lock picking

[FLOOB]

It's a hobby of mine. It's cheap and quite a practical life skill I've found on occasion. Anyway, since some of you are kind of weird like me I thought you may find this interesting.

My favorite youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxdfUPy4h3U

[Zoney]

Excellent, thank you very much.  You have found a cure for insomnia not involving alcohol.

[eagl]

I think the MIT lockpicking guide is still out there on the internets...  Might have to hunt for it since I think it went underground a few years ago when the feds started getting really froggy about harassing and arresting people for talking about how to pick locks and stuff like that.  But it should still be out there in various places.  There are even ebay lockpicking kits based around the recommended toolset from the MIT guide.  I think they're called something other than lockpick sets since collecting lockpicking tools is illegal in many places if you're not a licensed locksmith, but if you look for a collection of "dental tools" and various other shims and weirdly shaped probes made from spring steel, you'll probably find what you need.

[FLOOB]

I think the MIT lockpicking guide is still out there on the internets...  Might have to hunt for it since I think it went underground a few years ago when the feds started getting really froggy about harassing and arresting people for talking about how to pick locks and stuff like that.  But it should still be out there in various places.  There are even ebay lockpicking kits based around the recommended toolset from the MIT guide.  I think they're called something other than lockpick sets since collecting lockpicking tools is illegal in many places if you're not a licensed locksmith, but if you look for a collection of "dental tools" and various other shims and weirdly shaped probes made from spring steel, you'll probably find what you need.

Not sure what the legalities of owning lock picks is from state to state. I know that in most states it's legal, in UK I'm not sure since most UK enthusiast tend to order their stuff from the US, but that may not have anything to do with laws. As far as acquiring picking tools there are three main places on the internet where most get their stuff. As far as lock supplies, pins, springs, etc. there are many online suppliers with a comprehensive inventory.

http://www.sparrowslockpicks.com/
http://www.southord.com/
https://www.thinkpeterson.com/

My first set which I still have came with a nice beginers manual, which was much more helpful than the MIT article from the anarchist cookbook. Of course that was before the internet age, now all that instruction material is much more accessible.

[Gman]

I bought a couple sets of the recommended tools years ago, but never tried using them, other than failing horribly at the whole "don't RTFM" method.  I then realized that the purpose built 12 gauge rounds for defeating locks and hinges probably were more for me.  Haha. 

Seriously though, maybe I'll go dig them up wherever they are, and use these links/channel/guides for something to do.  Very interesting and cheap hobby if you ask me, thanks for creating the thread, I'd not thought about the subject in a long while.

I used to watch a program that was a safe cracking show/documentary, some fluff, but some really interesting things as well. 

Lots of neat stuff in those links.  Bump keys look pretty effective for major regular household locks, very fast and easy by the looks of it, so probably not a whole lot of challenge as a hobby using those.  But wow, there is a ton of different methods and tools, far more than I would ever have guessed, my "complete" tool kit I bought years and years ago is probably about 2% "complete", if you truly wanted to get into the hobby and play with a wide variety of locks and systems.

Picking handcuffs is of course the most popular thing you see in film/TV/Books and other media.  I was told once that the best way to pick them is to have an actual handcuff key, stuck with glue/putty to the inside of the flat surface of your pant's belt, as it's rarely if ever initially searched, and you can get at it with your hands behind your back easily.  I wonder if it's truly possible to pick them with a nail, or the myriad of other improvised methods popular on TV and in movies?  Any ideas on that Floob, I haven't seen much in the links about it yet.

edit - I found that Sparrows has a Canadian site and store, same layout and equipment, just called Lock Pick Canada, and avoids any border or CBSA entanglements   Very cool stuff, I may try my hand at this again for something to do, after adding a few, make that a  lot, of tools.  It isn't expensive really, like I said, I think one could get a lot of mileage as a hobby with not a lot of $.  Also, regarding the handcuffs, apparently it's simple simon met the pie man. 

[eagl]

In many places (including the UK if I recall correctly from my tour there) simply having certain common criminal tools in your possession is enough to justify an arrest on probable cause, get your stuff confiscated, and depending on the area may even earn an intent criminal charge.  Like if you have a crowbar, flashlight, ski mask, and empty pillow case, you may be in many places legally arrested, charged, and convicted for intent to commit burglary.

Its even "worse" for anything concerning a lock.  I've lived in places where if you're not a licensed locksmith, possession of bump keys and a can of silicone lubricant is enough probable cause to have your house raided and both your car and house torn apart looking for stolen goods or other common criminal tools such as crowbars or other tools useful for forced entry.

