Blindfolded Lock picking

[ldnlksmth]

my brother owns a manufacturing company, and they build just about anything. If we come up with a viable compound, I can probably have a few prototypes made for experimentation.

[SmokieD]

Funny i dont think blindfolded is the worst thing, as long as u get the tension wrench and pick inside. Correct me if im wrong but isnt lockpicking based on "feel" and "sound" more than anything else. So seeing would be like 10% of it?

[ldnlksmth]

it's common for me to close my eyes when picking. Helps eliminate the distractions. Blindfolds simply add to the mystique and illusion of a highly skilled operator as opposed to an experienced one. All about perception.

[Romstar]

It is a common misconception that sound plays any part in lock picking. While you may sometimes hear what you believe is a pin setting, and often when picking pad locks you will hear the click of the pawl, you almost never hear anything helpful.

Bear in mind, that it is only in rare circumstances where you are picking in a quite enough location that you can hear the sounds of your tools in the lock.

Only once sense plays any part in picking, and that is touch.

The only additional help you can give yourself is a good effort at visualization. If you can picture in your mind what you believe you are doing, you have a great asset.

Professionally you might pick a lock in a crowded parking lot, while a couple is talking behind you waiting to get into their home, in a crowded room if you are picking in competition or at a gathering. None of these places will allow you to make any use of the few randome sounds you may hear.

Let your touch be your guide, and they rest just sort of follows along.

Romstar

[SmokieD]

Good point. I dont know if there are too many other activities which just go off of "touch" and "feel" as the assets. thats what makes it unique. and thats why people who have never picked a lock before have a tough time understanding why it is appealing. You dont drive a car without sight, same with playing sports.

I could go on all day.

[ldnlksmth]

I can think of one thing in perticular that is especially fun to do blind, involves mostly 'touch' and 'feel', but it's rather inappropriate.

The point stands, it is a unique practice and only in the quiestest controlled circumstances (i.e. in my basement with the radio off when the furnace isn't going and the cat's being quiet and and and) can I hear pins moving. Learn the feel. The 'feedback' from your picks tells you what's going on, nothing else.

[frizzen]

As for the Bump-resistant compound, I was thinking something along the lines of a Cornstarch and antifreeze paste. Ok, I've never tried the antifreeze in it, but cornstarch and water makes a longchain putty that will "lock up" when motion is imparted on it too quickly. So if we could make a synthetic version of that...
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Original topic: I think if you wanted to make it a challenge, instead of the blindfold make them pick while wearing ski or snowmobile gloves.

[ldnlksmth]

obviously the water is not a good idea, but antifreeze might work. Won't have time to experiment until Christmas, so I'll play around a little next week and see what I get.

[Romstar]

The way this is going, I'm going to end up back at Acadia so I can get access to a decent lab for a while.

There are just too many different chemicals to play with for this project.

Romstar

[ldnlksmth]

a fine time will be had by all, I'm sure.

I'm going on a door re-fit call on Saturday up to the Chem. dept of the university (their locksmith isn't allowed to drill holes in metal doors for new locks, and they want to upgrade to a Cobra on a fire rated metal door) so I'm trying to get some face time with a prof. there that I've met before. See what comes of it.

I promise you'll all be mentioned in the patent application.