I like having my keys in an easily accessible spot and I found an idea on bladehq.com and thought it was cool. so made a tutorial on how to make one. the clip keeps your keys at the top of your pocket so you can easily grab and go. this project is simple but it took longer than I was expecting because of the sanding.

Step 1: Step 1

for this project I just took a piece of steel I has laying around my shop. it is a 16th inch piece so I cut about a three inch piece off. I merely took the metal and placed a piece of wood over it for a guide. the piece was now strait it is now time for sanding.

Step 2: Step 2

I started sanding with a sanding disk for my dremel tool. the sanding was pretty smooth so I went ahead and cut the point for the piece. where the hole is to be drilled.

Step 3: Step 3

I drew a line so I could cut a fairly accurate point. After which I took it to the drill press for drilling the hole. a press is not needed but I happen to have one and it makes things a lot easier. as long as the metal is inealed (softened) it should be pretty darn easy to drill out. I used an 1/8th inch bit for the hole. Next I clamped it to the work bench and sanded and filed the edges of the metal. I have a set of micro files (150 grit) that worked pretty well.

Step 4: Step 4

Because I was too far along with the sanding I took a sanding wheel for dremel and rounded all the points. I prefer ed the rounded ends rather than the square. The end without the hole I put a burnish on because I thought it would help. Then I went on and sanded the metal pretty smooth. I left a few scratches in it because it gives it a little character.

Step 5: Step 5

Time to bend the piece to shape. I have a blow torch that worked quite well for heating the metal to red hot. I bent the burnished end first. I eye-balled the entire process so there is no right ot wrong way to do this. I heated the metal to red hot just off center, I think, then bent it with a pair of pliars. after bending the whole thing I heated the main bend to red hot and quenched it in water. quenching it made it hardened so that the clip has spring.

Step 6: Step 6

After hardening and quenching the clip has quite a bit of carbon on it so it's back to the sanding disk. The carbon came off quite easy with a 180 grit wheel (note these are small disks that are about an inch across. not a heavy duty sanding wheel) I went through about ten wheels for this project. after the sanding it looked pretty darn good.

Step 7:

I really like the way it turned out. I had fun making it even though it was so tedious to make. it has a pretty good polish and it for snugly to my picket.

Thanks for viewing my project!!