Everyday items (unmodified) for use as lockpicks?

[MisterBik]

Hi, I was wondering if there is already a thread for this (if so, pls direct me to it and delete this thread).

But anyway, in Australia it is illegal to carry (outside of your house) any item that has been modified for what they would consider 'criminal purposes'. This would include lockpicks. Not only that, they consider that possession is proof of intent to commit a criminal act, so you get screwed twice for the same thing.

So, what I wanted to know is, are there any items people know of / use that could be carried legally (and unmodified, or easy to modify 'on site') , (in case I accidentally lock myself in a burning building or something ), that would serve as a decent pick and tension wrench.

I have a bobby-pin and some paper clips (along with a little type of mini-leatherman multitool). Any one know of some other good ones?

bik.

[Squelchtone]

Hi, I was wondering if there is already a thread for this (if so, pls direct me to it and delete this thread).

But anyway, in Australia it is illegal to carry (outside of your house) any item that has been modified for what they would consider 'criminal purposes'. This would include lockpicks. Not only that, they consider that possession is proof of intent to commit a criminal act, so you get screwed twice for the same thing.

So, what I wanted to know is, are there any items people know of / use that could be carried legally (and unmodified, or easy to modify 'on site') , (in case I accidentally lock myself in a burning building or something ), that would serve as a decent pick and tension wrench.

I have a bobby-pin and some paper clips (along with a little type of mini-leatherman multitool). Any one know of some other good ones?

bik.

Carry a spare key in your wallet.

We have found over the years that improvised lock picks usually do not work very well, at least not on locks other than cheap wafer locks on file cabinets, etc, so we don't bother with them. Most of us have a nice lock pick set that we either made ourselves or purchased a factory made set by one of the many companies who make sets.

If you are really determined to carry something, neither of the items you mentioned are actually very good because the metal in them is terrible for pick making. I'm not sure if they call it the same in Australia as we do in the USA, but look into carrying some safety pins. They are made out of stainless steel and will most likely require a leatherman or gerber tool to bend into the shape of a hook pick, half diamond, or an S rake, and yes, those work well to pick locks including pin tumbler locks. The metal strips (inserts) inside windscreen wipers make for great tension tools. Just take a 4 to 6 inch piece and use a multi-tool to bend 1/2 inch of the strip at the end, so you could carry a 3 inch piece in your wallet along with the safety pins, or carry a longer piece in your mutli-tool pouch and have the safety pins clipped onto the tool pouch as well. (Make the tools and practice picking with them, so that you aren't making them for the very first time while you are actually locked out in the field)

That's pretty much it. I'm not sure there is a thread here of more useful items for in the field picking, other than a fantasy thread of people who may have posted untested ideas that sound cool, but who knows how they would actually hold up in real life.

You could also look into becoming a locksmith or apprentice in your country and then carry lock pick sets legally.

Squelchtone

[Greedy]

You could also look into becoming a locksmith or apprentice in your country and then carry lock pick sets legally.

Squelchtone

you gotta be kidding, do you know what those guys get paid


My van say Electrical Contractor and my business card says electrical and security contacting, if they managed to find the picks in amongst all the other tools, good luck to them

[MisterBik]

hi thanks for the info.
Actually I found a safety pin (of enough length) to be too fat to get much use in a tight keyway. plus the tip is too sharp, if you cut the tip off, it's still sharp, and snags a lot, you need to file it smooth. (which admittedly you could do before hand and carry it 'closed')

In regards to the bobbypin, the ones here are spring steel, and make a pretty decent pick, you strip the plastic knobs off, and you can bend the tip into a hook shape just using a keyway or multitool.
A solid paperclip bent into the right shape is an excellent feather touch tension wrench. (sadly not much good for a lot of pressure tho).

I might try hammering a safety pin a bit flatter and smoothing the tip and hope that wouldn't stand up as a 'tool modified for criminal purposes' on casual inspection.

[MisterBik]

hehe sneaky idea. I'm not sure that registering as business of 'security consultant / and or contractor' would provide legal reason to carry a set of picks.
but becoming a locksmith or apprentice just because I'm a bit paranoid and seen too much macgyver, is taking it a little bit too far.
actually, I've never seen macgyver, but you know what I mean.

[Greedy]

I actually am an electrical contractor and I do security work associated with that, alarm systems, video monitoring ect


No I would not be legally entitled to carry picks but I'm guessing I'd have a half excuse

But I'd rather they were never found in any that one inside pocket of my many toolbags

[MisterBik]

ahh fair enough

I'm a 3D animator who contracts from home, so I haven't got a van or bag, to stash them in. When I go out, they'd literally be 'on my person'. It's usually hot here, so no big coat with inner pockets either

Hmm might look up the workings of whether I'm legally obliged to divulge the contents of my person without warrant or due suspicion.

Starting to seem like too much trouble for the minutely remote chance I might get locked somewhere undesirable.

[Greedy]

especially with the new powers the cops in Vic have to do weapons searches at pre-announced points

I don't think they would let it slide just because it's not a knife

[MisterBik]

I knew they had new knife laws but didn't hear of that one.

are all knives illegal now?
I'm guessing my neck-knife with a 10cm fixed blade is probably pretty illegal, but I usually carry a little folding pocket knife (4.5cm blade) for handy dandy string cutting and package opening etc.

[dallalama]

why not invest in one of the pen pick sets ,pens are considered every day carry ,ive had a few dealings with the law ,and they never ask to use your pen,and the quality should be better than impervised tools

[dallalama]

like this one http://www.lockpickshop.com/SO-212.html

[Wizer]

I don´t think lockpicking as a hobby should be prohibited anywhere, but...
I allso don´t feel comfortalbe seeing post that tell ways of breaking the law, at least on this nice forum.
Don´t get me wrong, do as you please, but maybe you guys should talk about it in IRC or PM.
Happy picking!
-Wizer

[dallalama]

i am sorry if i/we broke any forum rules in our discussion Wizer, i don,t intentionality plan on breaking any laws any time soon ,But if we all followed the rules regarding what is prohibited and what is not ,(meaning those of us who are not locksmiths .were not interested in lock picking this would be a pretty lonely site,)

i have a general interest in locks and how they work ,i just never considered locksmithing as a means of employment when i was young and silly, now that i am older and maybe not wiser,i am trying to learn what i can

[MacGyver101]

. . . I've never seen macgyver . . .

My good looks are exceeded only by my lockpicking skills...