Best brass rods according to redditors

Ahh, I’m picking up what you’re putting down now. I’m finding out this is the kind of thing where you could spend a fortune, or try to stay within a regular working persons budget. Being the latter myself I have to figure out what I’m going to spend money on each paycheck. The re-key-able feature is nice, and as far as making your own pins I was directed here. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H1C4888?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app
Other than American and Master lock which use a smaller pin you can make your own pins with this. I haven’t tried it yet, as I’ve just gotten my Dremel, but plan on making challenge locks, etc...

So far I’ve favored padlocks, but I’d like to get into all aspects of locksport, sadly though I’m not independently wealthy, so I have just figured out what I can afford, and what I have access to. I’ve been disassembling, and reassembling padlocks for a few days now, and its fantastic! Very rewarding, but also very detailed work. Almost like watchmaking, but less parts.

Thank you for the heads up on the 302/304 steel! I’m a noob as well, but would like to start making my own picks, etc... I was very impressed with yours, and am curious what bits, or tools were all involved in your process? I’m sure there’s more than one way to skin a cat, as it were, but I like hearing about everyone’s preferences until I find my own. But when it comes time for the belt challenge to make your own tools you’re gonna have it in the bag, my friend!!

Lastly, I am ready for my green belt, but am having issues with the whole video aspect of the challenge. Either bribing a friend to record me on my phone, or finding an apparatus to hold it in place seem like my best options at the moment. I’m not completely tech savvy, but I do know a bit about things. Anyway, curious if you’ve figured out how you’re going to do video for green belt, and forward. I’m thinking about investing in a cheapo digital cam, or seeing if a family member has an old one I can “borrow” ;)

Edit: forgot to ask, did you buy blanks from Peterson’s, or are you using hacksaw blades? Or something altogether different?

Brass is softer then the steel in your barrel. It will not scratch or damage the rifling.

A 9mm is .355 inches. So you want something a bit narrower.

464 Brass Round Rod, Unpolished (Mill) Finish, H02 Temper, ASTM B21, 0.3125" Diameter, 12" Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003JP6DIG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_Y9c9wbWCKT77X

This would work fine. I would probably hit the edges with some Sand paper just so you don't cut your hands on a burr.

You can honestly find something at homedepot. You want it to take up as much room in the barrel as possible, so it doesn't get wedged between the bullet and the barrel.

I believe you can find caliber specific squib rods online but you will pay a premium on them.

If you have a rubber mallet I would use it just to make sure you don't mark up the barrel if you miss :P

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JP6DIG

Needs a little polishing on the ends, but it's a great squib rod for 9mm and up. I might cut mine down to 8-10" instead of a foot long, but you don't want to go too short and hit your barrel with a hammer either.

EDIT: My first knife BUILD

This was an awesome experience! The most important thing I learned was to make sure to tape far enough down the blade to prevent the epoxy from getting on the blade. :/

Blank: https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Knife-Bushlore-Blade-Silver/dp/B00WTH01K6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465848087&sr=8-1&keywords=condor+bushlore+blank

Scales: http://www.rockler.com/bolivian-rosewood-by-the-piece-1-4-thickness?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&sid=V9146&gclid=CN7e6_m3yM0CFUFehgodNFUMkA

Epoxy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006O8QQ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pins: https://www.amazon.com/Unpolished-Finish-Extruded-Standard-Tolerance/dp/B00CNLVD1E

Finish: Natural Danish Oil

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Instead of holding your dremel by hand, toss it into your hobby vise. This gives you greater control over how much material you remove and where.
   
   
2. Using the utility blade to give you a starting point to make a transition is a good idea, but it isn't easy to get a positive grip on the spinning brass. It can and does slip. A razor saw is ideal for this and you can make some nice serrations with it too.
   
   
3. I too have experienced running out of room on the pin because it is too close to the chuck. When you are that close, you can only make an outward bevel because the second you try to tip it in, you start filing down the chuck instead. Using old pins is a great way to level up on your technique. You can pick up some brass rod stock and cut each one into 3rds and backup the rod into the dremel as far as it goes and that will stabilize the brass and give you plenty of material to pull out and away from the chuck.
   
   
4. The quick change dremel chuck works great when you have a bunch of different sized bits to change out. However, on brass it tends to leave unwanted dents with the three prongs. The dremel collet set will not leave those marks. It is a cheap set and it is made from aluminum but I haven't had one break on me yet.
   
   I love, Love, LOVE jewelry files for shaping my pins! You can futz around with the different shapes to get some cool transitions. To polish off my pins and when I want to remove burrs from the final shapes, I cut my sandpaper into strips and glued it onto a popsicle stick. This lets me get up in there and also works great when you just need to remove a little more material. You can also wrap a little of the sandpaper over the edge and use that outside corner to push into the brass to make a tight inside corner on the brass. Here is a preview of some of the evil.

I made it.... I got some old Nicholson files off ebay..... I think I paid $30 for 10 different files.... Then I annealed it by throwing it in the coals/ashes of a brush pile that I was burning and let it air cool overnight.... Cut out the size and blade tip with a hacksaw (tiring process) Used a belt sander to shape it down until I got the profile I liked and the blade was about the thickness of a dime. Drilled out the holes on my drill press. Used a makeshift kiln with a MAPP gas torch to get it to cherry red (about 25 minutes of torch time, I'll use charcoal next time) and quenched it in motor oil. Threw it in my shop toaster oven at about 425 for an hour to temper it, then quenched in water. I used Padauk wood for the handles ( I had some scrap leftover from a picture frame and gun rest that I made) I used a 5 minute epoxy, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ALJ4NS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Which setup in about an hour and a half. And 1/4 brass rod,
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FMWZ5Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then shaped the handle with my bandsaw, belt sander, and lots of hand sanding (to try and get all the bandsaw marks off)
Finished off with Boiled Linseed Oil which helps make the wood really pop with it's natural color.....

Then used a Gatco system to sharpen it,
http://www.amazon.com/Gatco-10005-5-Stone-sharpening-system/dp/B001DB9CQS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422323386&sr=8-1&keywords=gatco+knife+sharpener

And honed on a strop with some green compound
http://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-D2902-1-Pound-Buffing-Compound/dp/B0000DD35C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1422323451&sr=8-3&keywords=honing+compound

and now I have to make a sheath...

Amazon, eBay, wherever. Brass rod stock in specific diameters is a bit beyond what you can find at the Home Depot. Fortunately, it doesn't take much.

Here is some 3mm brass rod stock that works great for Kwikset and Schlage: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074W3W1B1

Technically, it's too big (.118 inches instead of .115 inches), but what's a few thousands of an inch between friends? ;)

maybe replacing it with brass rods would do the trick. Not sure of the size you'd need tho..

For a revolver, you pretty much have to tap it back out towards the cylinder.

You'll probably be OK, but wooden dowels do have the potential to splinter and jam the bullet in even worse.

After my first squib I ordered one of these and put it in my range bag:

360 Brass Round Rod, Unpolished (Mill) Finish, H02 Temper, ASTM B16, 0.3125" Diameter, 12" Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H9JY1K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KF6lybB6JQMKV