Generic Box Of Cookies
2008-11-07, 12:45
As a forenote, I have decided not to post this in BI, and I do not want it there. If you feel the need to move it there, delete it instead. BI is full of kidiots with bad intentions. There are plenty of legit uses to keep a pickset around. Lockpicking is a fun hobby, and you can make better than store-bought quality tools out of basic materials and a little patience. You should also be aware that the manufacture and possession of lockpicks is illegal in a lot of places unless you're a licensed locksmith.
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Stuff you need to make lockpicks:
Stock for the pick(more on that later)
A good file set(triangular, round, and rat-tail is usually all I ever need)
Pliers, benchvise, vise-grips, etc
Dremel Tool(optional, but handy as hell)
Handheld Torch
Several grades of sandpaper
Metal Polish
You may need more tools depending on preference, or if you need special tools for crafting a handle.
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Now, pick stock. Most picks are crafted from spring steel. Obviously thin enough to fit in the lock, but not flimsy enough to break. Most people will use street sweeper bristles found in the street, and make some damn fine picks out of them. Others use hacksaw blades and the inserts from windshield wipers. If you want to make a handy all in one tool, a feeler gauge works quite well as it has a carrying chassis, and most of the blades are suitable pick stock.
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What to build? That all depends on what you're going to pick. Some locks require fancier tools. For most padlocks/residential locks, you don't need anything high-tech.
Your set should consist of:
Tension Wrenches in varying sizes. This is usually just an l-shaped piece of metal, used for applying light torque to the cylinder. The simplest picking tool to make in most cases. There are some variations. Ones with twists, double headed, tapered, serrated, and some double-tension tools used on car locks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FEUouspU8g). I'll usually just throw down and make a whole batch of varying types and see which works best for me.
The short hook. This is probably my most used pick. It is used for manipulating a single pin at a time. I generally have 3 or 4 in varying lengths. Works good on anything from suitcase locks to high-security door locks.
The half diamond. Can be used to pick single pins at once, or as a rake, which is generally a less precise method of skillfully jiggling the hell of the pick. Very good against some locks. There is also a variation on this known as a slant rake, or DeForest, which has it's place in picking as well.
The Bogota Rake/Euro Wave Jiggler. This pick kicks ass. It's almost like having a master key because it works so well on a wide variety of locks, and is simple to use once you get the hang of it. There is a good tutorial for making the versatile Bogota set here (http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=8205).
The Snake Rake. As the name implies, it's a snake-shaped pick for raking locks open. I rarely use one since I have the Bogota.
the Ball/Double Ball/Half Ball/Double Half Ball. Sometimes referred to as the snowman. There are 4 variations I know of, and they generally work well on oddball locks you can't get open with anything else, and certain cardoor locks.
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Now, the actual making of the pick. Once you have the shape you want, the rest is easy.
Firstly, get yourself situated with your benchvise with the material, and a scaled template on paper for reference if you feel the need. Some people will tell you to keep a cup of water to keep your pick cool while you grind on it.
Second, file/grind the metal down to the desired shape. This isn't really rocket science here. Don't go too fast, or you could weaken the metal. I like to make most of the pick out of files for this very reason, rather than use a power tool.
Thirdly, smooth the pick edges over. I like to use the Dremel with a grinder bit, then follow up with a 100 grit sanding drum.
Fourthly, this is the fun part. Wet Sanding and polishing! You can sand your picks all the way up to 1600 grit if you so desire. This makes your picks oh so smooooth and much more pleasurable to use. Especially for tools intended for raking. You can be lazy and leave them at 100 grit, but I highly recommend going the extra mile. It's only about a 5-15 minute job to sand and polish a pick the proper way. After you have it smooth, take your polishing wheel and the liquid buffer, and make that fucker shine.
Next, trim it down to the desired length, and fit a handle if you want one. I prefer my picks to be about 5-7" in length, as it offers more feel and control.
