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

[Varjeal]

Greetings to all. Welcome to LP101 and just ignore Pheniox who's trying to insult me. What he doesn't realize is that I control the cookie flow in this world, and if he doesn't play nice I'll be forced to feed all the cookies to Chucklz instead.

[T-Real]

Good day, all.

Just though I would introduce myself. I have been lurking for a while now, and am amazed at the wealth of wonderful information contained within this site. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the LP101 Guide to Lockpicking.

Foremost, thank you to all the posters here. The information I've read so far has been incredibly useful, and I'm sure it will all continue to be a great reference.

I initially tried picking when I was 13 and read the Anarchist’s Cookbook from a local BBS (before the WWW days). I had no patience and quickly gave up, not to mention the information wasn't incredibly useful.

Following my reading of the MIT Guide, and more so to the posts on this site, I have started to get the feel for this.

I spent a day this weekend fashioning a home made pick set with a Dremil and a grinder. I made a few with hacksaw blades, however most of them are made from plumbers tape. I made a few tension wrenches from the plumbers tape as well, a couple from allen wrenches and a couple from 16 penny nails that I flattened then ground and tempered. I prefer the plumbers tape as they are flexible, and help me to not over tension the tool.

I've managed to pick a Master No 3 and No 40 (can't actually pick the No 40, but I can rake the various ones I've tried in about 5 seconds, and I've spent hours trying to actually pick it - wierd). I've also managed to pick a couple Kwikset deadbolts (standard 5-pin, I've even reconfigured the pins). Thus far I've yet to get my Kwikset "High-Security" 6-pin lock. It has no security pins, or anything exceptional, however I've tried and tried and can't get it. I'm sure it will come with additional practice. I've also not been successful with any Schlage locks. All in time.

I've found everything related to this topic to be enjoyable, from reading the online information and posts here, to making my picks and tension wrenches, and of course actually picking the locks open .

I am hoping to put this new found hobby to work in the near future. I work for a construction company, and on a few occasions I've had to drill locks that someone lost the keys for. How great would it be to be able to just pick the lock, rather than destroy it. Now that I am learning this, I'm sure this opportunity won't present itself again. That's my luck.

Again, thank you to everyone for this great resource. Hopefully one day I will have some useful information to contribute.

T-Real

[maldotcom2]

read the Anarchist’s Cookbook from a local BBS

i have also read this, and found it very brief and quite incorrect in some parts, i would seriously not recommend this guide to anyone to learn lockpicking.

[Patch]

Hello Everyone I am new to this site and it looks great. Nice to meet everyone.

[mYjje]

Whut up, everyone =D i've never sucessfully picked a lock, but i tried to pick my locker, at school.. i live in sweden, and we don't have anything called collages, i go to school, wre i learn elding and such, cutting steele etc, and as u may understand, i've got infitiley amounts of steel of all forms, and i've tried to make some picks my self, but i haven't learnd how to harden the steel, and i am not so sure, that we got the right thickness to pick, let's say a house lock.. (tumbler?) weel, enough said, i will be around here asking som really annoying questions, and all that, that everyone new, to something does =D

[cass]

Hi,
IM very confused as to why ive been asked to introduce my self,can you let me know as ive posted only a few and now i have to introduce myself again???
regards

[cass]

Hi again,
just have to say since ive come to know this site i cant and wont turn it off,i think its got to be the no1 place for help,advice,chat,to other locksmith's and hobbiests.
anyhow enough said
regards

[Murph]

:D Whut up, everyone =D i've never sucessfully picked a lock, but i tried to pick my locker, at school.. i live in sweden, and we don't have anything called collages, i go to school, wre i learn elding and such, cutting steele etc, and as u may understand, i've got infitiley amounts of steel of all forms, and i've tried to make some picks my self, but i haven't learnd how to harden the steel, and i am not so sure, that we got the right thickness to pick, let's say a house lock.. (tumbler?) weel, enough said, i will be around here asking som really annoying questions, and all that, that everyone new, to something does =D

You have a goldmine for pickmaking material and grinders. For your picks, you can use .022 to .025 thick spring steel. As for tension wrenches, from my experience but others in this forum may differ, the steel spines found in automobile windshield wiper blades. To learn how to make picks, do a search in this forum for Pyro's videos - a very well done how-to.
If you want to know about a certain subject pertaining to locks, making picks, or lockpicking, before you post your question, so a search first.
Welcome to the LP101 forum!

[Mastro]

Hi just joined on 8/16/04

[LockPick7]

Im the newest guy as of now so im a noob just saying hi. well im gonna get my lockpick set soon with a practice lock and im gonna start learning the hobby of lock picking so ill c u guys in the forums!

[DanD]

I have had a longtime interest in locks but little opportunity to learn about them hands on. Fortunately, I was hired by a very old locksmithing company. I work in their electronic security division with access control systems, electrified locks, video surveillence, and alarms. But I got to spend my first month with the company in the inside lockshop and on the road with the locksmiths. I had brief experiences there with rekeying, cutting keys, picking, impressioning, etc. but need lots more practice with picking. I do have the benefit of 124 years worth of lock parts sitting around, but shamefully haven't put the effort into practicing regularly. But now the time has come, and I hope to contribute useful information to the electronic locks forum when I earn entry into that. Thanks for all the great resources.

[hmlss_guy31290]

hey wats up i jus joined today

[Pheniox]

Welcome to the forums new guys, start reading and picking apart the site.

[Varjeal]

Wow...look at all the new folks...Welcome to LP101! Thanks for joining. Have a look around and a good solid read through the FAQ section. Then grab some picks and starting having fun.

[Romstar]

Yeesh!

I haven't looked here in a while.

It's great to have all these new people.

As Phen and Varjeal said, start reading away, and then start picking.

Romstar