Lock picking is the practice of unlocking a lock by manipulating the components of the lock device without a key. Although lock-picking can be associated with criminal intent, it is an essential skill for the legitimate profession of locksmithing, and is also pursued by law-abiding citizens as a useful skill to learn, or simply as a hobby (locksport). In some countries, such as Japan, lock-picking tools are illegal for most people to possess, but in many others, they are available and legal to own as long as there is no intent to use them for criminal purposes.
History
Locks by definition secure or fasten something with the intention that access is possible only with the matching key. Despite this, criminal lock picking likely started with the first locks. Famed locksmith Alfred Charles Hobbs said in the mid-1800s:
Rogues are very keen on their profession and know already much more than we can teach them respecting their several kinds of roguery. Rogues knew a good deal about lock-picking long before locksmiths discussed it among themselves... Professional and recreational lock picking also has a long history. King Louis XVI of France (1754–1793) was a keen designer, picker, and manipulator of locks, and physicist Richard Feynman picked locks for fun in the 1940s while employed on the Manhattan Project. The tradition of student roof and tunnel hacking at MIT included lockpicking, and their guide to this was made widely available in 1991. Beginning in 1997 more organized recreational lockpicking has now grown and developed a competitive aspect in "locksport", along with its own governing body, Locksport International.
Tools
Skeleton key
The warded pick, also known as a skeleton key, is used for opening warded locks. It is generally made to conform to a generalized key shape relatively simpler than the actual key used to open the lock; this simpler shape allows for internal manipulations. The keys for warded locks only require the back end manipulating which is the end which opens the lock. The other parts are there to distinguish between different varieties of their locks. For example, for a chest of drawers with a warded lock, a skeleton key for that type of warded lock can be made by filing away all but the last one or two teeth or bittings on both sides of the blade. Additionally, a series of grooves on either side of the key's blade limit the type of lock the key can slide into. As the key slides into the lock through the keyway, the wards align with the grooves in the key's profile to allow or deny entry into the lock cylinder.
Pin tumbler lock picking
Comb pick
Comb picks push all the key and driver pins above the shear line allowing you to open the lock.
Tension wrench
The tension wrench or torsion wrench, is generally used when picking a pin tumbler or wafer lock. It is used to apply torque to the plug of a lock to hold any picked pins in place. Once all pins are picked, the tension wrench is then used to turn the plug and open the lock. There are two basic types of tension: "bottom of the keyway" and "top of the keyway". The bottom of the keyway wrenches is typically shaped like a letter "L", although the vertical part of the letter is elongated in comparison to the horizontal part. Other tension tools, especially those for use with cars, resemble a pair of tweezers and allow the user to apply torque to both the top and the bottom of the lock. These are commonly used with double-sided wafer locks.
Half-diamond pick This versatile pick is included in nearly all kits and is mainly used for picking individual pins, but can also be used for raking and wafer and disk locks. The triangular-shaped half-diamond is usually 2.5 to 12.2 millimetres (0.098 to 0.480 inches) long. The angles that form the base of the half-diamond can be either steep or shallow, depending on the need for picking without affecting neighboring pins, or raking as appropriate. A normal set comprises around three half-diamond picks and a full-diamond pick.
Hook pick
The hook pick is similar to the half-diamond pick but has a hook-shaped tip rather than a half-diamond shape. The hook pick is sometimes referred to as a "feeler" or "finger" and is not used for raking. This is the most basic lockpicking tool and is all that a professional will usually need if the lock is to be picked in the traditional sense rather than opened by raking or using a pick gun. A variety of differently sized and shaped hooks are available in a normal set.
Ball pick The ball pick is similar to the half-diamond pick, except the end of the pick has a half or full circle shape. This pick is commonly used to open wafer locks.
Rake pick
These picks, such as the common snake rake, are designed to rake pins by rapidly sliding the pick past all the pins, repeatedly, to bounce the pins until they reach the shear line. This method requires much less skill than picking pins individually and generally works well on cheaper locks. Advanced rakes are available which are shaped to mimic various pin height key positions and are considerably easier to use than traditional rakes. Such rakes are typically machined from a template of common key configurations since not all permutations of pin heights for adjacent pins are possible given the process by which keys are manufactured.
Decoder pick The decoder pick is a key which has been adapted such that the height of its notches can be changed, either by screwing them into the blade base or by adjusting them from the handle while the key is in the lock. This will allow not only access to the lock but also a template for cutting a replacement key.
Bump key
The simplest way to open the majority of pin locks is to insert a key (or variety of keys) that has been cut so that each peak of the key is equal and has been cut down to the lowest groove of the key. This key is then struck sharply with a hammer whilst applying torque. The force of the blow is carried down the length of the key and (operating as does a Newton's cradle) will move only the driver pins, leaving the key pins in place. If done correctly, this briefly creates a gap around the shear line, allowing the plug to rotate freely. Some modern high-security locks include bumping protection, such as Master Lock's BumpStop and ILCO's "Bump Halt" technology.
Wafer tumbler lock picking
Jigglers or try-out key The majority of wafer tumbler locks can be opened with a set of jigglers or try-out keys. They can also be opened with pin-tumbler picks.
Pick gun
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