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

[COlice]

Hello all,

I have been picking locks since I first got interested six years ago. As you may be able to tell from my username I am a police officer in Colorado and my hobby has definitely come in handy. My wife encouraged me to really get back into the hobby and I am very excited to learn everything I can from all of you here.

[sjoconn]

I am new to the forum. I had some introductory training in lock picking and by-passing a few years ago and looking to keep up and improve the skills I learned. I look forward to being part of the community.

[Squelchtone]

Welcome all new forum members!

We hope you enjoy your stay here and learn a lot as well as share some of your knowledge with others already here.

Please take a moment to read some of the basic forum rules, and feel free to poke around the sub forums to get familiar. As always, ask questions, but also take time to use the Search function to find answers to commonly asked questions.

A message from our forum Admin digital_blue: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10528

Basic rules you should really read before your 1st post:
No talking about breaking into stuff.
No asking about cash boxes, vending machines, or washing machine coin mechanism locks or how to pick your dorm room lock. We don't do illegal, we don't do shady. We do this as a fun and challenging social hobby.
No talking about safes or safe cracking or car locks and ignitions unless you're a member of the Advanced areas.
Please don't link to your private business, this includes in your Signature line.
Be good to each other (respect others, play nice, be kind, if you wouldn't say it to them in person, don't type it here.)
Respect your mods and admins, they don't get paid to do this.

The official Lockpicking101 Forum Rules:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=715

Wanna Sell things here? Please Read the Buy/Sell/Trade forum rules:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1725

The basics of Lock Picking, how it works, and how to do it (LSI Visual Guide PDF)
http://www.lockpickguide.com/support-files/lsiguide.pdf

A funny animation about life on internet forums:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIyr5TXqe8Y&NR=1


Happy Picking!
Squelchtone

[andy7890]

hi i am andy from derby been locksmith for years plucked courage up to join site not great with computers but hello every one

[Squelchtone]

hi i am andy from derby been locksmith for years plucked courage up to join site not great with computers but hello every one

Welcome Andy, and a big Welcome to all others who recently joined. Andy, don't worry about being great with computers, that will come with time, and a lot of us are computer guys for a living, so if you get stuck on locks or computer questions, feel free to ask.

We know Andy is from Derby, but a lot of recent new members have not yet filled out their profile. Please let us know what state or country you are from and some of your interests.

Thanks and Happy Picking everyone!

Squelchtone

[radiohaze]

New to the forums here (lurked for a couple months) from N. CA. Looking forward to checking out a TOOOL meeting in San Francisco next month!

[samool]

Hey Guys. Just got my first ever set of picks today :) I can tell I'm going to be an addict before long. Looking forward to learning a lot here.

[instructor86]

Hi all, glad I found this forum! Not new to lockpicking but new to this forum, always prepared!

[Abbe]

Just wanted to introduce myself. Always wanted to try picking and I finally broke down a bought a starter pick set, a few cutaway locks and some locks from the homedepot. I've been reading lots of threads here, watching videos of picking on Youtube. I've been able to pick every lock multiple times but it gets frustrating when you can pick a Master Lock #5 in less than 30 seconds one time and the next time takes five minutes.

I still have a lot to learn.

[ack]

hi everyone! I'm a tinkerer with schizophrenia. I am creative and intelligent, can comprehend things well but just could never get it together to make a living. I always had an interest in lock picking, I like the white hat type stuff. Well on a deals site I saw a set of picks that fit in your wallet for $5 shipped, so I signed on the dotted line. They ended up being cheap flimsy junk that was too thick for anything I would put in my wallet. To top it off, the credit card facade name is "Master Thief" Not really me.

I tried them on a set of master locks by girlfriend had, and just couldn't get it right. Then I read the MIT handbook and a little light went on above my head. I researched a lot more, still being naive. I found a decent web store and got 3 LAB tension wrenches and a single pick. I am probably going to have to get more tools later, but I don't know which ones yet, probably a jiggler.

Still not getting anywhere I continued my research, I get the gist of it but can't put it into practice yet. I wanted a cut away lock to practice with and talked to my dad who works with a lot of tools about making me one. To my surprise before he found his present job he was seriously considering being a locksmith. My mind expanded a little more, and I started to want to know about resetting pins, planning master keys, all sorts of stuff to the profession. I'm not content with just being able to pick a lock now, but its a good start. Being on SSD, I am always looking for a way out and this might be it. I have tons of time, patience (and more importantly, a patient girlfriend).

I knew there must be some sort of community, it looks like I stumbled on it. I am going to be reading a lot of back posts here.

Thank you for having me

[ack]

oh I almost forgot to mention I feel the world economy is about to collapse and these states and countries failing are just the start.

Locksmithing would be an excellent skill to barter with :)


There you go, a little of my schizo for ya.

[F1ud]

Noob here, both to the site and lockpicking. I"ve been into hacking my android device for quite awhile now and love it. I stumbled across my first lock today and loved the idea of a "physical hack" i.e. picking the lock! Unfortunately it seems I have quite a difficult lock for my first as it is a Medeco 32s.. Can't wait to learn and pick more!

[Sandonn]

Sandonn: 21 years old, community college student studying health and religion. I dont have much religious belief myself but find the idea interesting. Recently bought the HPC "Novice" Lockpick set, I have been interested in learning the skill for quite a while. I have an MFS 40mm padlock I've been fiddling with, I'm pretty sure it's ahead of my skill level by a long shot. I just picked it up and started moving stuff around in there. I came across this site looking for books and affordable clear practice locks, figured they'd be a great place to start. Looked over a few of the posts and this seems like a good group to be a part of. I hope to learn the skill and help out when i can.

[Sandonn]

WOW. Moments after the post I picked the lock. I turned the lock upside down from the way i was originally working it and just popped open.

[weedimo]

hi guys,

was reading a book about Feynman and how he loves puzzles and unlocking safes, etc. got me started on this - am excited to be thinking about this new skill and how i can develop it :) :)