My current diy pick set

[selim]

I would love then as they are, I'll put the handes on.
sell ,trade, or buy, I like them

[clearmoon247]

So, its been a while since i really did any sort of updates, because a lot of what i have been working on has stayed the same, to a point. But, now, I have learned a lot, seen quite a few quality picks from very good sources and have refined my pick making abilities quite a bit in the past few months.
I now have a reliable source of pick material, so there should be more uniformity than before. Now, i use flat drain snake, which is tempered spring steel at 0.03125" thick.


I'll post progress pics when i make another round, but for now, this is the finished product, fully wrapped and polished


I personally feel that these have even better feedback than the previous wiper blade picks I've made in the past.

[clearmoon247]

So, another update, I can say things have progressed quite a bit with my picks since i last updated. Ive officially moved beyond wire wrapped handles (will still do upon request) and now I am working with wood and i can say i'm quite pleased with the results to say the least
So here it is, my latest pick creation:


I still need to secure the pick in place, but thought you guys would enjoy seeing my first wooden handle

[gnarus8429]

Nice work. I would like to have a full set of the wood handled version. Are you selling them?

[clearmoon247]

I haven't thought about selling the wood ones, but if there's a market, then yes i would be, just not sure on what a good price would be for these. How many would you be looking at getting?

[Oldfast]

Beautiful!! I can't wait to see more from you Clearmoon.

. . . just not sure on what a good price would be for these . . .

Maybe after you've made a few more and refined the process, you'll know better just how much of
your time you'll be putting into each one... hence, a better idea of what the price range should be?

[nozza36]

Very nice clear' not sure how the tang sits in the handle though , any more pics or info' , the blade seems to grow out from the handle , did you cut the underside ?

[clearmoon247]

Well nozza, what i had to do was take a pick, get it shaped, then in some potting soil set the pick in position, put a couple key pins or "pick seeds" as i calls them and let the handle grow around the pick itself.

But seriously, ill post the steps on how i got to that point. The pick hasn't been secured in the handle yet, im still working on methods to see which one is the best.

[GringoLocksmith]

These are gorgeous, clearmoon. I like all the versions. Very sleek.

You obviously put a lot of time and love into these. My picks often tend to break when I lend them to co-workers. Since I'm new to all of this, I don't know if I've got cheap tools or if this just happens. Are your picks co-worker-proof?

[clearmoon247]

I would say there are no picks that are truly co-worker proof, but you can have co-worker resistance. The main issue is heavy handed-nes, which is one of the largest issues with those beginning with lock picking. Mine are pretty resistant to those with lead hands. I have only had one instance of someone with my picks who has bent one, but they are getting one sent that's made of a stronger material, e.g. the 1/4" tempered spring steel. If you have a set of CM Picks, i would love to see your reviews of them.

[rai]

One thing about bogotas, is that they have only enough handle for thumb and forefinger, this helps with the heavy handed problem.
I was thinking that the wire wrapped picks would work welll if some epoxy were added to the tang of the pick just before the wrapping to keep the wires from any movement from high pressure down the road when they are getting used a lot.
just sayin, perhaps yours never try to come apart... heatshrink lasts forver...

[magician59]

You're definitely geting better at it. Now, let's see them in action!

[clearmoon247]

Thanks magician, i'm not much of one for being on camera, but there is one video of me picking some American locks.
Perhaps i will show the latest in action once i'm finished with it, currently deciding on how to finish it off.
Rai, the heat shrink, combined with a notch in the side of the pick keeps the wire wrap in place, can't really claim long term for how well the wrap holds up, but i have a few picks from march that still have the wrap secured in place. Id love to know if anyone has had such an issue with the picks i sent them.

[clearmoon247]

If anyone is interested, here are some progress pics of the handle i made
http://imgur.com/a/IPdyg#0

I started with a 4 foot dowel of wood, then cut it to size
Once proper height, i flattened the top and bottom with a wood plane
Then, using a coping saw, cut a slot down the spine for the pick to sit
After that, cut away sections for shaping the handle
From there, using 85 grit for basic smoothing then 800 grit sandpaper for finishing

After the 800 was applied, it was super smooth!

Next steps are to attach the pick into the handle (currently testing a few methods) and then either staining or using a laquer on the handle to take it to the next level

[Violaetor]

Just about any local wood shop should have a scrap bin, you can rummage there for better wood than dowels and probably a lot cheaper too.