Hacksaw Hack

How many hacks, could a hacksaw hack - if a hacksaw could hack, hacks?

In a previous article we went over the basics of lock picking and now we'd like to show you a second use for your old hacksaw blades. Their thin design and flexibility mean they make great lock picks.

If you intend to do this you should ensure you take all necessary safety precautions.

Materials Needed:

• Hacksaw blade*
• Lockpick or lockpick template downloaded free

Tools Needed:

• Rotary tool* with cutting/grinding attachments (could do the same with manual tools but will take longer)
• Marker pen*
• Vice*
• Clamps*

So to start I'm going to trace around my existing lockpick, that way I have a nice template to follow when I cut and grind.

The next step is to cut away the excess material, I do this by clamping down the hacksaw blade to a work bench, so it wont move while I'm cutting it. Then I proceed to cut off all the excess metal that I've marked with the marker pen.

When the bulk of the metal is removed I transfer it to a vice while I grind a finer detail into the pick. It's best to take your time when you do this as you don't want to take too much off.

Making sure the hacksaw blade lockpick moves freely in the lock.

If you think you've finished then check the hacksaw blade lockpicks operation by putting it in a test lock. The pick should be free to move in the lock, if it's not then grind a bit more off. I would advise you have a test lock (just an old lock you don't need) when trying out your pick, as if you didn't properly grind down the blade it could get jammed in the lock.

Checking the lockpick lifts the pins.

If you haven't already got a set of picks to trace around then don't worry, I've made some free templates for you to download. From these templates you could make slight deviations from the designs and create a lot of different picks. With a bit of imagination and hard work you'll be amazed at what you can create.