Lock picking

[Aqualung]

Shamelessly copied from www.keepmusicalive.com:

Does anybody here pick locks? Specifically, pin-and-tumbler locks. I've always wanted to learn, and I'm finally able to start. I bought a lock picking set a couple months ago, but I didn't realise locks were so hard to take apart without the proper tools. Part of my job as a maintenence person is rekeying locks, which means I now have the proper tools at my job. I borrowed them and have been able to start learning to pick locks. So far, I have managed to pick a one pin lock. I picked two pins once, but I haven't been able to do it consistently enough that I am comfortable moving on to three pins. It's really fun, though. I hope I get so good at it that I can impress people by opening my room up without my key.

 

[Caina]

I'm only good at raking, but on a good day I can tap a masterlock with an exacto knife. Manual is just way to much

 

[Aqualung]

I'm only good at raking, but on a good day I can tap a masterlock with an exacto knife. Manual is just way to much

How do you do that? I've never heard of that method. (the thing with the masterlock - I know what raking is.)

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

ha, i can only pick locks if that handy little trick where you slide a credit card between the door and the lock counts...

 

[Aqualung]

ha, i can only pick locks if that handy little trick where you slide a credit card between the door and the lock counts...

I've had to do that a couple of times. But we in the maintenence business use screw drivers. I have no idea how people can do it with flimsy credit cards.

 

[Caina]

How do you do that? I've never heard of that method. (the thing with the masterlock - I know what raking is.)

Just add tension and drag the knife down the pins a few times. sometimes the rythem is hard to get, up and around/tension/pindrag. You have an advantage of having pro tools, ive never used them. But then again I wasnt picking locks for a job

 

[Scuba Pete]

It's all in having the right tensions. Too hard and you jam the pins when you rake them. When you rake, do it gently. Try one direction first (like out) for a few tries, and then try raking in. DON'T FORGET to release the tension after a couple of rakes to let the pins pop back. Japanese cars up until 1995 are a piece of cake as are most door locks. Double pinned locks and some pre-tensioned solutions (like GMs) are nearly impossible to pick!

Pinpointing each pin is quite tedious, especially, if there is a dust cover to defeat. Light tensioning and raking have always brought me the quickest solution.

BTW, while working at Goodyear during the Christmas season we had a number of accidental lock outs. The best would be to walk up to the car, go to the passenger side and find THAT door already open. This happened three times and every time I received a nice tip.

 

[Caina]

It's all in having the right tensions. Too hard and you jam the pins when you rake them. When you rake, do it gently. Try one direction first (like out) for a few tries, and then try raking in. DON'T FORGET to release the tension after a couple of rakes to let the pins pop back. Japanese cars up until 1995 are a piece of cake as are most door locks. Double pinned locks and some pre-tensioned solutions (like GMs) are nearly impossible to pick!

Pinpointing each pin is quite tedious, especially, if there is a dust cover to defeat. Light tensioning and raking have always brought me the quickest solution.

BTW, while working at Goodyear during the Christmas season we had a number of accidental lock outs. The best would be to walk up to the car, go to the passenger side and find THAT door already open. This happened three times and every time I received a nice tip.

Well with cars I always opt for L-bar or the J-bar

 

[Kungfuzed]

Does hot wiring a car count? I had a car where the key wouldn't work anymore and I had to hot wire it whenever I needed to use it.

 

[kadzbiz]

I once picked on a lock. I kept saying things like, "You're nothing but a lock. A stupid lock. Look at you. Haven't you got anything to say for yourself?" Nothin.

 

[Scuba Pete]

I have done my share of door hacking as well, but would prefer the key whenever possible. There are so many "defeats" as well well as window motors etc in the doors nowadays.

 

[Scuba Pete]

BTW, MatCo makes the best Automotive kit out there. Also check out http://www.lockpicks.com/ for some great tools!

 

[Quagmire]

All I'm going to say is that the world lost a great talent when I decided to start working for a living.

 

[kadzbiz]

All I'm going to say is that the world lost a great talent when I decided to start working for a living.

Your lack of explanation only leads me to assume that your talent was on the wrong side of the law and as such, I can't see how the world lost anything. In fact, I would have to say that it gained something. Forgive me if I assumed wrong.

 

[Quagmire]

Your lack of explanation only leads me to assume that your talent was on the wrong side of the law and as such, I can't see how the world lost anything. In fact, I would have to say that it gained something. Forgive me if I assumed wrong.

I was exagerating in any case

I was a juvenile delequent, but I was never really any good at it. Most of my lock picking involved looking for a place to get out of the rain.

 

[kadzbiz]

I was exagerating in any case I was a juvenile delequent, but I was never really any good at it. Most of my lock picking involved looking for a place to get out of the rain.

Ha ha, I think a lot of us were one of those at one stage.

 

[Aqualung]

Just add tension and drag the knife down the pins a few times. sometimes the rythem is hard to get, up and around/tension/pindrag. You have an advantage of having pro tools, ive never used them. But then again I wasnt picking locks for a job

Oh, so it's basically raking, except with a makeshift rake?

 

[lillitruthseeker]

my rogue on eq has a max level picklock skill -- lol -- too bad it aint in real life -- i use the break window method

 

[Blindinglight]

I can pick any lock, and figure out any combination, no "lock pick" kits required. If it's not a Masterlock, I'll have it open in less than 10 seconds. In less than 5 if its a combination. About 20 seconds for a key lock if it's a Master, about 30 for a Master combination lock.

But we in the maintenence business use screw drivers. I have no idea how people can do it with flimsy credit cards.

I find a credit card to be much easier, since it will bend around trimming, and will leave much less evidence than a screwdriver will.

My prefered method is a hair pin, a long, sturdy yet slinder piece of metal, and a pair of needle nose plyers. Rake the pins, figure out which ones have to go where, and if time permits, bend the hair pin to match the pattern. Insert the metal rod, twist, enter. If I had the time to bend the hair pin in shape, I would then put a piece of duct tape on it, and label it for what lock it opened. I have a small drawer filled with them.
For cars, a wire coat hangar is your best friend, as it will replace several "professional" tools.
For most combination locks...I wont give my method as it is so easy that anyone can do it.
For Master combination locks, with my hand firmly against the back side, I feel for the combination. A safe lock is similiar, but no back side, and the feeling is more from turnign the handle, allthough that is extremely difficult for some safes.
I will say, I have yet to figure out an electronic combination safe though. Too many wrong entries, they lock up and wont accept any more eombination entries for awhile. Short them, they lock up. And when a quick in and out that leaves no evidence is required, prying open the door is not an option.