Lastly..Go test it! Oh, and if you need a tension wrench, there are plenty of video guides on youtube that show the process quite well.
Reference printout w/ scale:
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5067/favsxy5.jpg
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«-¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦-»
Stuff you need to make lockpicks:
Stock for the pick(more on that later)
A good file set(triangular, round, and rat-tail is usually all I ever need)
Pliers, benchvise, vise-grips, etc
Dremel Tool(optional, but handy as hell)
Handheld Torch
Several grades of sandpaper
Metal Polish
You may need more tools depending on preference, or if you need special tools for crafting a handle.
«-¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦-»
Now, pick stock. Most picks are crafted from spring steel. Obviously thin enough to fit in the lock, but not flimsy enough to break. Most people will use street sweeper bristles found in the street, and make some damn fine picks out of them. Others use hacksaw blades and the inserts from windshield wipers. If you want to make a handy all in one tool, a feeler gauge works quite well as it has a carrying chassis, and most of the blades are suitable pick stock.
«-¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦-»
What to build? That all depends on what you're going to pick. Some locks require fancier tools. For most padlocks/residential locks, you don't need anything high-tech.
Your set should consist of:
Tension Wrenches in varying sizes. This is usually just an l-shaped piece of metal, used for applying light torque to the cylinder. The simplest picking tool to make in most cases. There are some variations. Ones with twists, double headed, tapered, serrated, and some double-tension tools used on car locks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FEUouspU8g). I'll usually just throw down and make a whole batch of varying types and see which works best for me.
The short hook. This is probably my most used pick. It is used for manipulating a single pin at a time. I generally have 3 or 4 in varying lengths. Works good on anything from suitcase locks to high-security door locks.
The half diamond. Can be used to pick single pins at once, or as a rake, which is generally a less precise method of skillfully jiggling the hell of the pick. Very good against some locks. There is also a variation on this known as a slant rake, or DeForest, which has it's place in picking as well.
The Bogota Rake/Euro Wave Jiggler. This pick kicks ass. It's almost like having a master key because it works so well on a wide variety of locks, and is simple to use once you get the hang of it. There is a good tutorial for making the versatile Bogota set here (http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=8205).
The Snake Rake. As the name implies, it's a snake-shaped pick for raking locks open. I rarely use one since I have the Bogota.
the Ball/Double Ball/Half Ball/Double Half Ball. Sometimes referred to as the snowman. There are 4 variations I know of, and they generally work well on oddball locks you can't get open with anything else, and certain cardoor locks.
«-¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦-»
Now, the actual making of the pick. Once you have the shape you want, the rest is easy.
Firstly, get yourself situated with your benchvise with the material, and a scaled template on paper for reference if you feel the need. Some people will tell you to keep a cup of water to keep your pick cool while you grind on it.
Second, file/grind the metal down to the desired shape. This isn't really rocket science here. Don't go too fast, or you could weaken the metal. I like to make most of the pick out of files for this very reason, rather than use a power tool.
Thirdly, smooth the pick edges over. I like to use the Dremel with a grinder bit, then follow up with a 100 grit sanding drum.
Fourthly, this is the fun part. Wet Sanding and polishing! You can sand your picks all the way up to 1600 grit if you so desire. This makes your picks oh so smooooth and much more pleasurable to use. Especially for tools intended for raking. You can be lazy and leave them at 100 grit, but I highly recommend going the extra mile. It's only about a 5-15 minute job to sand and polish a pick the proper way. After you have it smooth, take your polishing wheel and the liquid buffer, and make that fucker shine.
Next, trim it down to the desired length, and fit a handle if you want one. I prefer my picks to be about 5-7" in length, as it offers more feel and control.
Lastly..Go test it! Oh, and if you need a tension wrench, there are plenty of video guides on youtube that show the process quite well.
Reference printout w/ scale:
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5067/favsxy5.jpg
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