making
a
torque
wrenc
h
is
b
ending
the
bristle
without
cracking
it.
T
o
make
the
90
degree
handle
twist,
clamp
the
head
of
the
bristle
(ab out
one
inch)
in
a
vise
and
use
pliers
to
grasp
the
bristle
ab
out
3/8
of
an
inc
h
ab ov
e
the
vise.
Y
ou
can
use
another
pair
of
pliers
instead
of
a
vise.
Apply
a
45
degree
t
wist.
T
ry
to
keep
the
axis
of
the
twist
lined
up
with
the
axis
of
the
bristle.
No
w
mo
v
e
the
pliers
back
another
3/8
inc
h
and
apply
the
remaining
45
degrees.
Y
ou
will
need
to
t
wist
the
bristle
more
than
90
degrees
in
order
to
set
a
p ermanent
90
degree
t
wist.
T
o
make
the
80
degree
head
b end,
lift
the
bristle
out
of
the
vise
b
y
ab out
1/4
inch
(so
44
Figure
A.1:
Selection
of
pick
shap
es
45
3/4
inc
h
is
still
in
the
vise).
Place
the
shank
of
a
screw
driver
against
the
bristle
and
b end
the
spring
steel
around
it
ab out
90
degrees.
This
should
set
a
p ermanent
80
degree
b end
in
the
metal.
T
ry
to
keep
the
axis
of
the
b end
p erp
endicular
to
the
handle.
The
screwdriver
shank
ensures
that
the
radius
of
curv
ature
will
not
b e
to
o
small.
An
y
rounded
ob
ject
will
work
(e.g.,
drill
bit,
needle
nose
pliers,
or
a
p
en
cap).
If
y
ou
hav
e
trouble
with
this
metho
d,
try
grasping
the
bristle
with
tw
o
pliers
separated
by
ab out
1/2
inc
h
and
b
end.
This
metho d
pro duces
a
gentle
curv
e
that
won't
break
the
bristle.
A
grinding
wheel
will
greatly
sp eed
the
job
of
making
a
pick.
It
takes
a
bit
of
practice
to
learn
ho
w
mak
e
smo oth
cuts
with
a
grinding
wheel,
but
it
tak
es
less
time
to
practice
and
make
tw
o
or
three
picks
than
it
do
es
to
hand
le
a
single
pick.
The
rst
step
is
to
cut
the
front
angle
of
the
pick.
Use
the
fron
t
of
the
wheel
to
do
this.
Hold
the
bristle
at
45
degrees
to
the
wheel
and
mo
v
e
the
bristle
side
to
side
as
you
grind
a
w
a
y
the
metal.
Grind
slo
wly
to
a
v
oid
ov
erheating
the
metal,
which
mak
es
it
brittle.
If
the
metal
changes
color
(to
dark
blue),
you
hav
e
ov
erheated
it,
and
you
should
grind
aw
a
y
the
colored
p ortion.
Next,
cut
the
back
angle
of
the
tip
using
the
corner
of
the
wheel.
Usually
one
corner
is
sharp
er
than
the
other,
and
you
should
use
that
one.
Hold
the
pic
k
at
the
desired
angle
and
slowly
push
it
into
the
corner
of
the
wheel.
The
side
of
the
stone
should
cut
the
back
angle.
Be
sure
that
the
tip
of
the
pick
is
supp
orted.
If
the
grinding
wheel
stage
is
not
close
enough
to
the
wheel
to
supp
ort
the
tip,
use
needle
nose
pliers
to
hold
the
tip.
The
cut
should
should
pass
though
ab out
2/3
of
the
width
of
the
bristle.
If
the
tip
came
out
w
ell,
contin
ue.
Otherwise
break
it
o
and
try
again.
Y
ou
can
break
the
bristle
by
clamping
it
into
a
vise
and
b ending
it
sharply
.
The
corner
of
the
wheel
is
also
used
to
grind
the
tang
of
the
pick.
Put
a
scratc
h
mark
to
indicate
how
far
back
the
tang
should
go.
The
tang
should
b e
long
enough
to
allo
w
the
tip
to
pass
ov
er
the
back
pin
of
a
seven
pin
lo ck.
Cut
the
tang
by
making
several
smo
oth
passes
o
v
er
the
corner.
Each
pass
starts
at
the
tip
and
mov
es
to
the
scratch
mark.
T
ry
to
remov
e
less
than
a
1/16th
of
an
inc
h
of
metal
with
each
pass.
I
use
tw
o
ngers
to
hold
the
bristle
on
the
stage
at
the
prop er
angle
while
my
other
hand
pushes
the
handle
of
the
pic
k
to
mov
e
the
tang
along
the
corner.
Use
whatev
er
tec
hnique
w
orks
b
est
for
you.
Use
a
hand
le
to
nish
the
pick.
It
should
feel
smo oth
if
y
ou
run
a
nger
nail
ov
er
it.
Any
roughness
will
add
noise
to
the
feedback
you
wan
t
to
get
from
the
lo ck.
The
outer
sheath
of
phone
cable
can
b e
used
as
a
handle
for
the
pick.
Remo
v
e
three
or
four
of
the
wires
from
a
length
of
cable
and
push
it
ov
er
the
pick.
If
the
sheath
w
on't
sta
y
in
place,
y
ou
can
put
some
ep
o
xy
on
the
handle
b
efore
pushing
the
sheath
o
v
er
it.
A.3
Bicycle
sp
ok
es
An
alternative
to
making
to
ols
out
of
street
cleaner
bristles
is
to
make
them
out
of
nails
and
bicycle
sp
ok
es.
These
materials
are
easily
accessible
and
when
they
are
heat
treated,
they
will
b
e
stronger
than
to
ols
made
from
bristles.
A
strong
torque
wrench
can
b
e
constructed
from
an
8-p
enn
y
nail
(ab out
.1
inc
h
diameter).
First
heat
up
the
p oint
with
a
propane
torc
h
until
it
glows
red,
slo
wly
remo
v
e
it
from
the
46
Figure
A.2:
T
orque
wrenches
ame,
and
let
it
air
co ol;
this
softens
it.
The
burner
of
a
gas
sto
v
e
can
b
e
used
instead
of
a
torch.
Grind
it
down
into
the
shap e
of
a
skinny
screwdriver
blade
and
b
end
it
to
ab out
80
degrees.
The
b
end
should
b e
less
than
a
right
angle
b ecause
some
lo
c
k
faces
are
recessed
b ehind
a
plate
(called
an
escutche
on)
and
you
wan
t
the
head
of
the
wrenc
h
to
b e
able
to
reach
ab out
half
an
inch
into
the
plug.
T
emper
(harden)
the
torque
wrench
by
heating
to
bright
orange
and
dunking
it
into
ice
water.
Y
ou
will
wind
up
with
a
virtually
indestructible
b ent
screwdriver
that
will
last
for
years
under
brutal
use.
Bicycle
sp okes
make
excellent
picks.
Bend
one
to
the
shap e
you
w
an
t
and
le
the
sides
of
the
business
end
at
suc
h
that
it's
strong
in
the
vertical
and
exy
in
the
horizontal
direction.
T
ry
a
righ
t-angle
h
unk
ab out
an
inch
long
for
a
handle.
F
or
smaller
picks,
which
you
need
for
those
really
tin
y
keyw
a
ys,
nd
any
large-diameter
spring
and
unbend
it.
If
y
ou're
careful
you
don't
hav
e
to
play
any
metallurgical
games.
A.4
Bric
k
Strap
F
or
p erfectly
serviceable
key
blanks