lockpickshop.com tactical lock opening course

[ajohnusmc]

Hey all im new to this, I searched for the course i found on lockpickshop.com with no luck so here we go. Has anyone seen their tactical lock opening course they sell, and is it worth it? It seems to me you can get other dvds or books for around 30-50$ with the same info but they want 260$, and all it is is a 90 min dvd, 100pg book, a basic pickset, and a certificate at the end when you mail in a test, which im not sure if that makes you a licenced locksmith or what. however if it shows you some more useful info that you wont get anywhere else since its for law enforcement and gov only apparently, then maybe its totally worth it. thoughts?

[Black Zero]

I would try and stick away from packages like these. The certificate does not mean anything and is only meant as a gimic.

I would look to find a nice pickset (not the one with the most picks, but quality ones), a few practice locks, and then you can find all the info you need on this site as well as pdfs and videos found throughout the web. A majority of those dvds they sell can be found on torrent sites so you may want to check for those.

[Eyes_Only]

I think that book is the same as the one in the "Lockout Specialist Course". Although they probably took out the pages that pertains to starting a locksmith business. The last portion of the Lockout Specialist Course book was nothing more than the MIT Guide to Lockpicking and I'm sure that without the locksmith business info half of the "Tactical" version will probably be the MIT guide.

But the two videos that the course comes with were actually pretty good. When I lent it to my boss and his family when I worked at their locksmith shop, they were just at a loss for words cos they've never seen a lock being picked one pin at a time and so methodically. But these days we now have YouTube with an endless supply of free and excellent videos to learn from, like the guy wizwazzle (I think thats how you spell it) so I wouldn't even think about wasting money on most videos they sell at those online lockpick suppliers.

[ElbowMacaroni]

BTW, Wizwazzle is AWOL70 on here.

[apb]

If youre interested in a"course" that covers picking and bypass here is a link to the Lockpicking for the New millennium DVD. It used to be about 40 bucks. But spending 200+ bucks on a course like that? I strongly advise against it. If you can get past the cheesy porn music and opening theatrics (i.e. the ninja suit) this DVD is a decent primer on many different ways of opening locks.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8141&start=0

[cppdungeon]

IMO this forum, a good smattering of youtube, and some hacksaw blades will beat pretty much anything you can buy. I have the complete book of locks and locksmithing 6e and I've used it...once. I'm not saying it wasn't a good read, but this forum can really give you feedback and in depth info on basically any questions you have. Again with tools, I have found the DX picks to be quite usable. I probably use one my DX hook more so than my Peterson GEM! My advice is to invest in locks and skills, not silly literature.

--Cpp

[Eyes_Only]

The only literature on lockpicking I recommend to anyone is the MIT Guide, LSI guide, LSS and Greymans encyclopedia (I've only seen the previews but that with the reviews on this site I'm confident its worth the money), unless I missed one more good resource.

[ElbowMacaroni]

Where does one find Greyman's book? I can't find it on amazon. Do you need to buy direct?

I like reference materials that I can pull from a shelf... can't help it I'm a book junkie... I have 1000's of books.


-EM

[Red]

It is obvious from your post that you didn't read the complete description of the page where the Tactical Lock Opening course is located on the Lockpickshop.com site. If you had you'd know that nowhere in the description is it stated that a license would be issued upon completion. It clearly states that a certificate of completion would be issued after passing an exam.

States and provinces are the ONLY authorities that can issue a locksmith license, and with good reason. You can't really believe that because you take a course in lock-opening and bypass techniques that you would be considered a qualified locksmith. Locksmith training takes a long time. In fact, many US states require a 2 year apprenticeship under a licensed locksmith before an individual is even permitted to take a license exam.

This course was specifically designed for law enforcement personnel, the US military and first responders. All of these professionals need to gain entry to locked buildings, autos etc. to assist the public. It was NOT designed for the lock picking hobbyist.
The certificate that is issued at the end of the course IS valuable, just as the certificate for the Lockout Specialist course is. It enables the person that has mastered these skills to command more money at their current job because it is a skill that no one else likely has. It is a valuable addition to a resume and may even get you the apprenticeship you need in order to become a qualified and licensed locksmith.

For the record - over the past 8 years we have heard from countless firefighters, first responders and police officers that have purchased the course. Each one of them saved a life, got someone to the hospital in time, because they were able to gain entry into a locked apartment or vehicle where someone was in distress and unable to help themself. We've heard amazing stories from soldiers that have been in very dangerous circumstances how they were able to gain entry into areas and buildings covertly because of the skills learned in this course.

THAT is what this course is all about.

Our company has sole right of distibutorship for both of these courses. You will not find them being sold anywhere else.

[ajohnusmc]

haha thanks for all the responses, im goin with a basic pick set and practice lock to get going, and see where i end up from there, and red, id prefer high explosives over covert top secret black ops ninja entries anyday, but hopefully i gain as much knowledge as i can through the web and my coworkers for cheap, just in case i need to go chuck norris mode. thanks everyone.

[Red]

Sounds like a plan