This is probably not smart. But...

[mylofox]

Torch Picking
Warning: This topic involves a mini butane torch, heat/fire bad. It is not MY or LOCK PICKING 101's fault if your injured in the course of this discussion. If YOU burn YOURSELF it's because YOU BURNED YOURSELF.

Ok, one fine day-today I got a wee bit curious. Never a good thing. Allow me...

I was thinking to myself (in Snape's voice ), remember science projects? Remember the one about hot objects expanding and cold objects contracting? Does this also apply to a lock core? Specifically can I heat the bottom pins of a lock considerably to change their size?

Would this?
A) make the lock HARDER to pick?
B) make the lock the SAME to pick?
C) make the lock EASIER to pick?

My thinking was the pins will expand making them a little easier to set on the shearline's shelf. So I tried, managed to pick a kw1 - 36255 in less than 60 seconds. Before the heat treatment I fought this darn lock for like 10 mins. ('eh some you get in "movie time" all the rest take forever.) I dunno, I'm too lazy to trot my horse butt out to the service van right now to try on some other locks, but I am curious. Feel free to discuss.

[FarmerFreak]

My first thought is you are crazy.

My second thought is that instead of changing the size/shape of any of the pins. What you probably really did was weaken the springs in the lock. Making it easier to hold the pins at the shear line, since there would be less force pushing them back down. It wouldn't come as a surprise to me if after a heating session, some pins will get stuck in the over lifted position (if over lifted).

My third thought, is that the effect is purely psychological.

If I'm bored one day and have a lock that I don't like and I can't pick, I may try this idea. You don't suppose an Oxy-Acetylene torch is too much do you.

[Squelchtone]

This reminds me of 1980's and early 90's H/P/A/C/V/T Text Filez that were popular on computer BBS systems. A big lofty disclaimer, and then some instructions that seemed too good to be true and that the author may or may not have actually tried out. I used to write these HPAC (Hacking Phreaking Anarchy Cracking) text filez too, most bored suburban teenagers with a computer in their bedroom did as well.

Take the time to learn picking instead of trying wacky dangerous stunts. If you have a service van, then you should have professional picking tools. Get a nice new HPC set or Peterson set for xmas, you'll get more mileage out of it in the long run.

Stay Safe, I don't want to read about you in the next Darwin Awards book.

Squelchtone

[raimundo]

any extended heating of the core will only over heat the copper springs and soften them,
the brass body of the lock is such an excellent heat sink that it would take a lot of heat to expand the pins to a size that would be enough to affect picking. small masses of metal heat up very quickly and larger masses heat slowly and cool slowly so if you had heated the core, you would have to wait while it cooled or quench it in water,

If your heating had any positive effect, I would guess is loosened some gunk and freed up a sticking situation.

Squelch is right, the oxyace sparkle wrench will get through all sorts of high security locks reliably and quickly, there is not other pick that is such a sure thing.

[mylofox]

I was just tinkering around, just curious. I have been using the same two picks for all my calls for the last six years, I wasn't looking for an alternative to picking or a short cut. I was just simply curious as to what might happen and really, I was wondering if anyone else thought the same.

For example, weakening the top pin springs, that's an interesting thought. Could one follow to conclusion that heating the plug thereby weakening the springs in the bible poses a weakness in the lock? Maybe not for all locks obviously only for pin tumbler locks not wafer locks.

Perhaps I have misplaced myself on this forum altogether. I thought I might throw an intellectual bone out there to see who could take a semi-serious stab at brainstorming. - squelchtone

By the way there is no need for a huge pickset, like I said, two picks 6 years. If your good, that's all you need. Having a big set with 15-50 different tips is a joke. Ultimately all locks can be picked by SPP, it's inherent to their design.

[Eyes_Only]

Yeah I only use two or maybe three different picks while the rest just sit quietly in my case and look pretty. But I do carry about 15 different tension wrenches that I have all employed out in the field at one time or another.

[Eyes_Only]

BTW I thought your torch test (though risky) was an awesome experiment. At least now we know if it is practical or not.

[nothumbs]

When I saw the beginning of this thread I thought it was going to be another approach to getting the side plugs to pop out of brass-bodied locks. Then I thought, how the heck do you hold a red-hot lock and pick it since the pins would only be larger while hot. Still not sure what the OP had in mind, aside from the stated notion of getting a brain-storming session going.

In general, it seems ill-advised and somewhat dangerous to attempt to heat a lock in an effort to make picking it easier, aside from the general notion of warming a frozen lock to free up the mechanism. Aside from the noted effect of weakening the springs, I don't see the advantages.

More interesting might be liquid nitrogen treatment to make the lock brittle, but no less dangerous. This however, would most likely fall into the DE category and therefore not likely to survive as an open forum discussion. But then the thermal lance or torch option is the same thing.

So perhaps if the OP would care to expand on the idea, we could get more of a discussion going in areas that would be acceptable.

[ElbowMacaroni]

This reminds me of 1980's and early 90's H/P/A/C/V/T Text Filez that were popular on computer BBS systems. A big lofty disclaimer, and then some instructions that seemed too good to be true and that the author may or may not have actually tried out. I used to write these HPAC (Hacking Phreaking Anarchy Cracking) text filez too, most bored suburban teenagers with a computer in their bedroom did as well.

Take the time to learn picking instead of trying wacky dangerous stunts. If you have a service van, then you should have professional picking tools. Get a nice new HPC set or Peterson set for xmas, you'll get more mileage out of it in the long run.

Stay Safe, I don't want to read about you in the next Darwin Awards book.

Squelchtone

HAHAHAHHA! The old "G" Filez... oh the old days....

[unlisted]

Someone needs to create a tool for a butane lighter that feeds the gas down a small round tube, with 5 or 6 small notches along the length- at the normal key spacing points. (that way, gas/heat/flame would shoot out said 5-6 holes and heat up the pins directly..or so my theory goes..)

[mylofox]

Someone needs to create a tool for a butane lighter that feeds the gas down a small round tube, with 5 or 6 small notches along the length- at the normal key spacing points. (that way, gas/heat/flame would shoot out said 5-6 holes and heat up the pins directly..or so my theory goes..)

Now that's what I was looking for some thought. Could probably use a small brass tube, I may even have some. That could lead to an answer to expanding pins/binding better theory. Check back tomorrow.

[FarmerFreak]

Could probably use a small brass tube, I may even have some.

I think a small "brass tube" may melt before you even begin to change the size of the pins with the heat.

However if you do succeed in making a small tube to push the gas through. You should also try small bursts of pressurized air, not with the heat. The idea is to see if anyone can successfully make an air powered pick gun.

[mylofox]

I talked with my original mentor years ago about an air powered pick but if I remember right, the problem with it was the inability to produce enough force with that small of air output. And I guess I don't have any small pieces of brass to try heating just the pins.

[globallockytoo]

Getting OT a little, I think there must be a way to focus UHF radio waves or whatever to pinpoint a keyhole and use audio to manipulate pins or discs somehow.

Something like how KITT from Knightrider was able to pick a lock from 1/4 m away.

[unlisted]

Gotta find the correct frequency standard lock pins oscillate at.


...Oh wait, wat?...