One day at work, someone locked the storeroom keys in the storeroom. Luckily the network engineer had a set of lockpicks in his car, and knew how to use them. He played it like lockpicks are a perfectly normal thing to carry in your vehicle, but we don’t buy it.
Yeah, I’m feeling kinda called out by this thread… We got locked out of a job-box at work and I didn’t have my kit, I was fuming when we had to call a $200 locksmith for a masterlock and I was about to start throwing fists when they said the anti pick bumps “made picking impossible” and drilled through it. I was convinced that they do that with every lock, zero knowledge or experience and just go around raking people over the coals to destroy their property.
I’ve watched too much LPL and feel your rage. But yeah, your typical locksmith doesn’t give a shit and is on a schedule. Fastest way into a lock is gonna be drilling it or going around it.
The worst part is that it was a job-box we were locked out of. There were probably 4 drills and numerous other tools to destroy the lock and get inside.
Yeah, I have a pick, but when I need into a lock what I have is bolt cutters. Sure I’d love to get better and be able to throw open a lock with ease, but when in doubt I don’t trust myself enough to buy a padlock that resists bolt cutting.
I will say though, my U lock I got for $15 and accidentally let rust to uselessness took a remarkable amount of effort to bypass. No angle grinding, but it took some serious dremeling and a pair of cheater bars with the cutters
It’s hard to describe since it’s mostly based on feel. You start by feeling around to build a kind of mental map in your head. Then when you start you’re keeping the right amount of pressure on the tension wrench as you mess with each pin. You gotta have a gentle touch and it takes some time to find how much is enough.
MIT has a paper on the process too, I’ll see if I can find it and link it here
Great skill to have, and not really difficult, just a matter of practice and getting a feel for it. I learned from a neighbor when I was just starting college, after he saw me locked out of the house. He was a tool and die maker, had a nice set of picks he made himself. Still have the small set he gave me in a toolbox somewhere, though haven’t used them in over 20 years now so terribly out of practice.
I learned lockpicking at a security conference I attended with my class in college while getting a degree in networking. Lockpicking is one of those things that normies find scary but it’s actually a pretty fun and easy skill to pick up. Seriously go buy a $20 kit on Amazon and have some fun!
Nice. I’ve never heard of Cyphercon, and Milwaukee is a lot closer to me. Probably a little too soon for me to manage to make it happen this year, hopefully next year.
Yeah I haven’t been able to make it since their 4th year. Super inconvenient time of year for me. But the times I have been able to make it it’s been a blast. I think Madison now has a new hacker conference too? And there’s Thotcon in Chicago too
One day at work, someone locked the storeroom keys in the storeroom. Luckily the network engineer had a set of lockpicks in his car, and knew how to use them. He played it like lockpicks are a perfectly normal thing to carry in your vehicle, but we don’t buy it.
He’s a network engineer, so that’s completely normal
Relevant xkcd.
Look all I’m saying is if you didn’t work on at least one weird skill during covid you did it wrong
A basic kit from sparrows costs like $20 and it’s way easier than most people think
Yeah, I’m feeling kinda called out by this thread… We got locked out of a job-box at work and I didn’t have my kit, I was fuming when we had to call a $200 locksmith for a masterlock and I was about to start throwing fists when they said the anti pick bumps “made picking impossible” and drilled through it. I was convinced that they do that with every lock, zero knowledge or experience and just go around raking people over the coals to destroy their property.
I’ve watched too much LPL and feel your rage. But yeah, your typical locksmith doesn’t give a shit and is on a schedule. Fastest way into a lock is gonna be drilling it or going around it.
The worst part is that it was a job-box we were locked out of. There were probably 4 drills and numerous other tools to destroy the lock and get inside.
Yeah, I have a pick, but when I need into a lock what I have is bolt cutters. Sure I’d love to get better and be able to throw open a lock with ease, but when in doubt I don’t trust myself enough to buy a padlock that resists bolt cutting.
I will say though, my U lock I got for $15 and accidentally let rust to uselessness took a remarkable amount of effort to bypass. No angle grinding, but it took some serious dremeling and a pair of cheater bars with the cutters
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Right? I know it’s all about making money in the end but just a few minutes of picking might be enough, and if not you can say you tried.
Some of us had to work and didn’t get the chance to bake bread and connect with nature, goddarnit!
Your loss. I know how to make cheese
I only found myself saddled with a house, a degree a wife and 2 kids. Not sure how some people got off so easy with just a couple of weird skills…
I need to practice. I got a practice lock but I absolutely suck with it
It’s hard to describe since it’s mostly based on feel. You start by feeling around to build a kind of mental map in your head. Then when you start you’re keeping the right amount of pressure on the tension wrench as you mess with each pin. You gotta have a gentle touch and it takes some time to find how much is enough.
MIT has a paper on the process too, I’ll see if I can find it and link it here
Great skill to have, and not really difficult, just a matter of practice and getting a feel for it. I learned from a neighbor when I was just starting college, after he saw me locked out of the house. He was a tool and die maker, had a nice set of picks he made himself. Still have the small set he gave me in a toolbox somewhere, though haven’t used them in over 20 years now so terribly out of practice.
I learned lockpicking at a security conference I attended with my class in college while getting a degree in networking. Lockpicking is one of those things that normies find scary but it’s actually a pretty fun and easy skill to pick up. Seriously go buy a $20 kit on Amazon and have some fun!
Was it Defcon? They usually had workshops on picking locks. Those conferences were so fun.
No it was Cyphercon in Milwaukee. Lots of people there also have defcon badges and swag so there’s a ton of influence from Defcon at least
Nice. I’ve never heard of Cyphercon, and Milwaukee is a lot closer to me. Probably a little too soon for me to manage to make it happen this year, hopefully next year.
Yeah I haven’t been able to make it since their 4th year. Super inconvenient time of year for me. But the times I have been able to make it it’s been a blast. I think Madison now has a new hacker conference too? And there’s Thotcon in Chicago too
If you don’t have lock picks, handgun with silencer, scuba suit and parachute in your car, you’re not prepared when your hero moment arrives.