One pick to rule them all…
Sorry guys. This will be the last pick post … for a while.
I’m posting this one as there is a story to it.
Having just made all these picks I thought “if I could only carry one pick, what would it be”?
The two picks that I use about 90% of the time (on pin tumblers) are the Bogota style and a short/medium hook.
As I wanted to make a double ender I needed a longer blank than the engineers shims that I use. I read Esher7's post on bi metal hack saw blades and Escher7 being a knife maker I respect his knowledge of metals. I could not find any of the brands that he mentioned in his post so purchased the most expensive bi metal blade (HSS flexible) that the local hardware store stocked.
I have made picks from hack saw blades before but they all bent and were pretty useless so I had high hopes for this blade. Unfortunately, after I made it and tried it out on a couple of locks it also bent. Also unfortunate because it was one of the best Bogota tips I’ve yet made . The blade was probably made in China as there is no country of origin marked on it and the local store usually sells cheap ass junk.
I’m not doubting what Escher7 said about the bi metal blades just that I could not get any of the brands that he mentioned. SO, the message is… not all HSS bi metal blades are of the necessary quality for pick making.
The rest of the story is about a happy discovery from a balls up that I made. To make the shape a little different I ground out a large curve on the bottom of the pick. When I put the scales on and went to grind them to the shape of the curve (using the front wheel of a belt sander) I ground the wrong side – the top. After a few curses I found that this shape is the MOST comfortable that I have ever held.
Future picks I make will have a flat bottom - the curve on the one in the picture is unnecessary - and a deep curve on the top.
Anyone making picks should give this shape a try and see what you think.
So, the whole process was not a waste – it never is, as even when things go wrong, you learn something.
So that’s the story and here’s the pick before I bent it.
Note, I did not finish it to the degree that I normally would.
For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert.