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Locks are a relatively simple a fun mechanism to play with. Lock picking can be explained similarly. It's essentially simulating that key by popping the pins
by SquareWheel 14y ago
Locks are a relatively simple a fun mechanism to play with. Lock picking can be explained similarly. It's essentially simulating that key by popping the pins up to the shear line (the horizontal plane) and applying tension via your tension/torsion tool so the pin doesn't fall down. Then move onto the next one. If you get all pins to the shear line, the lock opens.
It's also a pretty cheap hobby to get into. Though the legality varies by country/state so do check into that first if interested.
- Joeboy 14y agoA few years ago I went and bought myself the cheapest Yale type lock I could find in order to teach myself to pick it. After repeatedly failing I took it apart and discovered some of the pins had recesses that were designed to defeat this kind of attack (I think they're called "spool pins"). I never managed to put it back together again, and that was the end of my lock picking career.
- TurplePurtle 14y agoHere's a video with more info about these anti-picking mechanisms and how to defeat them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQVsI4qyl3g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQVsI4qyl3g
- tonybaroneee 14y agoI got caught up with this guy's videos and watched all of them because they are so cool. Thanks for the share!
- Cushman 14y agoIt also comes in handy more often than you'd think. Picking real-world residential locks is usually a Bad Idea even if you're allowed to, but with a little practice anyone can learn to open cheap wafer locks (like you find on desk drawers) or padlocks in seconds with nothing more than a couple of bobby pins. Like when I cleverly managed to mail my apartment keys to myself, including my only mailbox key...
- epochwolf 14y ago> Like when I cleverly managed to mail my apartment keys to myself, including my only mailbox key... If my mailbox key was locked inside my mailbox, I would just wait for the postal person to show up. They have keys that open the entire wall of mailboxes. Just wait in the distance until they open the wall and then go get the mail out of your box. Just act like you don't see anything wrong with grabbing your mail and they probably won't question you.[1] As a backup, have a photo id with your address on it. :) 1: I've done this myself because it was easier than using my key. The postal guy saw me and we exchanged a few pleasantries.
- JoshTriplett 14y agoDepends on the type of mailbox; some styles have a drop-slot for delivery that doesn't allow retrieval.
- Cushman 14y agoThat did occur to me, but I realized I have no idea when our mailman actually shows up at our building, since our schedules have never crossed. I decided I would feel too silly staking out our building all day :P Although now I realize that I could have done a binary search over the course of the week by checking if mail was there or not...
- saranagati 14y agokinda hard to check if the mail is there if you don't have a key to check if they mail is there.
- cryowaffle 14y agoThis is bad practice from the mailman. The lock is there so that only the owner of the box can authenticate and retrieve the mail. If he allows people to walk up and select mail from the box then he is allowing a circumvention of the authentication protocol.
- 14y ago
- gavanwoolery 14y agoWhen I was in college, I wanted to learn how to pick locks (just because I thought it would be an interesting "party trick" -- I would never steal, having been a victim of theft several times myself). I ordered a set of lock picks and practiced on a knob lock from Home Depot...to my surprise I was able to open the lock within minutes.
- philip1209 14y agoI ordered lock picks on Thursday. I can't wait for them to arrive!
- samstave 14y agoreddit.com/r/lockpicking is also a great resource.
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]