Handle Materials Experiments 1 and 2
I was told that lock picks were uncomfortable without handles. They are. So I covered my picks with various materials to see how they worked out. I think a pack of shrink tubing is in my future.
The top pick (blue) is wrapped with Kevlar. I only tried this because it was around, had a known thickness and it's Kevlar. I used drops of crazy glue every few wraps.
PLUS side. Very grippy, highly resistant to wear (see youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ0GN417JIA), flexible enough to leave the flex of the pick untouched, Very nice feedback.
CON side. Abrassive. YOU CAN USE IT AS A WIRE SAW!!! Which makes that handle an emergency saw, still cool but rough on the hands.
The others are all leather. 8 or 9lb I think. Had it around (strops for tools). Attached with contact cement. All of them had the edges impregnated with crazy glue. Similar idea to makeing leather washer knife handles. It allows the leather to be shaped like wood, without it looking frayed. All were finished with a top coat of grazy clue ( the leather changes colour and it was just easier to add than remove). Because the leather changes colour with the glue I tried something akin to stag horn with number 2 and 3. It's done freehand with a dentist bit in a dremel so it's not great. The darker one had more CG added after 'engraving' and actually looks better though not like horn.
Number 4 was sealed and given a wipe with 600 grit. The easiest of the bunch and I'm happy with the feel.
The rake at the bottom had the CG removed with a wire brush. IT now has a suede feel. The feel is great but it's going to look dirty fast.
Overall I'm happy with the leather. It's stiff enough, feels good, and has potential to look good too. It does absorb some vibration, but the acrylate glue mitigates that. The standard and half diamond are my favorites for handles. Followed by the kevlar, it's hard on the hands but almost magnifies the vibrations from the tip. It may be the pick (De Forest?) but it's my first pick to try out, and probably has the best success rate.
For the other picks I have some peices of white acrylic that I'll use for handles. It's boring, and plastic, but it shapes well and should transmit feel almost as well as kevlar
The top pick (blue) is wrapped with Kevlar. I only tried this because it was around, had a known thickness and it's Kevlar. I used drops of crazy glue every few wraps.
PLUS side. Very grippy, highly resistant to wear (see youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ0GN417JIA), flexible enough to leave the flex of the pick untouched, Very nice feedback.
CON side. Abrassive. YOU CAN USE IT AS A WIRE SAW!!! Which makes that handle an emergency saw, still cool but rough on the hands.
The others are all leather. 8 or 9lb I think. Had it around (strops for tools). Attached with contact cement. All of them had the edges impregnated with crazy glue. Similar idea to makeing leather washer knife handles. It allows the leather to be shaped like wood, without it looking frayed. All were finished with a top coat of grazy clue ( the leather changes colour and it was just easier to add than remove). Because the leather changes colour with the glue I tried something akin to stag horn with number 2 and 3. It's done freehand with a dentist bit in a dremel so it's not great. The darker one had more CG added after 'engraving' and actually looks better though not like horn.
Number 4 was sealed and given a wipe with 600 grit. The easiest of the bunch and I'm happy with the feel.
The rake at the bottom had the CG removed with a wire brush. IT now has a suede feel. The feel is great but it's going to look dirty fast.
Overall I'm happy with the leather. It's stiff enough, feels good, and has potential to look good too. It does absorb some vibration, but the acrylate glue mitigates that. The standard and half diamond are my favorites for handles. Followed by the kevlar, it's hard on the hands but almost magnifies the vibrations from the tip. It may be the pick (De Forest?) but it's my first pick to try out, and probably has the best success rate.
For the other picks I have some peices of white acrylic that I'll use for handles. It's boring, and plastic, but it shapes well and should transmit feel almost as well as kevlar
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A LIVING: (n.) A means of enjoying ones existence that also provides financial compensation. see Freedom