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

[cutandwaste]

Hey. I'm new here also, and this is just a new fun interest for me! Nice to meet you all!

[medeco_killa]

Hello. I am a college student and a kid down the hall and I split a set and are just now realizing how hard this might be. Great site, lots of great info, should be able to help us out a lot. The good news is that we will have a lot of time to practice (classes? what classes? oh... you mean lockpicking 101...). We... erm... borrowed one of those locks that keeps glass cabinets shut, but are still having trouble with that (5 pins... must be a better place to start...)

[Mad Mick]

The best place to start is instead of 'borrowing' locks, just buy the things or go to the local dump. Not really a good start here for you matey.

Oh, and welcome.

[Varjeal]

Greetings and welcome. An excellent source for locks is just to ask your parents, friends parents, and drop the word that you're looking for used locks, working or not. This is especially helpful if you know people who are farmers, or people who collect stuff.

[insomniac]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting on here!
I've been interested in lockpicking now since I was a kid, tried to purchase picks when I was a teenager from a UK locksmith but was told they can't be sold to the general public, this would usually be enough to put most people off the subject but not me! All it did was make me wanna pick lock's even more.
Finally got my first set of pick's mail order year's later, searched relentlessly on the web for info and courses and learned how to pick pin tumbler lock's. I started collecting all sort's of brands of pin tumbler locks to practice on. I would practice for at least 30 minutes everyday and use a stop watch to time how long it took me to open each lock ( what can i say, it's turned into a bit of an obsession!).
The picking practice sort of got put to one side after a while when my favourite pick broke ( HPC hook pick), but now i'm gonna try n get my hand's on some more pick's over the web cos i'm just itching to start picking again.
I could'nt believe it when i found this forum, did'nt think there was anywhere like this, it's the best site on the web and i'm gonna be checking this place out everyday.
By the way i'm not a locksmith, hope this is'nt a problem for u guy's, but i just pick for the fun of it, it's more than a hobby, it's turned into my obsession and i love it.
Hope to speak to all u guy's soon!
Take care people - insomniac

[Kolisar]

Hello Everyone,

I am both new and old to this. I originally became interested when I was about 11 to help in becoming an escape artist (I started with handcuffs). My older sister was dating a locksmith at the time and talked him into getting me a set of picks. I eventually turned to sleight of hand with cards and coins and set the picks aside. I have, over the past 27 years, dabbled a little in picking locks just for fun (mostly wafer locks in desks and file/storage cabinets, using a paperclip as the pick) and, though wanting to get back into it life (job, wife, child, etc...) always left me without the time. I read a review of "Steel Bolt Hacking" and decided that I would finally learn to do it. I found the old pick set (packed away with my magic stuff), purchased the book two combination locks and a MasterLock #1 and set out. The combination locks were easy (I have been able to pick non-master combination locks [really inexpensive ones] just by feel since the age of about 15) but was glad to learn a system that worked and understand why.

I am having trouble with the Master #1 but am looking for resources online (including here where I followed the link and downloaded the MIT course) to help resolve the question of how much pressure to use on the torque wrench. If I cannot find an explaination that I can make work I will post the question.

Other than that I am a Software Engineer in a large company (140K employees world wide) and am glad to be doing something for fun for a change (instead of always studying to keep ahead of the software industry).

The Steel Bolt Hacking book mentions clubs for people interested in lock picking, if anyone knows of one in the southern NH area please PM me with the details.

Regards,

Kolisar

[Hawkk]

YEA. I've been really looking into the art of picking but until today when i made my first pick and wrench, i never got really into it. Now i've got my tools and i'm AMPED to get some locks cracked.

Sounds good.

[shaunnn]

hello everyone... im shaun! uhh yeah i bought some lock picks and have been picking for a week or something... i can pick padlocks (if thats what they are called) but i am having trouble with master locks... which lead me here!

[lugnutt45]

Hi, My names Justin I'm a student in houston, tx. I was on my way out of the house this morning going to school when I go to lock the door and the key broke off in the lock in the lock position. What should I do? I have no cash or any funds needed to pay for this. Is there a step by step that might help me with this. Thanks for anything I would really like to sleep in my bed tonight rather then my truck.

[chris1]

hi everyone, i'm chris and im new to this forums. intersting site.

[pacman28912]

hay everyone im kinda new to lock picking and i was wondering where i would look to find out how to make my own pick set? well ill talk to ya all laterz.

[Zoooooble]

Howdy. I'm new around here, but a veteran on the subjects at hand. Looking forward to discussing new ideas and relaying dusty old forgotten methods.

[acl]

Hi joined site at the weekend .Im from Bedfordshire England and been in the trade for 19 yrs now.
Andy

[Varjeal]

Greetings and welcome to all both new and old Hehehe..yeah..anyways, check out the search function above for any questions and forum rules, and feel free to join the crowd. Addicting isn't it?

[Steaksandwich21]

hi everyone. just regestered and bought some picks too. cant wait to get them.
steve