4 ms·

Kevin Mitnick's business card is a lock picking set

23 points by 3ds 17y ago

ax0n 17y ago
I've used them to try to pick locks. They don't work too well, as they're made of cheap metal instead of the spring steel used to make real lock picks. They could probably work on a filing cabinet or a kwikset door knob, but they're mostly just for looks.
- hedgehog 17y ago
  They're chemical etched thin sheet steel, probably already as heavy and expensive as you want to hand out as biz cards. The originals were tested at least once. I like their design a bit better: http://www.jenimattson.com/index.php?id=melvin#identity http://www.jenimattson.com/index.php?id=melvin#identity
  - ax0n 17y ago
    Mitnick's cards have been around for several years... I got one from him at a conference in KC (where he also autographed The Art of Deception and The Art of Intrusion for me). It was quite a while ago. Many others (including melvin and TOOOL) have also put together similar snap-apart credit-card lock picks. The problems are that they're too short to really get a good feel with, and they're made of crap metal that doesn't lend itself well to picking real locks. When I'm picking locks, the pick is a long lever, and my fingertips function as the fulcrum. The other end of that lever rests neatly in the web of my thumb and forefinger, which is at least two inches away from said fulcrum. It is back there where I feel what's going on deep inside the lock, sight unseen. The length of the lever (lock pick) amplifies anything felt by the end of the pick. You just can't get that kind of feedback with lock picks that fit within the dimensions of a business card.
    - hedgehog 17y ago
      Your technical comments are fair but here's the history: fiveish years back a friend of ours (Divide) got some metal cards and Melvin liked them but wanted something a little different. Jeni, Mel and I came up with the lock picks. Kevin's cards are a derivative with the picks shortened to fit more contact info. If you wanted to build a more robust version you could use thicker steel and replace the chemical etching with laser. I think a simple cipher machine or something like that would be a cool next step.
thaumaturgy 17y ago
In California, carrying a lockpick set (or anything whose primary purpose might be for picking locks) can get you in trouble if you're not a locksmith -- possibly a lot of trouble, depending on the officer's mood. I had read some conflicting information on this, so I checked with a local locksmith that I trust. He said that intention doesn't matter, merely carrying it is against the law. I don't think it should be this way, but it's worth mentioning to anyone thinking that this is a good idea.
- blackguardx 17y ago
  If you think this law is outrageous, you should check into the CA knife laws. They are extremely broad and vague. You pretty much can't carry any knife at all, depending on the officer's mood that day. I guess one should just try to stay out of trouble, be courteous, and avoid the ire of law enforcement.

23 points by 3ds 17y ago

ax0n 17y ago

I've used them to try to pick locks. They don't work too well, as they're made of cheap metal instead of the spring steel used to make real lock picks. They could probably work on a filing cabinet or a kwikset door knob, but they're mostly just for looks.

hedgehog 17y ago
They're chemical etched thin sheet steel, probably already as heavy and expensive as you want to hand out as biz cards. The originals were tested at least once. I like their design a bit better: http://www.jenimattson.com/index.php?id=melvin#identity http://www.jenimattson.com/index.php?id=melvin#identity
- ax0n 17y ago
  Mitnick's cards have been around for several years... I got one from him at a conference in KC (where he also autographed The Art of Deception and The Art of Intrusion for me). It was quite a while ago. Many others (including melvin and TOOOL) have also put together similar snap-apart credit-card lock picks. The problems are that they're too short to really get a good feel with, and they're made of crap metal that doesn't lend itself well to picking real locks. When I'm picking locks, the pick is a long lever, and my fingertips function as the fulcrum. The other end of that lever rests neatly in the web of my thumb and forefinger, which is at least two inches away from said fulcrum. It is back there where I feel what's going on deep inside the lock, sight unseen. The length of the lever (lock pick) amplifies anything felt by the end of the pick. You just can't get that kind of feedback with lock picks that fit within the dimensions of a business card.
  - hedgehog 17y ago
    Your technical comments are fair but here's the history: fiveish years back a friend of ours (Divide) got some metal cards and Melvin liked them but wanted something a little different. Jeni, Mel and I came up with the lock picks. Kevin's cards are a derivative with the picks shortened to fit more contact info. If you wanted to build a more robust version you could use thicker steel and replace the chemical etching with laser. I think a simple cipher machine or something like that would be a cool next step.

thaumaturgy 17y ago

In California, carrying a lockpick set (or anything whose primary purpose might be for picking locks) can get you in trouble if you're not a locksmith -- possibly a lot of trouble, depending on the officer's mood. I had read some conflicting information on this, so I checked with a local locksmith that I trust. He said that intention doesn't matter, merely carrying it is against the law. I don't think it should be this way, but it's worth mentioning to anyone thinking that this is a good idea.

blackguardx 17y ago
If you think this law is outrageous, you should check into the CA knife laws. They are extremely broad and vague. You pretty much can't carry any knife at all, depending on the officer's mood that day. I guess one should just try to stay out of trouble, be courteous, and avoid the ire of law enforcement.