Blue Chip Pick - moulding to grip over time

[Robin, Wales]

My BC TP-1R 50 has moulded to my grip over a few months of playing. As Vespel is an engineering plastic for "temperature extremes, high friction and heavy loads" according to DuPont, I hadn't expected this. The 50 is not exactly a thin pick. It is quite comfortable to play but I may have to turn it round while I still can before the bend becomes too much. If it deforms simply from the heat of my hand then I hope aircraft manufactures aren't relying on it holding shape anywhere important!!!!

[JC.]

Pretty sure Boeing use TP 60s for holding their planes together. So probably not an issue.

[Methos1979]

Wow - you must grip the heck out of your pick! I've had my CT-55 for several months with no deformity of any kind.

[gmax150]

Three years and no sign of wear whatsoever.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

Wow - you must grip the heck out of your pick! I've had my CT-55 for several months with no deformity of any kind.

This ! I use TAD50s so I can use them any whichway. None are in any wat bent.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

My BC TP-1R 50 has moulded to my grip over a few months of playing. As Vespel is an engineering plastic for "temperature extremes, high friction and heavy loads" according to DuPont, I hadn't expected this. The 50 is not exactly a thin pick. It is quite comfortable to play but I may have to turn it round while I still can before the bend becomes too much. If it deforms simply from the heat of my hand then I hope aircraft manufactures aren't relying on it holding shape anywhere important!!!!

I've played the same BC for years and never noticed this.

[Robin, Wales]

Well you folks have definitely got me questioning my sanity! But I've just had a really good look at the pick and lined it up with some straight edges and it has definitely dished a little on my thumb side (I mostly play with the printed side up). I really haven't used the pick that often until recently and I don't have a death grip as I use Pick Honey to keep my hand relaxed.

[Wolfram]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

... I use Pick Honey to keep my hand relaxed.

I think that's your answer. The Vespel your pick is made from is an incredibly tough engineering plastic with superb dimensional stability. It won't mold or deform under finger pressure. I suspect something in the Pick Honey is softening and / or eroding it, particularly if this has happened over a short period of time. Try using it without and see how you get on - Vespel is very grippy on its own.

Cheers,
David

[DesertTwang]

Weird. None of my BlueChips have changed their shape over many, many years.

[Wade Hampton]

David is probably on to something here, suggesting that a chemical reaction with some ingredient of the pick honey might be causing this distortion in the pick. I have two suggestions for you, the first being that you email the folks at Blue Chip and tell them what’s going on.

My second suggestion is that you flip the pick over and hold it the other way in hopes of getting it to reverse its cupping tendency.

Personally I really hate it when picks do that, and that’s a large part of the reason why I avoid most of the synthetic materials used for picks: most that I’ve tried tend to start cupping without too much use or encouragement.

Anyway, Robin, the experience you’ve had with your Blue Chip pick is very odd and unusual, and not at all common: this is the first time I’ve ever heard of that happening. I’ve been using Blue Chip TD-35’s for my mandolins for about five years now, and have never noticed the slightest wear on them, much less have them start cupping on me.

Good luck with this. Please report back once you and the folks at Blue Chip get this figured out.


Wade Hampton Miller

[jseth]

Must be some outside influence on the material... I've had my Blue Chip for 9 years or so, have sent it back to Blue Chip 3 times to have the bevel re-cut and the edges cleaned up, and there is absolutely ZERO wear on the thing...

I use it all the time, as it's my favorite pick for both my 6 string acoustics and my electric guitars... not with my 12 string, though. There was a period of maybe 1 1/2 years where I "lost the pick" inside a big overstuffed chair, but when I moved and sold the chair, I checked the insides of it and found the little darling! Been using it consistently since then...

I agree about contacting Blue Chip - they have been remarkably accommodating with their customer service for me... at no charge, I might add, save for the cost of mailing the thing to them.

[Robin, Wales]

Ahh - so it is not common that BC's bend to your grip. Well, it's very comfortable at present so I think I'll just keep playing it and see what happens over time. I doubt that Pick Honey could effect the plastic. I'll talk to BC if it changes shape any further and resurrect this thread to update on any developments.

[Bluemonk]

One of the biggest selling points of BC picks is that they are easy to hold onto. Have you tried it without the Pick Honey?

[Robin, Wales]

My fingers are often very shiny and leather like; you'd struggle to get fingerprints from them. Holding on to anything is a problem let alone a pick!

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

My BC TP-1R 50 has moulded to my grip over a few months of playing. As Vespel is an engineering plastic for "temperature extremes, high friction and heavy loads" according to DuPont, I hadn't expected this. The 50 is not exactly a thin pick. It is quite comfortable to play but I may have to turn it round while I still can before the bend becomes too much. If it deforms simply from the heat of my hand then I hope aircraft manufactures aren't relying on it holding shape anywhere important!!!!

Robin, in case you don't CLP, we manufactured Vespel picks for four years until BC acquired a patent recently. We made triangles all the way down to .75 mm and never had any issues like this. Other materials, yes; Vespel, no. They have a wonderful reputation for customer service, so I will contact them and see what they say. They know a lot more about the material than I do.

best,
scott memmer