ARCHIVE 2003-2013 Introduce yourself HERE if you are new. :)

[Oozu]

Howdy folks. new to the site not new to the trade (havent even started) so hoping to be new soon. lil bit about myself, im 18 just graduated from Angell job corps today. went in for tree trimming decided it wasnt for me so i dont think its gonna be a career. got my diploma in it though. going home to olympia no job always had a fascination with the trade of locksmithing. was trolling the internet trying to find out how i might pick it up and this is the site ive found. so far the most helpful. so here i am typing this crap out. hope to learn as much as i can and get my foot in the door or even a toe (hear its nearly impossible to get into this trade, but theres gotta be some way or it would be dead >:}) glad to be apart of the community but i got some research to do and posts to read. howdy again!

[wackojappo]

Hi guys, I'm new, and looking forward to hone my skills...

[Sugar]

Hi everybody, I'm just a newbie trying to learn just for fun. It's all quite thrilling actually :)

[Social Escort]

Hey all;

I've always had a sort of fascination with locks and how they work ever since my childhood home got robbed twice in one week, but it wasn't until *very* recently that I decided to give picking a try. What really spurred the thought was lately I've been reading Lawrence Block's "Bernie 'The Burglar' Rhodenbarr" series, and reading about the rush he gets from opening a lock reminded me of how good it felt with I picked a little Fortress padlock a few years back with a bobby pin and a paper clip.

And no, just because a series about a burglar is what drew my attention to picking doesn't mean I plan on going around, breaking into folks' houses. I will, however, try to convince as many of them as possible to let me pick theirs ;)

I'll be getting a Financial Aid refund check from the University in early-to-mid-May, and I plan on using some of that money to invest in a little beginner's pick-set, maybe a few practice locks. I'm really interested in some cut-a-ways, though; They sound like they'd be amazingly helpful for giving visuals to what my manipulations are doing to the lock. I know I shouldn't use cut-a-ways as a crutch, and I'll probably only use them until I feel that I've gained a decent grasp on the visual aspect.

It's now occurred to me that this "brief introduction" has rambled on for a while now, so I guess I'll be wrapping it up now.

I look forward to the new hobby, and the journey of information gathering; May the pins fall where they may.

[Sugar]

My first pick set is still in the mail but I didn't want to wait any longer and started picking with paper clips.
I did open my first lock today-- a five-pin deadbolt. And I did it 50 times, couldn't stop doing it :)
The shortest time was around 15sec. I slowed down substantially in the evening.

Picking with paper clips is pretty annoying when they bend, they're just too flexible.
I hope the real picks give more control.

[jmarkabdon]

Hello my name is Mark, I am new to lockpicking and a freind got me into toool. can't wait to get started. All help will be apperaited.

[Hoh]

Hi, I`m new to this stuff, and I have encountered a very weird lock. Where can I make a post with some pictures ? Thank you

[caspers-horizon]

hello my name is scott, i am fascinated with things that lock and love to tinker with things.
and for the past year have been rekeying locks, doing forced entry openings on safety deposit boxes, doing combination changes on cash vaults and im just getting into lock manipulation and want to learn safe drillings.
best part is i just kind of fell into this at work. i always said i wish i could find that job that made me want to go to work and i think i found it.
scott

[Spoogemonkey]

Hello everyone-

I was introduced to this site by the president of LI in Ohio. I'm new to lock picking but can't wait to learn!

[surreylad]

Hi to everyone, carpenter by trade wanting to learn more about locksmiths.Eager to learn

[bryanp103]

Hello there, I have been lurking for a few weeks. I picked my first lock 2 days ago, the madness starts.

[Stevie Mac]

Hey guys just making myself known. I'm a 3d visual FX artist but I'm looking into changing careers & becomeing Locksmith is a direction I'm following at the moment. I've read a few of the guids for newbies about courses & stuff & the info has been a big help so far, so thanks for creating such a good forum.

Whats with the No Avatars? I find this quite useful to remember who peolple are.

Thanks

[Mental_Mech]

Hello everyone!

My name is Mike, and ive been hobby picking off and on since I was 12(23 now.).
Recently I lost my key ring, and was sparked to expand on the hobby, and am even looking into 'going pro'. I LOVE mechanics and engineering, so my love of locks is only natural. Ill post up some photos of my tools in the appropriate section soon. I consider myself a beginner, but spend about an hour or 5 practicing every day.

Anyway, just thought id introduce myself. look forward to enjoying this hobby with all of you.

[pawt]

Hi All
Am new to this forum and locksmithing, just a learner really, about to do some courses in locksmithing, but hope to learn something from you guys.

Pawt

[munkyeetr]

Hello all,

New to the forum and also to lock picking. I played around a little when I was younger (10 years ago or so), picking (or attempting) the locks around the house. I was even successful a couple times!

Now I am looking for a hobby and decided to give it a more serious go.

The forum looks great (a wealth of knowledge) and I look forward to learning, and hopefully being able to contribute.

Thanks,
Munky