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MIT Guide to Lock Picking
Making Lock Picks
Automotive Locks
Dead-bold disassembly
Purchasing Lock Picks
local emergency locksmith
Impressioning
Padlocks
Books
Other sources
Greg Miller's Guide to Lock Picking for Beginners
Rather than just repost all of the information already available at manydifferent sites on the Internet, I'm using this site to organize all of the existinginformation in an easy to use manner. The information I'll present here is gearedtowards someone who knows absolutely nothing about locks. The experiencedwon't find much (if any) usefull information here.Even if you know nothing about lock picking, if you follow the steps outlinedhere, you should be able to pick your first lock open less than an hour from now.You'll also learn the best places to get the tools you'll need (and how tomake them if you don't want to buy them).Note: Read all of this information BEFORE you purchase anything.Step 1: First Reading
My first recommendation is to read the MIT Guide toLock picking by Theodore T. Tool. Although the document is rather old (1987),all of the information within it is still valid, and will apply to the majority ofthe locks you run into on a daily basis. It gives a very good introduction onhow to pick pin tumbler locks (the type used on the door to your house). There issimply no better place to start.Step 2: Second Reading
After you've read the MIT Guide, I encourage to you read the Secrets ofLock picking page. This page gives an overview of many different types of locksand will help you identify the different types as you encounter them. This sitedoesn't give as much detail about each lock as the MIT Guide, so I recommend readingthe MIT Guide first. For now, just concentrate on the wafer tumbler lockinformation at this site. The other lock types aren't very common, so come backand read those sections after you've picked some pin and wafer tumblers.Step 3: Purchase a practice lock
That's enough reading. Now you're ready to purchase a practice lock. Odds are,you'll end up destroying this lock, so don't go for anything fancy, or anythingyou'll want to keep. Walk into any department store and buy a medium priceddead-bolt. A dead-bolt is the easiest lock to disassemble, so don't stray awaytowards any other type. Also, the really cheap locks can be hard to open even withthe key, so trying to pick them is even worse. The brands you want to look forare either generic names, or Kwikset. Stay away from Schlage, it'smore difficult to pick due to the shape of the ward. The lock you purchaseshould be a five pin tumbler (you would have a hard time finding a dead-boltthat isn't).Step 4: Remove all but one pin from your lock
Attempting to pick a five pin tumbler is way too difficult for someone juststarting out. So you'll want to make your job easier by removing all but one pin from your lock. This will give you a feel for what it's like to pick a lockso you'll know it when it happens. Taking the pins out of a lock withoutdestroying it isn't intuitive, so I've put together a guide showing how to do it. You'll want to leave the first pin (the pinclosest to the front of the lock) in. This will allow you to see what you'redoing.Step 5: Get a torque wrench and a pick.
You probably don't own a lock pick set, so you're going tohave to make due with household items. Here is a list of a few items whichwill serve you well as a torque wrench:Allen Wrench. This is the best tool. If you have a grinder, pick onewhich is a size or two too big to enter the key-way, then grind it's width down just enough to enter the key-way. If you don't have a grinder, use a file, or usea different item for a torque wrench. (Using one which fits exactly into thekey-way will only work for a while, eventually you'll wear out the key-way).Screwdriver. Use a very small one, but not so small that it doesn't touchthe wards. You'll want to make it as effortless as possible to apply turningpressure.Paper Clip. Find a sturdy paper clip and straighten it out. Thenbend a loop just big enough to fit into the bottom of the key-way. Then bend theremaining wire about 80-90 degrees to the loop.Here are some tools which may be used nyc locksmith as a pick (most of these tools will workwell for picking the first pin, but you'll need to upgrade after you've added a pin or two):Allen Wrench. Pick the smallest one you can find.Screw Driver. Again, pick the smallest one you can find.Paper Clip. You'll need one strong enough to withstand the force of thesprings.Straight Pin. File the point off so you don't stick yourself.Safety Pin. Again, file the point off.Staple. You'll need one strong enough to withstand the force of the springs. Straighten it out so it's flat, then turn it edgewise when picking.Step 6: Pick the lock.
And now the moment of truth; you're ready to pick your first lock. Basically,just do what you learned back in step1 and step 2. I find it easiest when thelock is turned upside down. Then place your finger on the torque wrench, and letgravity do the work (you may need to press down just a little bit). Then takeyour pick and lower the first pin down very slowly. Once you hit the the sheerline, you'll know it. The plug will turn, and you'll be amazed as to how easy itwas and how little time it took. Return the plug back to the locked positionand repeat until you're comfortable.Step 7: Add some more pins and try again
Now that you know what it feels like, add another pin back in (add pintwo, just behind pin one). Now when you get a pin picked, you won't know forsure, not until you try to pick the second one. Practice, Practice,Practice. You'll want to become very proficient at picking two pins beforestepping up to three. If you try to advance too quickly, you'll hinder yourlearning. So take your time. If you practice casually, it will probably takeyou three to five days to work your way up to five pins. Also, you'll need bettertools to pick more than three pins, so order your pick set and practice with twoand three pins until your order arrives.Step 8: Continue Learning
Use the links to the left to learn more about lock picking and locksmithing.
