How to Make a Credit Card Lock Pick Set: DIY Tutorial/Guide
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:16 pmThe following is a list of items you will need for this project:
• Three credit cards (or anything similar) or one credit card and a pack of playing cards.
• Packing tape (the wide kind) and double sided tape.
• Sand paper, mouse sander, etc. … something to sand with.
• Scissors.
• X-acto knife.
• Dremel tool with cutoff wheel and necessary eye and ear protection.
• Fine point Sharpie.
• Superglue.
• A work station would be nice.
• Patience.
Step 1: Find a table top or piece of plywood, 2x4, whatever that you don’t mind getting scuffed up. Take your double sided tape and lay out enough pieces so when you lay your credit card on top there will be no overlap onto your work surface. This credit card needs to stick!
Step 2: Stick one of the credit cards FACE DOWN onto the tape. Press firmly. Press firmly again.
Step 3: Begin to sand the back side of the credit card down so it is as thin as possible. The thinner the better. Note: If you do not wish to sand or could not find three credit cards you can substitute this step and step 4 by cutting two playing cards to the shape of a credit card.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 but this time with ANOTHER credit card and this time lay it FACE UP so that you are sanding the front of the card.
Step 5: Take your third credit card out. It should have a magnetic strip on the back. Use this as a guide and cut along the outer most edge of the strip until there is about a half inch left of uncut card. Now cut that part off. Repeat the process on the other side of the card using the piece you just cut as a guide if you need to. When you finish this step you should have two strips of thin, straight plastic and a fat t-shaped credit card.
Step 6: Superglue those straight, thin pieces you just cut to the outer most edges of the sanded side of either of your credit cards (or playing cards). The idea is that after you superglue those two pieces the fat t-shaped credit card would fit in between to make it one big, happy credit card again. (I will forewarn you by saying that these pieces tend to bend slightly as you cut so you may need to bend them back into shape a little bit before you glue.)
Step 7: Superglue the sanded side of your remaining credit card (or playing card) to the two thin, straight pieces to make a credit card sandwich. Delicious. At this point the fat t-shaped credit card should slide into the credit card sandwich you just made. Ooo, things are looking good now.
Step 8: The fat t-shaped credit card is going to be used as the cradle for your picks. So now you need to decide how you wish to organize your pick/s and tension wrench/s. Then trace your idea onto the credit card with your sharpie.
Step 9: Cut out your tracing with your dremel using a cutoff wheel. Yes, with a dremel. If you can think of a better idea for this step then DO IT! I tried for a while and couldn’t come up with anything.
Step 10: Lay down a piece of your packing tape sticky side up and then lay your fat t-shaped credit card on top. Press firmly. Press firmly again. Cut off the excess tape.
Step 11: Put it all together. Turn your card back side up. Use your x-acto knife to cut out a small semi circle about the width of your thumb on the end where the “t” is in that fat t-shaped part. Take the cradle back out. Take that little piece of tape off that was underneath the semi circle. Superglue that semi circle piece of plastic onto the fat t-shaped credit card where the tape came off. When you’re done it should fit back together and you should now be able to easily remove the inside card.
Step 12: Put your picks in the cradle, put that cradle in the sandwich and call it a day.
I understand that these directions may be a little difficult to follow. Please refer to the attached pictures for help.
Congratulations. You have finished your credit card lock pick set and your patience and dedication has earned you a spot on the Jedi Counsel. You have done well. May the force be with you.
• Three credit cards (or anything similar) or one credit card and a pack of playing cards.
• Packing tape (the wide kind) and double sided tape.
• Sand paper, mouse sander, etc. … something to sand with.
• Scissors.
• X-acto knife.
• Dremel tool with cutoff wheel and necessary eye and ear protection.
• Fine point Sharpie.
• Superglue.
• A work station would be nice.
• Patience.
Step 1: Find a table top or piece of plywood, 2x4, whatever that you don’t mind getting scuffed up. Take your double sided tape and lay out enough pieces so when you lay your credit card on top there will be no overlap onto your work surface. This credit card needs to stick!
Step 2: Stick one of the credit cards FACE DOWN onto the tape. Press firmly. Press firmly again.
Step 3: Begin to sand the back side of the credit card down so it is as thin as possible. The thinner the better. Note: If you do not wish to sand or could not find three credit cards you can substitute this step and step 4 by cutting two playing cards to the shape of a credit card.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 but this time with ANOTHER credit card and this time lay it FACE UP so that you are sanding the front of the card.
Step 5: Take your third credit card out. It should have a magnetic strip on the back. Use this as a guide and cut along the outer most edge of the strip until there is about a half inch left of uncut card. Now cut that part off. Repeat the process on the other side of the card using the piece you just cut as a guide if you need to. When you finish this step you should have two strips of thin, straight plastic and a fat t-shaped credit card.
Step 6: Superglue those straight, thin pieces you just cut to the outer most edges of the sanded side of either of your credit cards (or playing cards). The idea is that after you superglue those two pieces the fat t-shaped credit card would fit in between to make it one big, happy credit card again. (I will forewarn you by saying that these pieces tend to bend slightly as you cut so you may need to bend them back into shape a little bit before you glue.)
Step 7: Superglue the sanded side of your remaining credit card (or playing card) to the two thin, straight pieces to make a credit card sandwich. Delicious. At this point the fat t-shaped credit card should slide into the credit card sandwich you just made. Ooo, things are looking good now.
Step 8: The fat t-shaped credit card is going to be used as the cradle for your picks. So now you need to decide how you wish to organize your pick/s and tension wrench/s. Then trace your idea onto the credit card with your sharpie.
Step 9: Cut out your tracing with your dremel using a cutoff wheel. Yes, with a dremel. If you can think of a better idea for this step then DO IT! I tried for a while and couldn’t come up with anything.
Step 10: Lay down a piece of your packing tape sticky side up and then lay your fat t-shaped credit card on top. Press firmly. Press firmly again. Cut off the excess tape.
Step 11: Put it all together. Turn your card back side up. Use your x-acto knife to cut out a small semi circle about the width of your thumb on the end where the “t” is in that fat t-shaped part. Take the cradle back out. Take that little piece of tape off that was underneath the semi circle. Superglue that semi circle piece of plastic onto the fat t-shaped credit card where the tape came off. When you’re done it should fit back together and you should now be able to easily remove the inside card.
Step 12: Put your picks in the cradle, put that cradle in the sandwich and call it a day.
I understand that these directions may be a little difficult to follow. Please refer to the attached pictures for help.
Congratulations. You have finished your credit card lock pick set and your patience and dedication has earned you a spot on the Jedi Counsel. You have done well. May the force be with you.
