Can ANY lock be picked with a standard lock pick set?

[Aprentice]

Or better asked - are there any locks that CAN'T be picked?

Can a car door lock be picked?

The reason I ask - is it seems like when I'm locked out of a car the lock-out guy always uses a bypass method of somesort.

I have never seen anyone attempt to pick a door lock, what about a car ignition lock, etc?

What are the locks that can't be picked, besides combo locks?

[JackNco]

OK First off Auto locks and bypass methods are restricted to the Advanced forums. no more questions about it, End Of Discussion.

Skirting around that no not all locks can be picked with a standard pick set.

First off you need slimline picks for European locks much of the time and i find the slimline to weak to pick many larger locks.

Lever locks are also a good example of common locks (In Europe) that cant be opened with a standard pick set.

So no not all locks cane be opened with a standard pick set.

All the best

[Eyes_Only]

Some combination locks can be "picked", or more like manipulated to find the correct combination but it's tedious and the easiest way to open those things is to just use shims which is what I prefer to do.

And as far as I understand, almost any lock that has a keyway or uses a key or an external device of some sort to operate it can be picked. Although some locks are so well made that they would be impractical for a locksmith or entry professional to try to pick them. If you're a hobbiest with nothing better to do all day long you might not have a problem with that though.

[Aprentice]

Actually, although I haven't even began with lock picking yet (still waiting for my first lockpick set to come in the mail), I can imagine that me getting hooked on lock picking as a hobby. I love puzzles and see lock picking as kind of lick solving puzzles. I'm just wondering if there were locks that couldn't be picked for future referrence so in that I don't spin my wheels thinking it is me, rather than the lock itself. I'm thinking if I got good enough and had the right tools - will it possible for me to open most any entryway with a functioning lock including vehicle locks? If so, then I would imagine that this would be an enormous advantage for a locksmith that wouldn't have to rely on bypass techniques. Seems to me, in paticular that when it is a vehicle lock, most lockout specialists resort to bypass means rather then lock picking for entry. This is why I have believed that there did exist locks which couldn't be picked such as with automobiles.

Note - although I'm referring to vehicle locks as an example the topic of discussion here isn't meant to be about vehicle entry methods.

[JackNco]

hehe thats cool i just wanted to clear it up and make sure there was no discussion or the thread would get locked. you will be able to open most pin tumblers with the kit you have ordered. start off with a kwikset.

[Gordon Airporte]

To get an idea of what's out there, run searches on:

wafer locks
pin tumbler locks
lever locks
disc locks
warded locks

Wafer and pin tumblers are both picked with a standard pick + tension wrench setup. The others require specialized tools and, apart from warded locks, are not as common in the US. Late model disc locks can't be picked at all, as far as we know.

[Aprentice]

OK, I started a new thread relevant to this one - I started it due to it's specificity. However, the lock in question here, I imagine a challenging lock to pick if not - just not possible;

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=19022

[Shrub]

Try to keep threads to one thread instead of splitting them up as multi threads,

To answer your question on car locks, yes they can be picked with specific methods but THAT is the most were saying,

All locks should be pickable, some are very cleaver and very well made and its true that there are some out there that can only be picked useing professional govermnet issue tools or home made tools made by only a handful of people for personal use, these are quite often based on a breif description or small picture the maker has seen of the goverment version,

As a professional its not a fun thing to be stood outside in the cold and wet at night picking things, if a bypass is available that will ALWAYS be the first method of attack and depending on how well the bypass works and the quality of the tool used will normally be the only tool used,

If a human mind can think up a locking device a human mind can think up a way to defeat that locking device, locks only keep honest people out,