Chapter 1
It's Easy
The big secret of lock picking is that it's easy. Anyone can learn how to pick
locks.
The theory of lock picking is the theory of exploiting mechanical
defects. There are a few basic concepts and definitions but the bulk
of the material consists of tricks for opening locks with particular
defects or characteristics. The organization of this manual reflects
this structure. The first few chapters presents the vocabulary and
basic information about locks and lock picking. There is no way to
learn lock picking without practicing, so one chapter presents a set
of carefully chosen exercises that will help you learn the skills of
lock picking. The document ends with a catalog of the mechanical
traits and defects found in locks and the techniques used to recognize
and exploit them. The first appendix describes how to make lock
picking tools. The other appendix presents some of the legal issues of
lock picking.
The exercises are important. The only way to learn how to recognize
and exploit the defects in a lock is to practice. This means
practicing many times on the same lock as well as practicing on many
different locks. Anyone can learn how to open desk and filing cabinet
locks, but the ability to open most locks in under thirty seconds is a
skill that requires practice.
Before getting into the details of locks and picking, it is worth
pointing out that lock picking is just one way to bypass a lock,
though it does cause less damage than brute force techniques. In fact,
it may be easier to bypass the bolt mechanism than to bypass the
lock. It may also easier to bypass some other part of the door or even
avoid the door entirely. Remember: There is always another way, usually
a better one.
