Hey Members,
Our first meeting of the semester is tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7PM at PAR 310 (northwest building in the six-pack). The meeting schedule is as follows: 9/4, 9/18, 10/2, 10/16, 10/30, 11/13, 11/27 and 12/4 (every other Tuesday except the last meeting).
We're making several changes for this semester:
1) Every meeting is going to cover a different topic. Only the first meeting will be going over the intro Lockpicking 101 stuff. Afterwards there will be presentations on new topics. Either Reid or I will still go through the basic LP101 primer with any newcomers individually, but the focus will be on a new topic, following this tentative schedule:
9/4 - Lockpicking 101 - what's inside a typical lock, and the basics of picking them
9/18 - Disassembling and Repinning a Lock - taking apart a standard 5-pin lock, and reassembling it so old keys won't work
10/2 - Lock Bypass Techniques - taking the path of least resistance - learn how to get handcuffs, combo locks, etc. open with improvised tools
10/16 - Security Pins and High-Security Locks - pick-resistant locks? No problem
10/30 - Other Lock Designs - Wafer, warded, disc-detainer, lever ... and the techniques to defeat them
11/13 - Master-Keyed Systems - how masterkeys in your dorm/apartment work, and how to make your own!
11/27 - Key Impressioning - learn how to make a key given just a lock...
12/4 - Safe Manipulation - fun with safe-cracking (Ocean's 11 anyone?)
2) Following the presentation every meeting, you'll have an opportunity to practice what you've just learned, and then we'll have a competition! There will be prizes, so brush up on your skills!
9/4 - This week will be speedpicking - how quickly can you pick through a variety of common locks? The prize for the winner will be 5-piece lockpick set (subsequent prizes are still TBD).
9/18 - Disassembling/Reassembling a lock - how quickly can you take apart a 5-pin lock and put it back together in working condition? Tougher than it sounds!
10/2 - Are you the next Houdini? See if you can escape out of handcuffs and pick your way to freedom using just bobby pins, paper clips, and other improvised tools.
10/16 - Speedpicking II - this time focusing on some locks with tricky security pins.
10/30 - Speedpicking III - this time featuring some unique lock designs
11/13 - Master keys - see if you can make a working master key
11/27 - Key Impressioning - see if you can create a working key given a lock, key blank, some tools, and a lot of patience!
12/4 - Lockpickin' Wizard - How many locks can you pick while blindfolded?
The speedpicking competition will be a double elimination tournament modeled after past LockCon Speedpicking world championships, as follows:
Everyone interested in competing will add their name to the signup sheet. Competitors will be randomly paired up, and each person will be given a lock. Competitors will be given 7 minutes to try to pick their lock, after which they will trade with their partner and given another 7 minutes to pick the new lock. The winner of each pair advances to the top tier and the loser advances to the bottom tier. New pairs will be formed and the process is repeated, this time with 5 minute rounds. Once you have lost twice you are out of the game. Rounds will continue until all but the winner have been eliminated.
A couple of rules to keep things fair: You can only win 1 competition prize a semester, and we officers won't be participating
3) Starting with the second meeting, you'll be able to earn points by cracking particularly hard locks. Those who end up with the most points by the end of the semester get prizes (TBD).
4) To those who don't yet have picksets or want some practice locks - starting at the next meeting, we'll be offering a beginner kit with everything you need to get started: a high-quality 5-piece pickset and carrying case, a 5-pin pin tumbler lock that's easily disassembled, an extra practice padlock, and the LI Guide to Lockpicking. Beginner kits will be $20.
Dues will be $20/semester, and are critical in order to provide new locks and equipment for all the exciting new topics we have planned, so please bring dues to the meeting tomorrow.
Most of the stuff above is still tentative, so if you guys have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact any of the officers (CCed here).
Hope to see you guys tomorrow,
Charles
