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Lock Picking Techniques"There are very few locks that cannot be manipulated in one way or another. You need specificknowledge and proper tools."

by Bob Sievekingfo manipulate locks open be-I cause the proper key is lost, is acommon request for a locksmith. Theart of "lock picking" is more practicethan theory, but there are a few pointsthat you should be aware of if you areto achieve consistent success. Thefolowing questions should beasked: What aliows a lock to bemanipulated/picked? What tools will Ineed? How should I begin? Why ispicking tension so important?There are very few locks that cannotbe manipulated in one way or another.Although many locks are stated asbeing pick-proof in the advertisements,if you have the specific knowledge of

the lock and the proper tools, alongwith the right attitude, even the mostsecure locks swing open in defeat whengentle persuasion is used bY thecraftsman.The first and most important tool ofany caftsman is the proper attitudetoward the job at hand. It seems thatthose having the most success, approacheach job with the quiet confidence thatsays, "It can be done. " If you tense up,you start to grip the pick like it is ascrewdriver and the tension wrenchlike a pry bar.I've worked with many apprentices,teaching them to pick common lockcylinders in the shop, and watched asthey tried to force the plug to turn with

sheer inter.rse frustration. After relievingthem of the pick and tension wrench, Iwould say, "you're just not holdingyour mouth right." I would tell them topick each tumbler, one at a time, feeleach pin with the tip of the pick, as youraise it, feel the pins to know which arecaught at the shear line, and keep thetension at the very minimum.The amount of pressure on the turningwrench or tension tool is critical, sonever use more than the weight of apenny (for pin tumbler locks). If youstart "gripping," you will never make it,your pick and tension tool will break, and bend, and you will certainlY not{ pick the lock. Attitude is the first toolto master if you want to master lock

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picking. Patient confidence is the key.For an example, we will consideronly the pin tumbler lock. Wafertumbler locks are very similar in theway they pick, but require slightlYmore turning tension as a rule. Levertumbler locks, similar to those foundon lockers and mailboxes,use a similarpicking technique, but require evenmore turning tension, while specialtension wrenches and deep hook picksare used on the lever tYPe lock.In all cases, the tolerances of the lockare what limit its ability to resistmanipulation. Minute differences inthe levers of a lever lock allow theIocksmith to "capture" levers at thefence and ultimately defeat the lock.Machining tolerances, specifically inthe drilled holes of the lock cyiindershell and plug, and generallY in thedistance between the plug and shell(width of the shear line), allow thelocksmith to "capture" pins at the shearline.'When all pins are separated at theshear line, the plug will turn and thelock is defeated. That sounds easy intheory, but it takes practice to achieveconsistant success.In illustration one, a lock cylinderhas been cut away to illustrate thepositions of the combinating (bottom)pins and drivers (top pins) of a typicaifive pin key in knob or deadbolt lockcylinder. As you can see, the plug isprevented from from being turned. Thetop pins, resting across the shear line,prevent the turning. The harder theplug is turned, the harder the top pinswiil bind at the shear line, and sincenothing can be perfect, there must betolerances in the machining of thecylinder and plug.The most imPortant tolerances tothe lock picker is the alignment of thepin holes in the lock cYlinder' Thealignment of the pin holes of the cylinderand plug is verY critical to somemanufacturers, so they "marry" theplugs and shells of their lock cylinders.The plug is assembled (undilled)into the shell (also undrilled) and thetwo are drilled in one oPeration.Basically, this oniy means that theplugs and shells of similar cylinders arenot interchangeable and it also meansthat the misalignment of the cylinderand plug holes is heid to tighter

tolerances, improving the pick resistance/ of the cvlinder. Misalignment of the' pin holei, as you see in illustration one,is the primary factor that will allow usto pick, or manipulatethis lock cylinder'As turning tension is applied to the64 lne National Locksmith

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NOTE; MISALIGNMENTOF UPPER PIN CHAMBERSlllustralion 1

TURNINGTENSIONSECONDPIN TO BINDFIRST PIN TO

LASTlllustration 2

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ft:.f,plug, the top pins will bind or blockrotation of the plug, and since all thetop pins are not perfectly aligned, notall the pins will be bound at the sametime. The misalignment shown in7 illustration one shows that pin number' two will be the first pin to be bound.Look closely at illustration two to seewhy pin number two is the first pin tobind at the shear line while the upperpin hole (pin chamber) is displaced rothe left of the center. The turningtension to the right, as shown inillustration two, will cause pin numbertwo to bind before any of the other pinsin the cylinder.Once pin number two is held at theshear line, pin number one will beallowed to bind. (See illustration 3.)Maintained turning tension holds pinnumber two at the shear line as pinnumber one is raised and as the pinstack divides at the shear line, the toppin wiil hang or catch on the mis-alignment of the upper and lower pinchambers.The upper pin chamber of pin numberthree is displaced to the right of thecenter, (see illustration 2) meaningthalthe plug must be turned even further tothe right before the plug and shell pinchambers will misalign far enough tobind the pin or allow the upper pin(driver) to hang at the shear line.In illustration three, the bottom pinswill "float" or drop down, without thetop springs tension, as the chamber is"picked " and manufacturing tolerances,similar to those shown, allow us to"pick" the cylinder "one pin at atime."Binding pressure can be applied to thetumblers of this lock one at a time. (Theone great beauty of the sidebar lock,which is primarily responsible for itshigh degree of pick resistance, is thebinding pressure that cannot be appliedto the individual tumblers.)

Though the lock supplier catalogues 'are fuil of picks and picking tools ofalmost every description, the only toolsyou really need are those shown inillustration four. The diamond pickhook and tension wrench are theprimary tools, and I pick 99 percent ofthe pin and wafer tumbler locks I amcalled to open, by using these threetools.There are pick sets that contain wellover a hundred different picking tools,but there is no valid reason for thisusage. Riffles and balls, double ballsand half balls, rakes of ail descriptionsand wavy wigglY Picks that rock andtwist, are all part of the sets, but if youwant to learn to pick locks, get a small

PIN HANGS ON THEMISALIGNMENT CAUSEDBY THE TURNING TENSION

lllustration 3

TENSION WRENCH

LOCK PICKING TOOLS

DIAMOND

lllustralion 4August 67


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picking. With pin number one held asyou see in the illustration, it is impossibleto continue to bind or capture pins atthe shear line. Use the pick to gently leftand weight each pin and you should be

Foreign Auto Lock Service Manualsby Lynn Hawkinsable to feel the difference between a pinthat is floating because it is picked,binding because it is about to be picked'or spring-loaded because it has not yetbegun to bind.

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Automotive expert Lynn Hawkins has written the most affordable and up-to-dateforeign auto manuals available! Separate books are available on European (exceptGeran), German, and Japenese cars. But for one special price you can purchase thefull set of all three manuals. Each volume contains specialized information needed toservice all the vehicles covered. Details include: list of tools needed; removing steeringcolumn shrouds; removing shear head bolts; removing retainer pins; removing doorpaneling; removing and replacing cylinder face caps; and reading wafer/disc tumblers.' Eurpean Manual: British, French, Italian, Swedish, and misc_ellaneous cars.German Manual: Audi, BMW, Capri/Fiesta, Mercedes-Benz, opel, Porsche, andVolkswagen.Japaese Manual: Covers Chevy Luv, Chrysler imports, Datsun/Nissan, FordCourier, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Toyota'

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Gentle persuasion is the keY andanxious frustration and force lead tofailure. You have to learn to hold yourmouth right. I

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