🅰🅻🅸🅲🅴 (🌈🦄)

Hey #Lockpicking #Experts of Fedi! I have two questions for you.

Several people have asked me to make a lockpicking zine for new folx, and I want to include some wisdom from y'all.

1. What are the top few tools in your kit that have gotten you into the most locks/places (specific pick profiles, bypass tools, turning tools)? It would be amazing if you provided a good quality, closeup photo of them so I can have an artist sketch them.

2. What's some advice you wish you had when you were still pretty new to lockpicking?

Please keep your responses to about ⅛ of a notebook page of text (like a few sentences) total.

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Here are my answers:

1. A slim short hook, a sturdy medium hook, a two-hump w-rake, and a variety of turning tools.

2. If you can't open it with one of those tools, it's a skill issue. And you're better off learning more about the lock than reaching for another tool.

cc: @deviantollam & @LockEx for your valuable experience 🩷

#AskFedi #Locksport #RedTeam #LockpickingZine

Feb 11 at 4:21amWeb
Show threadDeviant OllamFeb 11
@LockEx @alice "learning to finesse your turning tool pressure and really control that matters much more than the movement of the pick tool itself"
Show threadjesterchen42Feb 11

@alice If I may add questions I have:

- How much torque is needed, how do I get a feeling for that?
- How to single pick pins if you can barely feel them / how to properly handle your pick?
- How to know if you've made some mistake vs. there are special pins obstructing you?

Show threadSteffie 🏳️‍⚧️ :rubber_pride-heart-600: :triple-moon-transfem: Feb 11
@alice @deviantollam @LockEx
Turning tools (for single pin picking) are arguably more important than picks. I've been able to pick with a pair of pliers, a paper clip, and a proper turner more successfully than with fancy picks with a dead turning tool.
Show threadiweinFeb 11

@alice
beginner here, but I'm very happy I figured this out:

2. When you give up on a try, listen carefully to the clicks when turning back.

Five clicks on a five pin lock-> false set on one of them
Four clicks -> almost got it

It accelerates learning. Im guessing it's trivial and experts do this without thinking, but I wish someone told me explicitly on day 1.

I want that zine btw. Badly.

@deviantollam @LockEx

Show threadIan Norton (he/him)Feb 11
@alice @deviantollam @LockEx Only pick locks you own
Show threadLockpick ExtremeFeb 11
@alice @deviantollam Don't pick locks you rely on. You could jam the lock into a non working state.
When you are picking a lock, you're manipulating parts that a key doesn't. I've pulled a top spring into the core when the lock had a too short drive on above a short key pin, the spring extend into the core during normal use but the correct key lifted it out of the core to the shearline. In picking the lock, that pin wasnt lifted. I also had a friend flip a master shim on edge, jamming their apartment door.
TLDR - Don't practice lock picking on your front door.