Wed Mar 10, 2010 5:10 pm by Magic1
I do not want to sound negative, but I do not think the average person would have any problem in fabrication a handle, but they probably will in shaping the business end of the pick. Anyone who has hacked a narrow key way such as a Yale Y2, knows that a typical off the shelf profile pick is not going to do the job, A beginner does not know this, nor do they know that the typical 'off the shelf' pick blade is far too long. So rather than 'perfect' handles I would like to see picks with 'perfect ' tip profiles, that can do the job. Also I would like to see a deviation from the philosophy that you need dozens of picks. Five picks that will do the job, are far better than two dozen that cannot. From an engineering point of view most picks I see are crap and can only slow the development of a beginners skill. Handles are meant for hands and that includes the fingers. Any finger out there, on the end of a wobbly, sharp , over long blade, is the mark of a bad pick design.
In effect I am suggesting, 'oh so bloody humbly', that everyone has been doing things wrong and now is the time , to make amends and correct things, for the sake of future lock pickers. Hey ...... you have to admit that is a bold statement from someone who had never even thought of locks a month ago !. Of course there is always a terribly slim possibility that I am wrong .... but the probability is that I am right, and I have the balls to say so !.
So what profiles would I subscribe too ?. Based on my limited experience, it would have to be a medium sized half diamond for a starter. For the 00500 locks we have to use a hook whether we like it or not, but getting it under the '5' cut and up to a '0' cut may need more than one profile hook, so I have two. As for the 1001 rake profiles, well I just dismiss them all and say than a Bogota, or nice long uniform snake , will perform as well and better than the rest put together. Dear me, that only amounts to four picks, but we can double that because, we have large key ways and 'normal' ones. In the case of the typical Yale key way, it is narrow and has sharp bends and that means the pick has to be narrow and of a depth that can negotiate those bends, when picking. This tends to leave the pick blade extremely thin and a pick made for this task is best reserved for it.
In any field, change is inevitable, the trick is to roll with it. There are things that are wrong out there, and with time they will get corrected ... or one day some smart ass such as myself will come along and question everything. If nothing else it should boost the traffic on the site, I was beginning to fall asleep !.