Practical Lock Picking

Front Cover......Page 1
Practical Lock Picking......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
Foreword......Page 12
Author’s Note......Page 14
About the Technical Editor......Page 18
Scenario Two......Page 20
So What do you Think?......Page 21
Do not Pick Locks on which you Rely......Page 23
1 Fundamentals of Pin Tumbler and Wafer Locks......Page 26
Pin Tumbler Locks......Page 27
The plug......Page 29
Pin tumbler lock operation......Page 42
Wafer Locks......Page 51
Wafer lock construction......Page 56
Wafer lock operation......Page 60
Better wafer locks......Page 63
Summary......Page 64
Manufacturing imperfections......Page 66
Cutting and drilling......Page 67
Mechanical imperfections lead to security weaknesses......Page 68
Picking with a Lifting Technique......Page 72
The problem of too much tension......Page 87
The peril of overlifting......Page 91
Picking with a Raking Technique......Page 92
The half-diamond pick......Page 96
Tension tools......Page 101
Jiggler tools......Page 111
Summary......Page 119
A Word on Equipment......Page 122
Cutaway locks......Page 123
Progressively pinned locks......Page 125
The importance of a vice......Page 126
The Basics of Field Stripping......Page 127
Inserting and moving the pick......Page 131
Feeling the spring......Page 135
Setting a single pin stack......Page 136
Learning Exercises......Page 137
Two pin stacks......Page 138
Three pin stacks......Page 141
Four pin stacks and beyond......Page 143
Deep reach practice......Page 144
Blindly mix and match......Page 147
Using Rakes and Jigglers......Page 149
Techniques of tool movement......Page 150
Tensioning wafer locks......Page 152
Which way to turn......Page 153
Unlock direction for pin tumbler locks......Page 154
Unlock direction for wafer locks......Page 157
Plugs stuck upside down......Page 158
Summary......Page 159
Pick-Resistant Pins......Page 162
Pins with lips......Page 163
Pins with serrations......Page 167
Specialized Picking Techniques......Page 168
Counter-rotation......Page 169
Featherweight tension tools......Page 172
Bogotá jiggler rakes......Page 173
Spooled progressive practice locks......Page 174
Pick-resistant keyways......Page 178
Master Lock color-plated series and fusion series......Page 180
American Lock padlocks......Page 182
Advanced security pin cylinder......Page 183
Summary......Page 184
5 Quick-Entry Tricks—Shimming, Bumping, and Bypassing......Page 186
The Deviant beer can shim......Page 187
Making your mark......Page 188
The magic “M” shape......Page 190
A series of simple folds......Page 191
Insert and twist......Page 193
Double shimming......Page 196
Unshimmable padlocks......Page 198
Snap guns......Page 200
What makes a key a bump key?......Page 203
The “pull” bump method......Page 205
The “push” bump method......Page 207
A few tips about technique......Page 209
Bump-resistant and bump-proof locks......Page 210
The Ilco anti-bump pin......Page 211
Over lifting......Page 213
Using comb picks......Page 215
American Lock Bypass Tool......Page 216
Slip attacks against latch bolts......Page 220
Triggering door handles and push bars......Page 221
Summary......Page 226
Tubular Locks......Page 228
Inside a tubular lock......Page 229
Pick tools for tubular locks......Page 233
Zeroing the pick......Page 241
Inserting the pick......Page 243
Working the pick......Page 244
The side-to-side rocking technique......Page 245
The in-and-out pressing technique......Page 247
Varied spring strength......Page 248
Higher security pins in tubular locks......Page 251
Odd styles of tubular locks......Page 253
Cruciform Locks......Page 254
Cross lock picks......Page 255
Dimple Locks......Page 262
The Secret Weakness in 90% of Padlocks......Page 265
Summary......Page 266
Appendix: Guide to Tools and Toolkits......Page 268
Guide To Differentiating Pick Tools......Page 269
Thick and thin shafts......Page 270
Hook picks......Page 271
Diamond picks......Page 272
Rake picks......Page 273
Jagged lifters......Page 274
Jiggler picks......Page 276
Ball picks......Page 277
Curve picks......Page 278
King and Queen......Page 279
Extractors......Page 280
Pick Kit Suggestions......Page 281
Typical kit......Page 282
Car kit......Page 284
Pocket/emergency kit......Page 286
Conclusion......Page 288
Index......Page 290