lock picking hobby

7/30/2019 Lock picking hobby

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A locksport primer

locksport international bringsyou A Brief introduction tolock picking

learn to pick locks with a visualstep-by-step guide

to learn more visitwww.locksport.com

copyright notice: This document may be freely

distributed in its original format. thisdocument may not, at any time, be offered forsale.

Written and compiled by Paul wragg and Joshnekrep for locksport international

learn how to re-pina lock, make tools,and more!


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table of contents:

1. Introducing LI ........................1.2. How Locks work......................2

3. re-pinning a lock....................4

4. the pencil trick.......................8

5. mechanical defects.................9

6. applying tension...................10

7. the binding effect..................11

7. possible pin states................12

8. a brief intro to tool making..13

9. where to get more info ........17

10. why get invloved with LI .....18

11. LIMembership Application ..19

www.locksport.com


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INtroducing Locksport International

From all of us at Locksport International, I'd like to thank youfor picking up this guide. We hope you will find it helpful asyou take on the new challenge of learning to pick locks. Butfirst, allow me to tell you a little about LI.

In early spring of 2005 Josh Nekrep (digital_blue onlockpicking101.com) approached Kim Bohnet (Varjeal, site

administrator on lockpicking101.com) with the idea of startinga club with the purpose of bringing lockpicking enthusiaststogether and promoting the sport/hobby with face-to-faceinteraction. At the time there were a couple large regionalclubs (SSDeV in Germany and TOOOL in The Netherlands) butthere was no broad-based club. Kim and Josh saw a need foran organization that would be open to members all over theworld and set about making it happen. It was felt that it would

be easier and more efective for individuals to start a local lockpicking club if much of the groundwork werealready laid for them, and if they had the opportunity to share resources with other associated clubs. Kimand Josh quickly recruited Devon McDormand (frostbyte on lockpicking101.com) to sit as Treasurer. Aftermuch discussion (5 minute conversation on MSN) it was decided that Kim would act as President of theassociation and Josh would take the role of Administrative Director. The term Locksports was adopted as ameans of distinguishing what hobby/sport lockpicking enthusiasts do from what locksmiths do. The threefounding members set about laying the foundation for what they hoped would someday be a largeorganization. A short time later, Matt Fiddler and Doug Farre were brought on to sit on the board ofdirectors. Since then, LI has worked to bring locksport enthusiasts together. As individuals come forward topioneer locksport groups in their area, LI continues to grow and organize.

Locksport is a fun, challenging hobby, and one that is gaining ground around the world. Members gathertogether to learn from each other, share tools and locks, research security vulnerabilities, and most of all,have fun!

If you are interested in starting an LI chapter in your area, see the "How To Get involved With LI" section atthe back of this guide.

page 1

You may only pick locks that you own, orthose to which you've been given explicitpermission to pick by the rightful owner

locksport is an honest, ethical, and legitimate hobby. unfortunately, the wholeworld hasn't figured that out yet (though we're working on it!). because the layperson has a tendency to perceive what we do as somehow nefarious, it is extraimportant that we commit to following a strict code of ethics. for this reason,the above credo is non-negotiable in the locksport community. lock pickingshould never, ever be used to illegal or even questionable purposes.

please do not misuse this information. we assume no responsibility for youractions, and in no way condone immoral activity.help keep locksport fun for allby following strictly the one rule.


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THE SHELL(upsidedown)

HOW A LOCK WORKSA pin tumbler Lock is composedof several basic components.the outer casing is called the

shell. inside a shell is a plug.the plug has a keyway - the slot

where the key goes in - and thewhole thing has a series of pin

chambers.

theplug

The KEyPins

the key

hmm... thisisn't so

hard!

an unmounted(uninstalled) lock

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thespring

the driverpin (toppin)

the key pin(bottom

pin)

this is a lock inlocked position (atrest). driver pins

block the rotationof the plug

the bible is thearea of

chambers abovethe shear line

the shear line is theline where the top ofthe plug meets the

shell

a combinationof a key pin,

driver pin, andspring is

called a pinstack

a little morecomplicated,

but I think I'mgetting it!

the guts of a lock

nteresting fact:

odern locks were

nvented by linusyale jr. in 1861,though the basicesign conceptsate back to around000 bc. yale'sesign has remainedargely unchangedince 1861 and is theundamentalrincipal upon whichearly all pin

tumbler locks worktoday.

this is alock in the

unlockedposition.

driver pinsrest abovethe shear

line

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CAUTION!removal of the plugwill cause pins and

springs to come outrather violently.don't get ahead!

locate thecirclip at theback of the

plug

remove thecirclip with

a set ofcirclip

pliers, or asmall flat

screwdriver

the circlipholds the

plug inplace.

however,even with

the circlipremovedthe plugwill notcome outbecausethe pinsare stillblocking

theremovalof theplug

in order toremove the plug,

the pin stacksmust all be liftedto the shear line.this can be donewith the correct

key, by picking thelock, or with athin metal shim

re-pinning a lock

with the key installed, andthe circlip removed, the plugis free to be removed from

the shell

SPROING!