http://www.gregmiller.net/locks/
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=lock+picking
Site Index
MIT Guide to Lock Picking
Making Lock Picks
Automotive Locks
Dead-bold disassembly
Purchasing Lock Picks
local emergency locksmith
Impressioning
Padlocks
Books
Other sources
Greg Miller's Guide to Lock Picking for Beginners
Rather than just repost all of the information already available at manydifferent sites on the Internet, I'm using this site to organize all of the existinginformation in an easy to use manner. The information I'll present here is gearedtowards someone who knows absolutely nothing about locks. The experiencedwon't find much (if any) usefull information here.Even if you know nothing about lock picking, if you follow the steps outlinedhere, you should be able to pick your first lock open less than an hour from now.You'll also learn the best places to get the tools you'll need (and how tomake them if you don't want to buy them).Note: Read all of this information BEFORE you purchase anything.Step 1: First Reading
My first recommendation is to read the MIT Guide toLock picking by Theodore T. Tool. Although the document is rather old (1987),all of the information within it is still valid, and will apply to the majority ofthe locks you run into on a daily basis. It gives a very good introduction onhow to pick pin tumbler locks (the type used on the door to your house). There issimply no better place to start.Step 2: Second Reading
After you've read the MIT Guide, I encourage to you read the Secrets ofLock picking page. This page gives an overview of many different types of locksand will help you identify the different types as you encounter them. This sitedoesn't give as much detail about each lock as the MIT Guide, so I recommend readingthe MIT Guide first. For now, just concentrate on the wafer tumbler lockinformation at this site. The other lock types aren't very common, so come backand read those sections after you've picked some pin and wafer tumblers.Step 3: Purchase a practice lock
That's enough reading. Now you're ready to purchase a practice lock. Odds are,you'll end up destroying this lock, so don't go for anything fancy, or anythingyou'll want to keep. Walk into any department store and buy a medium priceddead-bolt. A dead-bolt is the easiest lock to disassemble, so don't stray awaytowards any other type. Also, the really cheap locks can be hard to open even withthe key, so trying to pick them is even worse. The brands you want to look forare either generic names, or Kwikset. Stay away from Schlage, it'smore difficult to pick due to the shape of the ward. The lock you purchaseshould be a five pin tumbler (you would have a hard time finding a dead-boltthat isn't).Step 4: Remove all but one pin from your lock
Attempting to pick a five pin tumbler is way too difficult for someone juststarting out. So you'll want to make your job easier by removing all but one pin from your lock. This will give you a feel for what it's like to pick a lockso you'll know it when it happens. Taking the pins out of a lock withoutdestroying it isn't intuitive, so I've put together a guide showing how to do it. You'll want to leave the first pin (the pinclosest to the front of the lock) in. This will allow you to see what you'redoing.Step 5: Get a torque wrench and a pick.
You probably don't own a lock pick set, so you're going tohave to make due with household items. Here is a list of a few items whichwill serve you well as a torque wrench:Allen Wrench. This is the best tool. If you have a grinder, pick onewhich is a size or two too big to enter the key-way, then grind it's width down just enough to enter the key-way. If you don't have a grinder, use a file, or usea different item for a torque wrench. (Using one which fits exactly into thekey-way will only work for a while, eventually you'll wear out the key-way).Screwdriver. Use a very small one, but not so small that it doesn't touchthe wards. You'll want to make it as effortless as possible to apply turningpressure.Paper Clip. Find a sturdy paper clip and straighten it out. Thenbend a loop just big enough to fit into the bottom of the key-way. Then bend theremaining wire about 80-90 degrees to the loop.Here are some tools which may be used nyc locksmith as a pick (most of these tools will workwell for picking the first pin, but you'll need to upgrade after you've added a pin or two):Allen Wrench. Pick the smallest one you can find.Screw Driver. Again, pick the smallest one you can find.Paper Clip. You'll need one strong enough to withstand the force of thesprings.Straight Pin. File the point off so you don't stick yourself.Safety Pin. Again, file the point off.Staple. You'll need one strong enough to withstand the force of the springs. Straighten it out so it's flat, then turn it edgewise when picking.Step 6: Pick the lock.
And now the moment of truth; you're ready to pick your first lock. Basically,just do what you learned back in step1 and step 2. I find it easiest when thelock is turned upside down. Then place your finger on the torque wrench, and letgravity do the work (you may need to press down just a little bit). Then takeyour pick and lower the first pin down very slowly. Once you hit the the sheerline, you'll know it. The plug will turn, and you'll be amazed as to how easy itwas and how little time it took. Return the plug back to the locked positionand repeat until you're comfortable.Step 7: Add some more pins and try again
Now that you know what it feels like, add another pin back in (add pintwo, just behind pin one). Now when you get a pin picked, you won't know forsure, not until you try to pick the second one. Practice, Practice,Practice. You'll want to become very proficient at picking two pins beforestepping up to three. If you try to advance too quickly, you'll hinder yourlearning. So take your time. If you practice casually, it will probably takeyou three to five days to work your way up to five pins. Also, you'll need bettertools to pick more than three pins, so order your pick set and practice with twoand three pins until your order arrives.Step 8: Continue Learning
Use the links to the left to learn more about lock picking and locksmithing.
http://www.gregmiller.net/locks/
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=lock+picking