Fun with LOCKPICKS!

L

Lil' Temperance

Banned
Joined
Apr 23, 2002
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Today myh neibor and I bumped into eachother at the grocery store, and as it turns out my she is a locksmith. I eventually talked her into letting me get my grubby paws on a nice set of lockpicks. So far I can open EVERY lock in my home within a couple of minutes.Ya know in the movies when it only takes the guy 2 seconds to pick the lock....well it's BS it takes time to pick a lock. Even the pros it can take a minute or two. These things rock. The set I have fits nicely in a shirt pocket and has all the stuff needed to open most household locks. I highly recomend picking up a set just for kicks. They also serve well in emergencies. NO MORE locked keys in the car!
 
OK - I just edited my profile, removing my home street address. I am also buying a bigger dog tonight. Maybe two. And I have booked an appointment for tonight as well with a home security system installer - hope they don't show up when I'm out buying the dogs. And I won't hesitate to call the cops on any customized black F150's I see staked out in front of my house. Where's my gun? :p
 
Just look for the Harley Davidson Edition F150 with an airbag suspention and blue neons eminating from under the chassis. You'll hear my 3 15 inch subwoofers before you see me:)


Seriously though Canada is a LONG haul from DC. And besides being shot at isn't on my to-do list this decade.
 
Originally posted by F150
And besides being shot at isn't on my to-do list this decade.
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Come now. Show, some ambition, son!

:)

Seriously, I've always thought locks, and lock picking, were a fascinating subject. The way the lock maker tries to make things hard to pick, and how the lock picker gets around it, I think it's all fascinating stuff. Don't have a lockpick set myself, though.

Joe
 
What brand is the set that she gave you? You see a lot of SouthOrd stuff on the net, but it looks kind of crappy.
 
Neat, I was looking for a place to buy a kit.

Just be careful carrying them on you.

I don't know if it true, but if you're found at the wrong place at the wrong time, you could be charged as a possible suspect.

Speaking of being locked out, maybe GigOne should look at this thread... ;)
 
Some states regulate possession of lockpicks, so you should check your local laws.

Lockpicking is a useful skill, though, if it's legal in your area.

--JB
 
i used to do residential service on locks with a company i was with. lockpicking is not fun! :mad: especially when it's late on a friday, the homeowner is standing there and all i really want is to go home, sit on the couch and have a freakin beer!:D

i picked up a pick set and a car lockout kit before i parted ways. good tools to have. don't worry about having them in your car/truck just don't flaunt it. i keep mine out of sight.
 
Actually, to expand on what JB said - last time I checked the laws it was illegal to possess lockpicks in DC unless they're job-related. Just having them on you is automatically considered intent to use them in a crime. :(

That said, I wish I had a set. Could come in handy if I was in a fix.
 
Try picking locks under water in a pool. Wanting to breathe is a great motivator. It also makes you panicky and is very hard to stay calm. If you are wearing the locks, it gets worse.....
 
I feel like a criminal after taking a look at the page you provided..:D

I have got to get a set, and a manual..

WATCH OUT FOR ME!

Cheers,
 
FYI,
A standard set of picks with not let you pick a car door lock. Most locksmiths just drill them and replace it with one that they keyed to match the old ones. You may get lucky, but I wouldn't hold my breath.... ;)

Yes, to carry a set of picks on you is illegal in many states unless you have a job that may require them...

Not to be mean or anything, but if I were a moderator, I would lock this thread... You need to talk to locksmith about the reasons you should not discuss this on public forum. I beleave my email is listed.... You may be surprised. That said, it is a neat thing to be able to do! :D
 
Lockpicks are wonderful things... I got a completely self-contained spring loaded model from BudK. They sell mostly junk knives, but this pick is worth putting up with all the garbage for. Unscrew the back and pull the tension wrench off, then unscrew the knob on the side and push the pick forward and tighten everything. It has proved useful MANY times when I lock myself out of the truck at work. Later found out I was just lucky to get a truck with a simple key, it's one of two trucks I can open with this pick. Try as I might, I have a lot of trouble opening most locks. I guess I need to just put out the money to get a decent pick set. Been thinking about the Foley-Belsaw locksmith course too, since you end up with all the equipment and supplies. Heck, it can't be too hard to setup a little shop in the corner of a parking lot like everyone else does. I just wonder sometimes how much they make... Unless it brings in a lot more money than I'm thinking, I hope they have another job...
 
F150: You must've had some cheap locks on your place. For the home, you should buy the Schlage (the pricey) locks with deadbolt. Try to pick one of those.

I'll tell ya what, I replaced all my locks with the silver industrial Schloages (which came with the place) the day after I found beer bottles on my lawn, Metallica playing at 11 from the house and my brother and friend inside having a good ol time without me.

now the &&*(&^ can wait outside or break a window if he wants in.

BTW. Locks are just a deterrent and you'll be surprised how easy it is too pick the cheap ones. Harder yet are the tubular locks. Haven't been able to do one yet... :rolleyes:

It's a real skill, so forego the spring loaded ones until you develop the feel.
 
I don't know that much about picking locks,but I have broken into or forced doors/windows on countless houses over the years,some things I've learned.

By all means buy quality locks,but if you put them into wood doors and jambs,well the door can still be kicked in,
sometimes quite easily.A cheap lock in a steel door/jamb is many times harder to force than a good lock in a wood door.I don't remember too many locks being broken its almost always the wood.a few nights ago we had a kitchen fire.Steel door,kwik-set lock(cheap)it took many,many blows on the irons from a 250 pound man before the lock failed.Caved half the door in around the lock first.Had this been a wood door,we would have been in ,in 2 or 3 blows good lock or cheap.

Windows are the weak point for most.Give me a large screwdriver to pop the storm window and a putty knife to slide between the sash,and slide open the "clamshell"lock and I can get into most houses in under a minute.Helped a 92 y/o lady get in like that a couple days ago.:)

A large number of people leave an upstairs window unlocked (often the bathroom)this is my preferd way of getting in on"check the welfare" type calls.also popular with some burgulars who know people with alarms don't have the upstairs wired.Lock up your ladders!
 
Seems to be a few inaccurate statements here....just gonna help clear up a few :)

NO MORE locked keys in the car!
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Umm...not quite. Although some car locks (older fords for example) can easily be picked, some newer ones cannot. BMW for example with laser cut keys with cuts running the center of the key. General motors with their side-bar locks would be difficult indeed. A good set of car entry tools with proper training are far faster. Aside from BMW and Lexus, there is not a car on the road that I cannot get into in under a minute....many under 30 seconds.

A standard set of picks with not let you pick a car door lock. Most locksmiths just drill them and replace it with one that they keyed to match the old ones.
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Wrong again. Car locks are too easy to just remove instead of drilling. You can make a key to the existing lock either by obtaining the code, or with some locks by reading (de-coding) the wafers. If a locksmith approaches your car with a drill, tell him to leave and call somebody esle.

F150: You must've had some cheap locks on your place. For the home, you should buy the Schlage (the pricey) locks with deadbolt. Try to pick one of those
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Ok, I pick Schlage locks all the time...no big deal. They will generally be more difficult than cheapos like Kwik-Set or Weslock, but its understanding how the process works thats important. Schlage usually has tighter tolerances and that is where increased difficulty comes from. Also how the lock is pinned can have some effect. Mushroomed top-pins can also make even the crappiest locks more difficult. You want something tought, try picking an ASSA high security side-bar lock.

Hope this helps....just clearing up the misinformation :)

Richard (Locksmith)
 
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