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these are shims.they are available

through manylocksmith supply

stores

insert a blankkey into the

lock, then beginto slide the shim

in from theback.as the shim

contacts thefirst key pin,

slowly removethe key blank

one pin positionallowing the key

pin to slidedown and theshim to enter

the spacebetween the keyand driver pin.

repeat theprocess for each

pin position,moving the shimfarther into thelock each time

once completed,your shim will be

fully insertedinto the lockand all the

driver pins willbe stuck above

the shear line.you are nowable to removethe plug, butdon't do that

yet! see the nextpage first!

using a shim toremove the plug

interesting fact:

shims can be madeusing automotivefeeler gauges. justfind the thicknessthat fits and cut

down to size.before cutting, youmay wish to put thecurl in the shim by

wrapping it tightlyaround a pen.

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in order to remove the plug, you will need a plugfollower. these can be purchased, or made fromwooden dowel. there are a variety of plug diameters,

so you will need a variety of plug followers.however, the most common size for locks in north

america is 1/2 inch.

the purpose of the plug follower is to replace theplug, trapping the driver pins in the bible of the lock.

the plug follower must be inserted from the back ofthe lock, and pushed forward to push the plug out

the front of the lock.

You're now free to change the key pins in the plug!

when removing the plug, be surethat you turn the plug 45 degrees

before sliding it out, and make sure

the plug is upright or else you willdrop key pins!

clink!

removing the plug

oh... i just knowI'm gonna mess

this part up

oh probably,the first

time

changing the key pins

in a pinch,you can usealmostanything asa plugfollower,so long asit fits well

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changing the driver pins

TIP: Use a plastic bag when removing theplug follower. This will contain the

springs and pins when they go SPROING!(And they will!)

once the follower is removed, collect allthe springs and pins and keep them safe

for reinstallation

using tweezers, carefully load therearmost chamber with one spring andone driver pin. you will need to press

the pin and spring down into thechamber, then slide the follower in one

pin position to hold it in place.

repeat this process for each pin position

once all pinstacks are

installed, youcan use the plugto replace the

plug follower. Itis just like

removing the

plug, but inreverse!

reinstall thecirclip and

you arecomplete!

you must rememberto keep the plug

rotated slightly orthe driver pins will

drop into the wrongplug chambers. it

gets bad at thatpoint.

ZOINK!

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The pencil trick

line up tipof hookwith pin

position onkey

Mark in

line withshoulderof key

shoulder

the pencil trick is great for the beginner. by marking outthe positions of each pin, you will have a visual guide tohelp you know when you are directly under each pin. whenthe pick is in the lock, line each marking up with the face ofthe lock and you will know you're lined up.by knowing just when you're under each pin, you will be

able to better understand the feel of lining up with a pin.

wow! what agood idea!

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mechanical defects and tolerances

lock picking worksbecause of a

vulnerability createdby mechanicaltolerances in the

manufacture of locks.small misalignments in

the pin chambers,chambers that are

misshapen (oval), aswell as misshapen pins

will create what iscalled the binding

effect (explainednext).

it's important tounderstand that no

lock can be made"perfect". Even in a

very well-manufactured lock,there will always be

mechanical

tolerances. in orderfor the pins to movefreely in the

chambers, the outsidediameter of the pins

must be slightlysmaller than the

inside diameter of thechamber. these

tolerances will alwaysbe imperfect.

in the next section, wewill look at how to

exploit thesetolerances to pick the

lock

exaggeratedexample

hmm.. idon't get

itthat's ok,stick with

me

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applying tension

applying tension is whatcauses the binding effect

to take place.

you can apply tension tothe lock with a variety oftools, and either at the

top or the bottom of thekeyway. there is no

"correct" way to applytension. it is only

important that the wrenchgrips well, and does notslip or bind against othercomponents of the lock,

such as the front pin.

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the binding effect

when rotational tension isapplied to the plug, only one pinwill prevent the rotation of the

plug. this is due to themechanical tolerances mentionedpreviously. this one pin is calledthe "binding pin", because it will

get "stuck" at the shear line. thisbinding pin can now be lifted,using your pick tool, until it

crosses the shear line and getsstuck above. when this happens,

the binding effect will betransfered to another pin in thelock. if tension is maintained, the

set pin will remain above theshear line as you continue to setthe next pin. this is the principle

upon which lock picking relies.

STEPS TO LOCK PICKING

1. apply tension

2. find the binding pin3. lift it to the shear line4. repeat steps 2 and 3 until the

lock is open

DING DING!

Soundseasy

enough...well, just hangtight killer, it'sharder than it

looks

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AT restpin stack is sittingat its lowest point.picker will noticespring tension on

stack

SETdriver pin is trapped

above shear line.key pin will fall back

down and not beunder spring

tension

overset

the key pin has beenpushed past the shearline and is now

binding. key pin willnot fall back down.

no spring tension willbe detected

undersetbinding pin hasbeen lifted, butnot all the way

to the shearline. key pin is

free to fall backdown and willnot be under

spring tension.

false sets

possible pin states

it's important to understandthat at any time, each pinstack will be in one of the

above pin states. tosuccessfully open the lock,you must get all pin stacksinto the "set" state. theystart off in the "at rest"state. Along the way, youwill be challenged by falsesets, and recognizing and

overcoming these false setswill determine your success.

