Shimming door locks?

[tmpbounce]

I have a couple of questions! I apologize in advance for my seriously lacking terminology. I've recently started learning how to pick. I've been practicing on a practice lock and on the doors at work (haven't actually gotten one of those yet...). The other night someone locked an office with the keys inside, so I tried my hand at it. After failing miserably for about 45 minutes, I had a look at it. It's an older lock with the cotter pin thingy, which I have recently discovered that when depressed won't allow the catch to depress. Anyway, long story short, I used a worn out hacksaw blade and opened it from the back to the front, bipassing the need to pick it at all. On this door lock, the cotter pin didn't work, which allowed the catch to be depressed. Anyway, I've been playing with this technique as well. Are there any tips you can give me on opening locks this way? Is there a way to open a door or lock that has the working cotter pin?

thanks a lot!

-t

[Varjeal]

Please read the title for the name of this site. Also, have a good solid read through the FAQ section of this site as located in the top forum. Generally speaking, we do not go into thorough discussion of bypass techniques since it has relatively NOTHING to do with actual lock picking.

Secondly, its nice of you to help out in opening the door at work, but I would highly recommend:

1. You NOT practice lock picking on the doors at work. (Shouldn't you be working during that time?) There is some potential opportunity to cause damage inside of a lock until you get to understand what the procedure and practice is supposed to be. Either buy a lock or two at your hardware store or ask around for anyone who might have some worn out locks they can give away.

2. Not make a regular practice of carrying picks with you until you find out the status of laws regarding lockpicks in your particular state/province/country from a qualified lawyer.

In answer to your questions in the order you listed them.

1. Yes. Use the search button above, take some pictures of the lock in question, find out the proper terminology so we can fully understand what your talking about.

2. Yes. See no. 1.

[tmpbounce]

Please read the title for the name of this site. Also, have a good solid read through the FAQ section of this site as located in the top forum. Generally speaking, we do not go into thorough discussion of bypass techniques since it has relatively NOTHING to do with actual lock picking.

I did have a solid read through the FAQ section of this site, as well as most of the posts on the firs two pages. You may know that people generally retain about 5% of what they read, and being knew, I don't remember everything.


Secondly, its nice of you to help out in opening the door at work, but I would highly recommend:

1. You NOT practice lock picking on the doors at work. (Shouldn't you be working during that time?) There is some potential opportunity to cause damage inside of a lock until you get to understand what the procedure and practice is supposed to be. Either buy a lock or two at your hardware store or ask around for anyone who might have some worn out locks they can give away.

These ARE worn out locks, rarely locked anyway, as I explained.

2. Not make a regular practice of carrying picks with you until you find out the status of laws regarding lockpicks in your particular state/province/country from a qualified lawyer.

I have checked the laws. I do not carry them with me, I have a set for my practice locks at home, and happened to be showing a friend at work.

I've read through a lot of these forums, and I've noticed a rampant suspicion of new members. If you don't want new people to join, don't have a public forum! You seem to have made an assumption about me that I just found this place on google and started typing, which you and other members here do a lot. Not everyone who comes here is a criminal.

-tm[/i]

[Varjeal]

Hmmm...I seem to be having a bad day...

Anyways, allow me to clarify, but first an apology if I seemed to be "suspicious". My post wasn't intended that way.

re: solid read...Excellent, as you browse through the forums you'll notice a lot who don't do what you've done, so I commend you on the effort.

Whether worn or not, we always recommend purchasing/acquiring your own locks to practice on just to eliminate the possibility of compromising a lock in an unfixable manner that would also compromise the security of the building so that's why we emphasize that on the site.

re: checked the laws...once again I commend you on the effort to do so.


Please forgive us for our (in this case my percieved) rampant suspicion of new members. Each and every day this site is attended to by all sorts of people, good and bad alike. As frequent users (as well as the moderator team) we try to weed out the bad and leave the good, but since we are human we do err from time to time. We also tend to err on the side of caution especially since we want to promote this site and it's content as being for hobby/sport and more importantly LEGAL use only.

I personally find it horrible that we have to err on that side, but in order to maintain the integrity of this site, we are required to do so. Once you've spent some time here (and I hope you continue to do so despite my nasty posting today) you too will notice the number of people coming in (less now I hope) wanting to learn B&E methods or "revenge" tactics.

Once you've spent some time here and have gotten to know a few people, you'll quickly realize just how friendly and helpful this community is.

That said, I'll stop here before I say something stupid.

[Stevo]

Ok, so I haven't been around a very long time, but yeah, I noticed that most of the "noobs" do get what I now call "the interogation" in their first thread. But it is what it is.

I think this can be attributed to two general phenomena.

The first is seen in almost any online community of which the members have a certain body of knowledge or expertise. Each of these forums is chocked-full of new guys running in and a) announcing that that they have invented the wheel; or b) pleading for help inventing the wheel without consulting the FAQs. This noise tends to attenuate other discussion and can be frustrating to the old-timers. Trust me, I've been there on other forums.

The other phenomenon at work here is the suspicion that seems to surround the hobbiest lockpicking community. Take myself, for example. I'm a professional and a family man. I also have a strong interest in security and cryptography. I like working with my hands, tearing things apart, figuring out how they work, what makes them tick. I'm a gadget freak. It was only a matter of time before I became interested in locks and lockpicking. That being said, when my wife asked me what I was tinkering with in the garage and I told her, she raised an eyebrow. My own wife! And I've noticed the same thing with other folks. When you say you are picking locks, there is an immediate caution in their tone when they ask the next question, "Why would you do that?" There is an immediate suspicion until you can explain the hows and whys.

Add in the reality that there certainly are some black hats out there on the interenet in addition to the 15 y.o. punks that want to bust into daddy's gun safe and yeah, it is amazing that moderators on this board are as cool as they are.

[Hak]

I also have a strong interest in security and cryptography. I like working with my hands, tearing things apart, figuring out how they work, what makes them tick. I'm a gadget freak.

You and me both man...

[Jarod]

I also have a strong interest in security and cryptography. I like working with my hands, tearing things apart, figuring out how they work, what makes them tick. I'm a gadget freak.

You and me both man...

Right on!!
and now for something completely diffrent
it seems that i'm a "smart n00b" being i read these forums, learned to pick, started making tools, THEN joined, and i am yet to get "the interrogation"

[Varjeal]

Asking questions that can be read as "shady" will get you the interrogation......or worse.

[tmpbounce]

I appreciate your candid replies. I can understand that some people come here and test your patients. I had hoped not to me one of them. I understand reluctance to discuss my questions. For me, I am the type that likes to learn every way to do something. When I pick up a new hobby, I want to learn every facet.

Anyway, thank you for you clarification. I hope there is a point when I can answer questions as well as ask them.

thanks

-tm