Comments on: Picking Locks — Easy or Hard?

By: Greg Kennedy

Greg Kennedy — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:22:14 +0000

Reminds me of the time I memorized the instructions off MIT’s classic “how to crack a Masterlock” site. I used to open people’s locks for fun, it takes about five minutes.

Once I had a science lab in a room with a bunch of locked drawers. For fun during a lecture I started trying to open one of them. Since it involves trying up to 100 combinations people just looked at me like “yeah right buddy, trying random numbers won’t get you anywhere”. The look on people’s faces when I managed to crack it was priceless.

By: Koos van den Hout

Koos van den Hout — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:45:32 +0000

I’ll second the ‘have fun!’ bit. It’s a great exploring activity, but it works a lot better on locks that are not in a door. Maybe you can find some interesting locks to pick at garage sales (a lock without matching key is worthless to all other people) or make friends with your local locksmith and get some old locks for the scrap metal price. One caveat: locksmiths (especially those in the US it seems) may be afraid you are stealing their business.

Maybe there is a locksport club nearby.Check out http://toool.us/ for the US locksport organization.

By: valanx

valanx — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:51:04 +0000

While we are very happy that you decided to pick up a set of polished picks from the lockpicking village, I have to advise you to not try picking locks that you actually rely on. There is a very real risk of doing damage to a lock, which wouldn’t be very comfortable when you lock yourself out and have a bunch of heavy sleepers inside the house.

Also, don’t think that all locks are as easy as your (more than likely) used front door. Plenty of the locks we had on display have yet to be picked by anyone at the conferences we attend. I encourage anyone to explore lockpicking as an interesting and exciting hobby, but remember there is a risk of damaging a lock.

Have fun!

By: Earl Green

Earl Green — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:58:29 +0000

I figure if I just show up not wearing much, that’ll be enough to scare just about any burglar out of the house.

It works with my wife!

*rimshot*

By: Felix

Felix — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 04:31:02 +0000

I have heard the car key thing too. I think it is more about scaring somebody off vs having the police show up, like you said. The alarm company gave me a panic remote that we keep in the bedroom. I can hit arm or panic from the bedroom. I also have the chime set when anybody opens a door. Considering half the time we cannot even hear the door bell, I don’t know how good that does.

By: Josh Risner

Josh Risner — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:52:20 +0000

I bought a lockpick set from a “friend” years ago. I had a lot of fun with it in college. Probably need to pull it out and practice…

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:40:55 +0000

Someone just forwarded me an e-mail that said you should keep your car keys by your nightstand so that if someone tries to break in to your house you can hit your car’s panic alarm and people will call 911 for you.

I wonder what the ratio of people hearing car alarms going off is to people who call 911 because of them. Number of car alarms I have heard going off over the past five years: eighteen billion. Number of times I have called 911 over them: zero. I guess it could scare off a burgler but … I dunno, I think I’d have a backup plan just in case.

By: Felix

Felix — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:43:41 +0000

One night, I went over to my parents house for something. It was after they had gone to bed. I had a key, so I didn’t pick the lock. Their alarm was set though. It was making plenty of noise too. I knew the code and shut it off. The dog even came down stairs and barked.

The next morning I apologized for waking them up. Their reply? “We didn’t hear anything last night, did you really come in?”

By: Lea

Lea — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:24:52 +0000

I’m glad your neighborhood watch didn’t call the police on you breaking in to your own house. That would’ve been odd to explain!