I read some story many years ago where some guy saw someone in a parking lot who had locked their keys in the car.  The guy had one of those slimjim tools in his truck, so he offered to help.  The guy with the locked car waited till his door was open, then informed the other guy that he was an off-duty police officer and he had an obligation to confiscate the slimjim.  The cop said he would turn it in and say he found it lying on the ground somewhere.  Funny thing, the guy trying to help out had picked up the slimjim at a regular auto parts store just a few miles away.  Apparently that store was across some jurisdiction boundary where it was legal.

Point being make sure you know the local laws before you buy anything that has anything to do with lock picking, key manufacturing, or even lock repair/maintenance.  Might save you some trouble.

(begin rant)
I live less than 1/4 mile from a jurisdictional boundary with completely opposite firearm laws concerning transporting firearms in a vehicle.  In greater Las Vegas and clark county, you can carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle and keep it out of sight, in a glove box for example.  But in the separately incorporated (and bankrupt) "North Las Vegas" which pretty much splits greater Las Vegas right down the middle and has no marked boundaries, firearms in a vehicle must be unloaded and kept separate from ammo that isn't accessible by vehicle occupants (pretty much California weapon transport rules).  So you can literally be stopped on one side of a street by a cop driving one color cop car and he'll be totally cool with the loaded pistol in the glovebox, but if you get stopped driving the other way on the same street you could get arrested and heavily fined for a firearms violation.

Even the Las Vegas police department has to distribute warning fliers to people who register firearms or get CCW permits that perfectly legal transportation methods in Las Vegas are illegal in "North Las Vegas".  Stupid.

[Gman]

Heh, crazy Eagl, the more regulations there are, the more ridiculous things become huh.  Don't get me started on our conflictory laws, especially firearms, here in Canada.

Point being make sure you know the local laws before you buy anything that has anything to do with lock picking, key manufacturing, or even lock repair/maintenance.  Might save you some trouble.

That's solid advice with this hobby, with such a wide variety of people from different countries, or even states and counties here, you can never be too careful.

I went and rechecked our laws, I'd looked into it years ago, this was prior to probably anything of substance on the internet about it, but luckily it seems nothing major has changed here.

In Canada, possession of lock picking tools, with the exception of key duplication tools, is legal. Lock pick tools fit in the same category as crowbars or hammers, meaning they are legal to possess and use unless they are used to commit a crime or if it is shown there was intention to commit a crime

[FLOOB]

Yeah, If you're concerned about it I'd recommend contacting your local locksport organization for legal information. Most of the state laws I've read state "possesion of burglery tools and intent". The incidence of criminal lock picking in North America is virtually nil. Europe is a different story, thieves in the old world still take pride in their work judging by the success of pick pockets and the quality of european locks.

[FLOOB]

Heh, Gman it's possible to open handcuffs without manipulating the locking mechanism and while wearing them. There's a video of that being demonstrated at a defcon convention.

Here it is. Go to about 1:45 in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JupQ3BpKGYg

[FLOOB]

If you are planning to gear up I recommend watching this vid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYOTJh7NV68

The guy has over 600 videos, just a river of knowledge on the subject. He's a great asset to the community imo.

[Gman]

Heh, awesome Floob, thanks for the help and links.  It continues to amaze me how much is out there to get into and learn about.

[morfiend]

Heh, awesome Floob, thanks for the help and links.  It continues to amaze me how much is out there to get into and learn about.

  Gman cuffs are just too easy.... a simple prawl and star lock!


  any and I mean any small straight peice of metal or even wood and I can open them is a couple seconds!     Just dont ask me how I learned how to do this!



   


   

[bustr]

This will cover state by state. Used to work as a locksmith in CA. After I moved on to computers, CA got creative about your having tools in possession even though the law says it's on the state to prove your intent. One such creative thing was to require bonding to work as a locksmith in CA. No more working a few locks and sets on the side for quick cash because you have the tools and training. CA is very regulatory happy. That is the secret to other states making it uncomfortable for you to use your tools without proper state locksmithing paper work.

http://toool.us/laws.html

[Flench]

Cool thread . I use to be into the hobby back when I was right out of high school but have not thought about it much until today .

[guncrasher]

I taught the guys at work how to open the locks they have on  their lockers using a piece from a soda can.  we are also provided with lockers were our uniforms are put in after being laundered every thursday.  I have yet to use the combination to open the locker.  I can open it in about 2 seconds.  they have the same lockers we used back in high school.  that''s where I learned to use them.

I used to install security doors and some people would spend 200 bucks on a security door that has a lock that cost them 5 bucks, the brand name was defiant I think.  I could open those using a screw driver.


semp