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The MIT Lockpicking Guide

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Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#51

Post by mx12 »

After I saw this guide a while ago, I got really interested in lock picking and ended up buy a kit. There a decent subreddit and it's a good resource to get started. I purchased the kit they recommend PXS-14, and it works great. I remember I picked my first lock in about 5 minutes and then spend another hour trying to do it again. It takes a while to feel right and become consistent.

Subreddit:

http://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking

Plus there getting starting guide:

http://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/comments/bzq80/where_do_...

PXS-14 Kit:

http://www.lockpickshop.com/PXS-14.html

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#52

Post by mimiflynn »

mx12 wrote: post #51

After I saw this guide a while ago, I got really interested in lock picking and ended up buy a kit. There a decent subreddit and it's a good resource to get started. I purchased the kit they recommend PXS-14, and it works great. I remember I picked my first lock in about 5 minutes and then spend another hour trying to do it again. It takes a while to feel right and become consistent. Subreddit: http://www.reddit.com/…

Peterson sells some good kits for beginners and they are a bit more comfortable to use than the Southord ones mentioned above:

http://www.thinkpeterson.com/picksets.html#LESS%20EXPENSIVE%...

Of course, its up to personal preference, they are both great brands.

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#53

Post by arca_vorago »

I remember reading this as a teenager and buying my first keychain lockpick set. One of my favorite sayings is that, "In order for a locksmith to fix a lock, he must first understand it's inner workings. Just like a locksmith, before we can understand X, we must understand how it works first."

I fell out of practice, but whenever I cruise by a hacker space with a lockpick area I will try and take the time to test my abilities. These days lock technology makes some locks very difficult (double-mushroom pins, etc), so I usually can only do the medium difficulty locks.

I had amassed a huge collection of lock/key templates and even some stuff about safecracking, but unfortunately had a hdd crash and lost most of it.

The bottom line with lockpicking, like other things, is that nothing beats practice.

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#54

Post by at-fates-hands »

a1a wrote: post #16
sampo wrote: post #9

Why does most of the world continue to use the pin tumbler locks, when the disc tumbler lock (invented in 1907) is almost impossible to pick? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_tumbler_lock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_tumbler_lock

Burglars in general do not read MIT guides. Even if some might, security is still a weakest link problem. The easiest way into a house is by window, the letterbox, etc, speaking of locks in general it's easiest just to use a bolt cutter.

>>> speaking of locks in general it's easiest just to use a bolt cutter.

Which is why I never understood the Master Lock commercials where they shoot a bullet into the body of one of their padlocks showing how tough it is.

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#55

Post by jamiesonbecker »

emhart wrote: post #46
Snail_Commando wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"...the great lock controversy of 1851..." That's so quaint. I wonder if "The Browser Wars", or something of its ilk, will have the same ring to it in 160 years.

Hah, that's funny. I often forget that we may be participating in some future historians most exciting discovery...

Agree. Think the late 1800's is most fascinating period in economic history.

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#56

Post by Stratoscope »

If anyone is wondering, everywhere the guide mentions "sheer force" and "sheer line", that should be "shear force" and "shear line". It's like "wind shear".

"Sheer" doesn't even make any sense in this context: "sheer force" would be twisting the tumbler so hard you break all the pins, and that would not exactly be considered "lock picking"!

What's interesting to me is how pervasive this misspelling has become. A Google search for "lock picking sheer force" finds 17,500,000 matches, but "lock picking shear force" finds only 205,000. I wonder if all these misspellings originated from this MIT guide, or if there was something else before that?

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#57

Post by devindotcom »

Stratoscope wrote: post #56

If anyone is wondering, everywhere the guide mentions "sheer force" and "sheer line", that should be "shear force" and "shear line". It's like "wind shear". "Sheer" doesn't even make any sense in this context: "sheer force" would be twisting the tumbler so hard you break all the pins, and that would not exactly be considered "lock picking"! What's interesting to me is how pervasive this misspelling has become. A Goog…

Rest assured, soon there will be only one word, with multiple, conflicting meanings - same as the last hundred or so conflicts. That's living language for you!

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#58

Post by webjprgm »

ryannevius wrote: post #6

A really invaluable skill. Picking locks has saved me on multiple occasions, to get into my own property. It has also made me rethink the way I secure my valuable goods. If only for this second reason, I think basic picking skills should be learned by everyone.

I've had to pick a lock twice, once on a closet in my (work place) office and once on my sister's basement door. Both times I used paperclips for pick and torsion wrench. Very handy to not have to tear apart the entire door.

I have not been able to pick front door locks the same way. Probably need real tools for that. Plus some locks have wards in the way which are harder to deal with when using a fat paperclip.

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#59

Post by webjprgm »

chrisBob wrote: post #50

Are there any successful, self-taught lockpickers here? I have tried to learn a few times, and I think I understand the theory, but it is hard to put into practice. Every time I need to open a lock I don't have a key for, I still grab a drill.

I am self-taught (Google) and have had success only with inside doors where the locks are cheaper. I've also just used paper clips which could explain my problem with front door locks. It also still takes me 10 min+. (And I've only done it twice.)

Re: The MIT Lockpicking Guide

#60

Post by nollidge »

Stratoscope wrote: post #56

If anyone is wondering, everywhere the guide mentions "sheer force" and "sheer line", that should be "shear force" and "shear line". It's like "wind shear". "Sheer" doesn't even make any sense in this context: "sheer force" would be twisting the tumbler so hard you break all the pins, and that would not exactly be considered "lock picking"! What's interesting to me is how pervasive this misspelling has become. A Goog…

> "sheer force" would be twisting the tumbler so hard you break all the pins

That's not how I read it... The best gloss of "sheer" in this context would be "pure", which would mean something like "force, devoid of any other tool or method". Like, "I moved the rock with sheer force" would imply I just pushed it and didn't use a lever or anything.

(You are correct that it's the wrong word choice, of course; the above is not what the author is meaning to say.)

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