singlepickers first homebrew.

[singlepicker]

my first homebrew set. the hooks aren't exactly 'hooked' but they do work..from a selection of Romstars templates and also the southord slimline template.
ran out of sandpaper before i could get rid of the slipped dremel abrasions.
the whole set is kept via a square screw and locking nut to resemble a jackknife, which is handy for storage since i don't have to worry about them getting bent.
http://s576.photobucket.com/albums/ss201/singlepicker/?action=view&current=lock1005.jpg

[magician59]

Very nice!

[singlepicker]

thanks-like i said, a first attempt but i had looked at other hbrew pics before and knew the bar was set high. these hbrews have worked well for me on my cheap padlocks and rim cylinders, but i had trouble using them on my new euro cylinders so bought the goso set (23 pc).

[HallisChalmers]

Nice work, just be careful that you don't bend them. I found that I have a tendency to bend the hell out of hacksaw blade picks.

[uklockpicker]

Nicely done , look good m8

[quaiboi]

man...they look nice......i cant even make pics look that nice.....coz i havent tried making picks out of hacksaw blades......ppl say they bend alot and just....break.....anyway,good job!

[singlepicker]

the hack blades i buy are 12 for a £1, once rubbed down they are the same thickness as a southord slimline pick. when i grind them down i always dip them in water every few seconds. so far they haven't bent, but i have had a couple that i made that snapped due to me being heavy handed with them.
maybe the quality of the blades is different from the U.K. to the U.S.?
i bought myself a rotary tool from Focus diy for £9.99, 12 blades and a diamond dremel cutting wheel for £4.99 so total cost was £16..at that price i don't think it matters if a couple of picks bend or break, plus there is always that satisfaction of picking a new lock with your own homebrews.

[pinhead1304]

nice work a grate first go. top marks.

[uklockpicka]

Welldone mate they are looking nice : )

[HallisChalmers]

If you want to keep all of those picks together, try using a Chicago screw (screw post).

chicago screw.jpg

[singlepicker]

didn't know about those. thanks. will stop the wingnut from catching on stuff all the time.

[ToolyMcgee]

You even did the royals... Don't see that on many first homebrews. Cool set.

-Tooly

[singlepicker]

cheers Tooly,only did the 'king' tho' and that is fantastic for big padlocks. opens them in about 10 seconds.(silverline 266 paddylock.- about 6.) have a few dremel cuts on my fingers tho'...

[ToolyMcgee]

cheers Tooly,only did the 'king' tho'...

So it would seem... I saw them and just assumed it was the pair you know. Where I would use the southord queen, rocking a half diamond does just about the same job for me. I think the southord king is the more interesting of the pair, so making two of them was probably a good bet.

maybe the quality of the blades is different from the U.K. to the U.S.?

Cheap hacksaw blades are of an indeterminate quality. Could be alloyed, or differentially tempered, but mostly it's just cheap steel behaving as such. Second hand cutlery is a much better bet. You live in the UK, so Sheffield stainless steel should be easy to come by I would think. Some of the most renound in the world. I just bought 20 old Regent steak knives (.027-.031) for about 3 bucks from goodwill. I've paid as much as $0.75 apiece, but it's worth every penny. If you need something thinner, simmons swedish steel fruit knives I've found as thin as .020, but more commonly .025. Anything thinner will have to be an icing spreading knife. Quality steel, and no paint to sand off as it already has a mirror polish. As little work and materials as you can manage I say. Makes for less complications. Thinning can be done, but more than .001 I wouldn't mess with. Better to hold off until you find something the thickness you want.

One last bit, the rear slope of the small half diamond has that short hook catch curve. It works great, but if the diamond is larger, it can jam up really easily on locking dogs and other parts out the back of some cylinders. Polish it very smooth to help prevent that. Good looking homebrew man. Nice stuff.

-Tooly

[singlepicker]

[quote="

One last bit, the rear slope of the small half diamond has that short hook catch curve. It works great, but if the diamond is larger, it can jam up really easily on locking dogs and other parts out the back of some cylinders. Polish it very smooth to help prevent that. Good looking homebrew man. Nice stuff.

-Tooly[/quote]

you noticed that..lol.yes, it does have a nasty tendency to catch, however i don't use it that often. i'm kind of lazy, it would only take a couple of seconds to finish it.
been busy lately so have been neglecting my hobby, but am determined to pick my first mul t lock. won't be using the homebrews for that tho', will try to use the goso dimple pick i think.