Lockpicking

[alelks]

Speaking of which. If you're buying locks take a look at the key. If most of the cuts are the same depth don't buy it. Pick up another lock and look again.

Multi-depths are better and look for a deep cut near the hilt of the key (furthest away from the tip of the key). The reason being is that when picking it's more difficult to get over that first pin thus harder to pick. Deep, shallow, deep, shallow is even better.

I've seen locks I could pick with a toothpick because almost all the cuts were the same depth.

[SMP9168]

I've found that most homes have Kwikset or Schlage deadbolts. Both are very easy to pick. I'd check your home locks and put in good quality deadbolts. While you're at it, take a look at the screws that are mounting your deadbolts in place, along with the plate. Most are cheap, 3/4" inch screws that make ramming in or kicking in quite easy. Same goes for the hinges. Replace those with good long screws.

Master Locks for me have been some of the easiest padlocks to pick. Usually a couple good rakes and it pops open. The toughest I've seen (at least for me) are the round Uhaul locks for storage lockers and trailers. I've never been successful picking one.

[35NCO]

To address perdurabo's comment:

99% of household locks can be BUMPKEYED in a second. It requires no real lock picking or at all. Its simply kinetic energy and good old newton laws. I used to work for a real estate company that we would have to pick locks on property's where people abandoned them and did not pay rent.(I assure you we had proper permissions to do this.) Lock picking worked well, but for me personally it was too frustrating sometimes. Especially with old dry locks. Once I learned about Bump keys it changed everything for me. I just made a whole ring set of all the common keys, now with that ring set any common household lock I encounter just takes one gentle tap with the mallet. Lockpicking is a fun and rewarding hobby though. If someone is looking for a cheap and interesting challenge lockpicking is it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xkkS...eature=related

[35NCO]

A note about those push button code locks like shown above. They also have a major security flaw that without knowing the code you can gently press the buttons in a certain sequence that will unlock them every time. I wont say exactly how, but from experience at my workplace I noted similar issues with physical security. I think all locks are vulnerable in one way or another. I believe that most security minded folks that design this stuff have a general consensus that most people are not that smart to figure these things out. So they are not too afraid knowing that the "high security" locks are really not so secure after all.

[alright4u]

I recall a great SF Intel NCO who had been through the DAME course, too. He was the S-2 NCOIC and agent handler at CCS and the S-2 NCOIC in A CO, 6th SFGA after. He used to pick the locks to the TSN docs. I arrived one AM and he is out on the cement step beating a paper clip just right. Well, he opens the door next. I just smiled. Dale Libby was as fine as they come. I miss him. I recall him giving me 8 digit coordinates back in 11/68 to what he said was a company sized base camp. We hit it. I never doubted him.

[BOfH]

Originally Posted by 35NCO

Entire post

This was a concern of mine when I bought my house, especially after I was able to pick(SouthOrd kit) the $20 Kwikset installed by the contractor in under 5min (and bump another door in 2). I ended up going with Schlage lock-sets, and swapped out the cores for Schlage compatible BiLock(http://www.bilock.com/) cores. Ended up costing less than Medeco Maxum deadbolts.

[GratefulCitizen]

Was looking on the internet at how locks work yesterday.
Figured I'd see if it was possible for an untrained person to pick the deadbolt on my guest house/son's room.

Used a paper clip and a narrow screwdriver.
After about 5 minutes of getting the feel for how the pins moved I got it open.


Neat hobby.
Might need to get a set of picks.

[MR2]

The best overall reference.