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

[DexterMoser]

Relatively new to lock picking. Over the years I've researched techniques, tools, etc out of pure curiosity, and many of the threads I run into are from this site, so I figured it'd be a good idea to register and get my feet wet.

I'll be buying (or attempting to make) a bump key set and purchase a decent lock pick set in the near future, but I like to do my homework first.

Security has always been a particular interest to myself and I believe this skill will be a very worthwhile endeavor to practice and hopefully master.

Cheers!
Dexter

[Lock-Star]

Hello, All!
I just signed up today. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading several of the topics presented here and just wanted to do my duty and become a member.
I am a full-time assistant store manager for "America's paint company" in East Texas and I've been studying locksmithing and practicing/learning whenever/wherever/from whomever possible, trying to get licensed in Texas. Hoping to go pro someday. I am a member of ALOA, took the 6-day Basic classic in December 2011.

[jfw]

I have been on this forum for a little over a year. I haven't really started to post until the last month or so. I am new to locks and picking, but plan on learning as much as I can. I have really started to take the hobby seriously just recently. I am in north Dallas, TX. If there is anyone from the Dallas area that want's to get a meeting started up, please PM me. I am interested in meeting people that are dedicated to the lock trade, and learning from real world experience. I feel really good about being a new addition to this forum. Thanks!

- JFW

[Justinortiz81]

hi guys im new to the site really enjoy it so far its great to be here

[Luissen]

Online, I go by the name Luissen, and I have been an accountless lurker around these forums for approximately 4-5 months. My grammar, temper, LP skills and manners are relatively poor, but I aim to improve all of the above.

I got into lockpicking as a greedy and extremely selfish child who was always told not to touch things. Naturally, when you combine Aspergers' with a freshly confiscated Nintendo locked into a flimsy fire-resistant safe, things happen. In this case, I remember watching reruns of "MacGyver" and not knowing quite what I was doing, over the course of many weeks managed to use a worn down allen wrench and a large amount of bent bobby pins to somehow rake the wafer lock open. Shortly after, LP faded into the background until fairly recently, when I locked myself out of my house while boardmates weren't home during a rather unpleasant storm.

When I look back at those two prominent events, I see quite clearly how foolish I was (Never frak around with a lock that someone actually depends on when you're clueless), but I also was exposed to the "picking high" that I've read others also experienced upon picking their first lock.

This site is a treasure trove of information and advice, and I greatly appreciate its existence.

[lockstar5000]

Hi all-

I am in the process of a career change into locksmithing and have found a lot of valuable info here. I am engineer by education, with about 5 years experience, but just can't stand being behing a pc all day. So I took a two week locksmith course at ACME school locksmith division south of Chicago. Found it extremely interesting, and am going to try to get into a locksmith job, gain some experience, and eventually go out on my own (hopefully). So just saying hi, and hope I will learn a bit from this forum.

Thanks and hello!

L5K

[arctur]

hello,

i am a beginner and my interest in lockpicking is more as a hobby, the puzzle solving kind. I hope i can learn a lot here. Thanks

best regards,
Antoni

[Tentacle Toast]

Good day, all! A Google search of "hobby lock-picking" brought me here, as I've always had a bit of a fascination with mechanical clocks, locks, & watches, & locks are the only one in which I have the dexterity (& budget for proper tools) to explore on a more intimate level. I have a few OLD old locks (have to be late 1700's/early1800's), & have just started dabbling in antique safes (Sergeant & Greenleaf, as I'm from Western New York, & appreciate the history). The book "American Genius" helped spurred this latest interest. At any rate, that's my story of this interest in a nut shell. I look forward to "chatting" with you...

[leftylox]

Hello thread I'm a newcomer to the somewhat addicting hobby of lock picking.
Ill try to make this short.
It started as a late night callout as a maintenance man,a lock out, typical. Tell the lady Ill be over shortly to let her in the apartment. hang up, drive to work, open the lockbox with her key on file, this time the key doesn't work her lock.The lock had been tampered with.I end up having to call a locksmith and waiting for 2 hours for this guy to show up then he picks the lock in seconds(quickset) and now wants 120 bucks. Another hour later my manager shows up with the cash.Now its 2am and I'm finally going home thinking to myself this could have taken just second,not hours had I known how to pick.I had already been rekeying and cutting keys as part of my job, I even had my deceased grandpas pick set(among manny other things he was a locksmith)at my house. Now I was determined to learn the skill I researched,read and watched everything I could find on the internet and began practicing on locks in the shop.over time I became confident and persistent in opening quickset, now I have moved to spool pins and extreme high low combinations for quickset and am interested in becoming a certified locksmith to further my ever widening skill set and my career.
I currently reside in Austin TX and am trying to find classes to enroll in to become certified, Id appreciate any help I can get in this area.

[fattycakes]

I am new. I joined this site because I think there is alot of great information here and my brain is like a sponge. I am not sure if I will get into lockpicking as a hobby or ever get tools. Lockpicking is obviously a tremendous skill to have and as such will probably take an average joe like me years to learn. So with that I thank you for letting me join and happy pickin!

[zix]

Hi.

I got my brother a lockpick set a few years ago for fun, and we learned how to pick a simple master lock. I decided it's about time I get one for myself. Ordered one last week, and it just arrived. Now, time to purchase some locks!

[Bravo181]

Hello, new to the forum and new to the sport. Thanks for the great resource you have here!

[Animalprotector]

Hello all, i`m new here i`m from spain it`s nice to meet this forum of lockpicking.

[hippie_midget]

Hi from South Africa :)

does anyone know where I can buy a decent lock picking set in SA?

Looking forward to learning :D

[hisse]

Hi, so I'm new to the whole area of locksport, been interested in security for some time, even been a decent programmer but could never get into practicing it. I've recently found the area of physical security to be of interest, I've started with lock picking and it's quite an enjoyable challenge so far, I've also been making some of my own picks and working on designs. Enjoying what i've learned from the forum so far.