Cool. this ismaking

sense now!

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A BRIEF INTRO TO TOOL MAKING

FOR THISEXERCISE, YOU'LL

NEED A BENCHGRINDER, SAFETY

GLASSES, A GLASSOF WATER, AND AHACKSAW BLADE.

YOU'LL ALSOWANT SAND PAPER(emery paper) IN

A VARIETY OFGRITS, AND SOME

PATIENCE.

MAKING A PICK FROM A HACKSAW BLADE

get yourself a picktemplate. These can

be found online.Check at

lockpicking101.comfor pick templates.Print the template

to scale and cut outthe shape of the

pick, gluing it to thehacksaw blade with aconventional glue

stick

OK, so farso good.

next comesthe scary

part!

scary part?

No, notreally, butyou have tobe careful

importantALWAYS WEAR EYE

PROTECTION AND WORK INA WELL VENTILATED AREA

WHEN SANDING ORGRINDING

USING YOUR BENCHGRINDER, REMOVE THE

TEETH FROM THE HACKSAWBLADE.

IMPORTANT NOTES

THERE ARE A LOT OFMATERIALS THAT ARE

GREAT FOR MAKINGPICKS, AND A VARIETYOF TOOLS THAT CAN BEUSED. WE HAVE DECIDED

TO USE A HACKSAWBLADE AND A BENCHGRINDER FOR THISEXERCISE BECAuSEBOTH ARE WIDELYAVAILABLE ANDPRODUCE GOOD

RESULTS. SEE THE NEXPAGE FOR IMPORTANT

TIPS ON BENCHGRINDER SAFETY AND

TECHNIQUE!

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grinding out your picks

never usethe side of

the grindingwheel.

always usethe front

edge!

grind out the basic shape ofthe pick. use the corners ofthe grind wheel to make the

curved shapes. for finerdetail, you may wish to use arotary tool (like a dremel)

with a cutting wheel to get theshape you want.

be sure to quench often!!! thisis important. quenching will

keep the metal cool andstrong. do not let the metal

change color while grinding. ifthis happens your tool will be

too weak or brittle.

please use power tools safelyand follow all operating

instructions!

once you've got the basicshape, peel away the templateand you're ready for finishing

wow! This isstarting to

look like apick. cool!

yup! butyou're only

half wayhome. pickfinishing is

the realsecret!

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pick finishing

pick finishing is where it's at. Get goodat this! the smoother your picks, the

easier they will move through the lock,the better feedback you'll get from thepins, and the better you'll be at picking

locks!

start with a heavier grit of sand paper(emery paper), perhaps between 150 and

200 grit, and then work your way toprogressively finer and finer grits,

finishing with somewhere between 1100and 2000 grit.

for the rough finishing, wrap the paperaround a block of wood and sand allsurfaces, paying special attention to

the edges of the neck and tip of the pick.

for the tight corners, try wrapping thepaper around a chop stick.

sand the picks until you get a veryshiny, very smooth finish.

beginner's tip!

when you think you've

sanded enough, you'reprobably only half finished!

you want these babies tolook like little mirrors! it'sa lot of work, but worth it

in the end!

once you're happywith the level ofsanding, you may

wish to really

shine them up! trytaking a rotarytool (dremel)

with a hard feltpolishing wheel

and somepolishing

compound. you'llbe amazed at the

difference!

My hands arenumb from

all thissanding!

no kidding!welcome tomy world...

page 15

to start, laythe pick flaton a surface

and sand.


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making a tension wrench

wiper bladeinserts work

great! you canfind theminside the

rubber on theblade

Cut 'em downto size and put

an l-shapedbend into one

end

I think I

can handlethat

file themsmooth and puta twist in thehandle for

comfort andcontrol

then polish themup real good

with some steelwool

viola! you havea wrench thatlooks just as

good as the protools! way to

go!

thanks, Imade itmyself!

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w w w . l o c k p i c k i n g 1 0 1 . c o m

Every day, hundreds (possibly thousands) ofenthusiasts gather together in the worlds leadingonline locksport community. lockpicking101 serves as

a huge resource of information on every locksporttopic imaginable. members regularly answer questions

and discuss topics of technique, tools, locks, andmore! there is no better place online for thelocksport hobbyist to hang out and learn!

WHere to getmore info

www.locksport.comlocksport internationalis looking for pioneersto form locksportgroups in your area!

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why get involved in LI?

because it's fun! picking locksis cool. But many havediscovered that getting

involved in a locksport groupis even cooler. members

participate in contests and a

ranking system. they learntogether, challenge eachother, and most important,

they have fun together!

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lock picking hobby

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