With a round and a flat file you can turn a rake tine into a pick in 15 minutes.
If you can find street-sweeper tines, you can bend them to make good turning wrenches.
It is not an efficient use of time compared to buying, but still fun.
If you're one of the people who keeps hearing about mythical street sweeper bristles and has never found one in the wild, consider the spring steel from windshield wiper blades.
Someone you know has wipers that should have been been replaced years ago; do something nice for them, and get enough pick-stock to last for years.
Bike spokes are also useful, but a bit more work to flatten/grind and shape. (Great for tension wrenches, though.)
Actually, I used to follow the street sweeper around in the city I lived in and pick up the tines that broke off and did make my own lock picks. They are very strong and flexible in a good way.
Comments
With a round and a flat file you can turn a rake tine into a pick in 15 minutes. If you can find street-sweeper tines, you can bend them to make good turning wrenches. It is not an efficient use of time compared to buying, but still fun.
If you're one of the people who keeps hearing about mythical street sweeper bristles and has never found one in the wild, consider the spring steel from windshield wiper blades.
Someone you know has wipers that should have been been replaced years ago; do something nice for them, and get enough pick-stock to last for years.
Bike spokes are also useful, but a bit more work to flatten/grind and shape. (Great for tension wrenches, though.)
Actually, I used to follow the street sweeper around in the city I lived in and pick up the tines that broke off and did make my own lock picks. They are very strong and flexible in a good way.