stuff is still over my head - the Falle style wrenches seemed to be the best match to me at the time. I will say though, that it does seem to give you a marked improvement in control, and it doesn't fall out.

A smaller cotter pin would give you more room to work - but there is probably a line somewhere that smaller becomes 'too small'.

[Teddy Picker]

So, I've been trying to make these and not having much luck. I guess the cotter pins I have are of a lower quality; they keep breaking when I bend them. I've managed to make a few survive, but the metal is so weak at the places where I bent them that they break within a few uses (using less pressure only delays the inevitable).

Any suggestions for how I could do this better? Maybe alternate materials? I do like these while they last; the firm spring-locking means they give good feedback and leave more room in the TOK than my Peterson pry bars, which can make them convenient for some locks.

[GWiens2001]

Perhaps if you try to bend them at a less sharp angle. A more gradual curve is less likely to break.

Good luck,

Gordon

[Josh66]

I think your issue is probably in the materials - they shouldn't be breaking... I mean cotter pins are meant to be bent, that's the whole point of them...

[MrAnybody]

Oh Yes! Totally irresistible .. .. Now down to the garage for some cotter pins.

[boggif]

That is so nice idea. Made a few to try out as well.

I filed some of them flatter to fit better small locks. Lots of spares available to practise with and on different sizes!