Any locksport hobiests out there?

Meaningful discussion outside of the potato gun realm. Projects, theories, current events. Non-productive discussion will be locked.
User avatar
Marco321
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 540
Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 2:56 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Sun May 20, 2007 6:30 am

Hey
I was just wondering if anyone picks locks as a hobby? I do, i also make lockpicks and stuff. Just wondering if anyone wants to talk about it, discuss ideas or learn about it.
Thanks
Marco
User avatar
TwitchTheAussie
Corporal 5
Corporal 5
Posts: 980
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:23 am

Sun May 20, 2007 6:53 am

hey Marco Im interested in it but about the best Ive done is a really simple tumbler lock on my bedroom door with a paper clip. Took me a few hours on and off so Im not really good :oops:
Raise your horns if you love metal.
spudgunning is like sex, once you've tasted, you can't wait til next time.
-
CpTn_lAw
User avatar
integral
Specialist 2
Specialist 2
Posts: 204
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Aussieland

Sun May 20, 2007 7:22 am

I've tried with my only success being a simple 3 pin tumbler. Fluke, and ohh did I mention, it wasnt installed on a door. HAAHA... Any tips advice on making picks/tension wrenches/tools-of-the-trade or any tips on actually picking would be great!
Oderint dum metuant
Image
User avatar
Marco321
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 540
Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 2:56 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Sun May 20, 2007 7:31 am

Cool, ill give you a website, very similar to this one, but for locksport hobbiests http://www.lockpicking101.com.
But there is one rule for lockpicking, don't pick locks your or anyone rely on unless you have to because you can very easily break them.
But nice work, you will probably be able to make a proper set in no time. Take a look at the tutorials and stuff, they tell you how to learn properly, how to make lockpicks and what locks to pick. To get to some sections you need to register but its worth it and its quick. Ill give you a few useful links

A useful process to follow to learn to pick harder locks
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=10677

2 links for making picks and wrenches
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=10398
[GVideo]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... ick+making[/GVideo]

Some templates for lock picks
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=17326

Good luck
Marco
User avatar
schmanman
Staff Sergeant 2
Staff Sergeant 2
Posts: 1685
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:28 pm
Location: Michigan,U.S.A
Contact:

Sun May 20, 2007 8:10 am

my friend makes them. he has shown me, so I can pick decently too.

he uses hacksaw blades, then grinds them down with a table grinder. then he tempers them by getting them red hot, and dropping them in ice water.


for tension wrenches, he uses small Allen wrenches with the short part ground flat, then tempered by the same method.
Persistence is a measure of faith in yourself
User avatar
skinner
Private 4
Private 4
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2006 2:56 am
Location: Australia

Sun May 20, 2007 8:41 am

Its a good skill to know. very usefull. My friends a locksmith and he taught me how to pick locks, its very easy once you get the hang of it. He can get through Deadlocked doors in 8 seconds, its amazing.

--Skinner
Kenny_McCormic
Specialist 2
Specialist 2
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 8:59 pm

Sun May 20, 2007 11:33 am

skinner wrote:Its a good skill to know. very usefull. My friends a locksmith and he taught me how to pick locks, its very easy once you get the hang of it. He can get through Deadlocked doors in 8 seconds, its amazing.

--Skinner
with hand tools or a vibrator?
http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/lock ... rview.aspx
User avatar
Fnord
First Sergeant 2
First Sergeant 2
Posts: 2239
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:20 pm
Location: Pripyat
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Sun May 20, 2007 1:54 pm

I make mine out of coathangers, ground down and tempered with a blow torch. I can usualy pick my front door deadbolt in a couple minutes. The lock on my dads gun cabinet I can usualy rake open in under 5 seconds.
Image
cash68
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 179
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:12 pm

Sun May 20, 2007 2:23 pm

I have a pretty good set, I'm not very good though, I need to get a few locks and remove some tumblers so I can graduate to full locks.
User avatar
jrrdw
Moderator
Moderator
United States of America
Posts: 6569
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Contact:

Donating Members

Sun May 20, 2007 5:14 pm

For those of you who think they are good at picking locks, try picking tubular locks once. Hehehe! Or heres some pratice for you lock pickers, try to pick Kwikset Titan's knobs or deadbolts take your pick, excuse the pun.
Edit: I forgot to say, you guys should stick to picking your noses, leave the locks to the professonal locksmiths like me!
User avatar
boilingleadbath
Staff Sergeant 2
Staff Sergeant 2
Posts: 1635
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:35 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Sun May 20, 2007 7:07 pm

<i>For those of you who think they are good at building cannons, try making an unregulated CO<sub>2</sub> auto-venting chamber-sealing piston valve. Hehehe! Or here's some practice for you cannon-builders: try to build a double-barreled gun that acctually looks or functions well - take your pick.
Edit: I forgot to say, you guys should stick to playing with your noses. Leave the cannons to professional cannon-builders like Joel!</i>

God I hate elitist attitudes.
User avatar
jrrdw
Moderator
Moderator
United States of America
Posts: 6569
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Maryland
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 22 times
Contact:

Donating Members

Sun May 20, 2007 7:36 pm

boilingleadbath wrote:<i>For those of you who think they are good at building cannons, try making an unregulated CO<sub>2</sub> auto-venting chamber-sealing piston valve. Hehehe! Or here's some practice for you cannon-builders: try to build a double-barreled gun that acctually looks or functions well - take your pick.
Edit: I forgot to say, you guys should stick to playing with your noses. Leave the cannons to professional cannon-builders like Joel!</i>

God I hate elitist attitudes.
Don't be jelous, because i'm better then you!
Edit: I forgot to say, BITE ME!!
User avatar
frankrede
Sergeant Major 2
Sergeant Major 2
Posts: 3220
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Sun May 20, 2007 9:58 pm

boilingleadbath wrote:<i>For those of you who think they are good at building cannons, try making an unregulated CO<sub>2</sub> auto-venting chamber-sealing piston valve. Hehehe! Or here's some practice for you cannon-builders: try to build a double-barreled gun that acctually looks or functions well - take your pick.
Edit: I forgot to say, you guys should stick to playing with your noses. Leave the cannons to professional cannon-builders like Joel!</i>

God I hate elitist attitudes.
Joel may be great, but not the best.
Current project: Afghanistan deployment
User avatar
boilingleadbath
Staff Sergeant 2
Staff Sergeant 2
Posts: 1635
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:35 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Mon May 21, 2007 2:35 pm

I have never picked a lock in my life, so don't try and claim that I'm jealous of your abilities - or any more so than I am of a professional golfer's abilities.

Which, incidentaly, is a analogy I considered using instead of the parody of your post.

That is, that some people have these things called <i>hobbies</i>, which they do for their own self-amusement... and, not only will they do them without pay, they will <i>pay</i> to do them!

...not that I play golf. (because I don't)

(And frankrede, Joel is not the <i>only</i> "professional spudder" in existance, but I would count him as one of them.)
User avatar
Fnord
First Sergeant 2
First Sergeant 2
Posts: 2239
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:20 pm
Location: Pripyat
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Mon May 21, 2007 3:01 pm

Why would you discourage someone from trying something new? It's not even a dangerous hobby (Well, I suppose you could poke your eye out).

No one here is going to put you out of business, either.
Image
Post Reply