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Lockpicking

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LockCon 2024 expands lockpicking contests beyond padlocks and pin tumblers
Community

LockCon 2024 expands lockpicking contests beyond padlocks and pin tumblers

LockCon 2024 turned competition into a versatility test, sending pickers from pin tumblers to disc detainers, lever locks, impressioning and safe work.

Nina Kowalski5m read
Pinning trays help lockpickers organize parts and rekey cylinders safely
Analysis

Pinning trays help lockpickers organize parts and rekey cylinders safely

A pinning tray turns rekeying into a cleaner, safer habit by keeping springs, pins, and plug parts visible before a lock ever goes back together.

Nina Kowalski4m read
MIT guide to lock picking still explains the binding defect clearly
Analysis

MIT guide to lock picking still explains the binding defect clearly

The MIT guide still beats fast lockpicking videos because it explains the binding defect, feedback, and pin columns with rare clarity.

Sam Ortega4m read
Why a lock library accelerates locksport skill building
Analysis

Why a lock library accelerates locksport skill building

A lock library turns practice into a syllabus, with each lock family teaching a different kind of feedback, failure, and control.

Sam Ortega5m read
How high-security locks use sidebars to challenge lockpickers
Analysis

How high-security locks use sidebars to challenge lockpickers

High security is more than hard-to-pick pins. Sidebars, restricted keys, tighter tolerances, and hardened parts turn the lock into a whole security system.

Nina Kowalski4m read
Lockpicking basics: learn the lock parts every beginner needs
Analysis

Lockpicking basics: learn the lock parts every beginner needs

Clear lock names save practice time: once you can identify the plug, shear line, and bible, forum advice and picking feedback finally make sense.

Jamie Taylor5m read
r/lockpicking and LPU Discord launch annual charity raffle prize drive
Community

r/lockpicking and LPU Discord launch annual charity raffle prize drive

r/lockpicking’s RAFL is back, with 59 prize contributors helping turn donated gear into the annual charity raffle’s next prize pool.

Nina Kowalski2m read
Alfred Charles Hobbs cracks Bramah challenge lock at 1851 exhibition
Analysis

Alfred Charles Hobbs cracks Bramah challenge lock at 1851 exhibition

Hobbs spent about 51 hours over 16 days defeating Bramah’s lock, turning a 67-year boast into a public test of security.

Nina Kowalski2m read
Null Space Labs hosts hands-on lockpicking night on lock designs
Community

Null Space Labs hosts hands-on lockpicking night on lock designs

Datagram and Dementia led a July 17 session at Null Space Labs that drilled into lock designs, pin feel and tolerances.

Nina Kowalski2m read
DoubleLockUSA guide breaks down heavy-duty padlocks for outdoor security
Analysis

DoubleLockUSA guide breaks down heavy-duty padlocks for outdoor security

Heavy-duty padlocks are only as strong as their shackle, keyway, and weather sealing once cutters, prying, and picking enter the picture.

Nina Kowalski4m read
Toool’s DEF CON lockpicking class helps beginners find the right challenge
Analysis

Toool’s DEF CON lockpicking class helps beginners find the right challenge

TOOL’s DEF CON intro class gives new pickers a map, showing when a lock is too easy, too hard, or just right for the next step.

Nina Kowalski3m read
Lockpicking belt levels explained, from white to black rank
Analysis

Lockpicking belt levels explained, from white to black rank

The belt ladder is less about status than diagnosis, showing exactly what each picker can do, what they still miss, and which lock type should come next.

Jamie Taylor5m read
LockPick Pros spotlights durable steel EDC lock pick sets for hobbyists
Analysis

LockPick Pros spotlights durable steel EDC lock pick sets for hobbyists

Durable steel matters, but so do legal restraint and real carry practicality. LockPick Pros frames EDC picks as gear that earns pocket space, not gimmicks.

Jamie Taylor4m read
Lock Noob picks Lockwood 120N/30 in clean practice session
Analysis

Lock Noob picks Lockwood 120N/30 in clean practice session

A tidy Lockwood 120N/30 open becomes a lesson in feedback and pin behavior, the kind of steady practice that keeps locksport moving.

Nina Kowalski4m read
TOOOL shows how open lockpicking can strengthen security
Analysis

TOOOL shows how open lockpicking can strengthen security

TOOOL turned lockpicking from a hacker-side skill into a public security practice, and that openness is what made the hobby legitimate.

