Anyone here know how to pick a lock?

[CrispyQ]

I've always wanted to learn. I have an obsession with cat burglar/heist movies. "The Thief Who Came to Dinner is one of my faves. Anyway, cleaning our office last week I came across two doorknob sets with locks & thought, what the heck? I'll take these home & finally try to pick a lock.

Any advice? Should I purchase some tools or just use some bobby pins & paper clips? I've found a couple of beginner sets online.

[lonestarnot]

1. Why? Just buy some c4 and blow it up.

[HEyHEY]

2. Yup

I learned in boarding school.

Try finding something that is long and skinny with a bend in the end, rub that against the top of the keys while putting something like a screw driver in there to turn it.

[Spider Jerusalem]

3. Here's a good intro:

http://www.lysator.liu.se/mit-guide/mit-guide.html

And you need tools designed for the purpose, really. A paper clip or bobby pin might work on a simple lock, but for anything less than simple neither of those will spring the tumblers.

[shawcomm]

4. The tools make it MUCH easier.

bobby pins and paper clips don't give you the reach or leverage. If you have a Dremel, you could make them.


Oh, not that I've ever done any of this of course.

[Solon]

7. Yeah, you can make a tension wrench with a Dremel...

and a couple of small Allen Wrenches, not that I have ever done that sort of thing before. :)

[CBGLuthier]

5. Don't leave home with them.

While it may just be be a fun hobby, many states have laws against possession of them. If you get stopped and they are found in your car you may be in for some grief.

At the very least, do a little research about the laws in your state.

[B Calm]

6. I locked my keys up in my semi tractor in East St. Louis once. A drunk

staggering down the ally where I was parked stood and watched me trying to get the door open. It was getting dark outside and trust me not a safe place for a little white guy. This is a very rough part of town. The Auto Zone store I just delivered to had bullet holes in the side of the building where two street gangs pulled into the lot one night shooting at each other. The drunk laughed at me and said you want me to open the door? I said sure, do you know how? He looked around and found a piece of broken concrete and was starting to throw it toward the door window when I stopped him. He laughed again and said thats how we do it around here.

I ended up calling a locksmith..