Sam Ortega6m read
How to spot false sets from serrated pins in lockpicking
Analysis

How to spot false sets from serrated pins in lockpicking

Serrated pins are built to lie, and the trick is learning which clicks mean progress and which ones only mean you changed the conversation inside the lock.

Nina Kowalski4m read
DC865 sets Knoxville lock pick night for July 28
Community

DC865 sets Knoxville lock pick night for July 28

DC865 is bringing a stripped-down lock pick night to Knoxville on July 28, with tools on hand for newcomers and a 90-minute open session.

Jamie Taylor2m read
What belongs in a beginner lock pick set, essentials for new pickers
Analysis

What belongs in a beginner lock pick set, essentials for new pickers

Skip the oversized kit: the real beginner essentials are a few hooks, a couple of tensioners, and a practice lock that teaches feedback fast.

Sam Ortega4m read
Rekeying teaches lockpickers how locks work from the inside out
Analysis

Rekeying teaches lockpickers how locks work from the inside out

Rekeying turns a picker into a mechanic. Once you repin a cylinder and watch the shear line move, the lock stops being a mystery and starts being a system.

Jamie Taylor4m read
Open Organisation of Lockpickers chapter turns meetings into a regional network
Community

Open Organisation of Lockpickers chapter turns meetings into a regional network

TOOOL Eastern US makes locksport easy to enter, with free monthly meetups, no-skill-needed sessions, and a regional calendar that keeps the hobby visible.

Nina Kowalski4m read
Covert Instruments argues lockpicks should use turning tool, not tension wrench
Analysis

Covert Instruments argues lockpicks should use turning tool, not tension wrench

A tiny vocabulary shift changes the whole technique: calling it a turning tool teaches torque, clarifies pin binding, and helps beginners pick cleaner.

Nina Kowalski5m read
Covert Instruments explains why 301 stainless steel suits lock picks best
Analysis

Covert Instruments explains why 301 stainless steel suits lock picks best

301 stainless changes how a pick springs, bends back, and survives hard use. Covert Instruments argues that balance is what lockpickers feel, not marketing.

Nina Kowalski5m read
Denver hackerspace denhac schedules monthly LockSport night for July 14
Community

Denver hackerspace denhac schedules monthly LockSport night for July 14

Denver’s LockSport night returned to denhac’s second-Tuesday slot, with free borrowing of tools and locks for newcomers and regulars alike.

Jamie Taylor2m read
BWI lockpicking meetup offers free hands-on lessons in Maryland
Community

BWI lockpicking meetup offers free hands-on lessons in Maryland

A free second-Wednesday meetup at Unallocated Space turns lockpicking curiosity into hands-on practice, with tools, instruction and clear locksport ethics.

Jamie Taylor4m read
SANS brings lockpicking to cybersecurity audience in Abu Dhabi webcast
Community

SANS brings lockpicking to cybersecurity audience in Abu Dhabi webcast

SANS is putting a lockpicking primer in front of cyber pros in Abu Dhabi, turning pin-tumbler basics into a formal lesson on attacker mindset and physical security.

Nina Kowalski2m read
Clear practice padlock or cutaway, which helps white belts learn faster?
Analysis

Clear practice padlock or cutaway, which helps white belts learn faster?

Clear acrylic teaches white belts to see pin motion; a cutaway teaches the feel that carries over. If you buy only one trainer, start with acrylic, then graduate.

Sam Ortega4m read
Sidepicks documents Stealth Rogue challenge lock with unseen hook pin
Community

Sidepicks documents Stealth Rogue challenge lock with unseen hook pin

Stealth Rogue hid a hook pin Sidepicks had never seen, and the upload walked from picking to gutting, key pins, driver pins, and closeup.

Sam Ortega2m read
How security pins create false sets in pin-tumbler locks
Analysis

How security pins create false sets in pin-tumbler locks

Security pins make a pin-tumbler lock feel alive: the click, the soft give of a false set, and the snap back all come from binding under tension.

Nina Kowalski4m read
Lockpicking and bypass techniques reveal the craft of locksmithing
Analysis

Lockpicking and bypass techniques reveal the craft of locksmithing

The deck treats lockpicking as locksmithing craft, separating pin-tumbler picking, bypass entry, and skeleton-key history. Its real value is learning what each method reveals about lock design.

Jamie Taylor5m read