STAR*TECH
Journal
December 1995
CD
THE TRUTH ABOUT LOCKS,
LOCKSMITHS AND LOCK PICKS
Douglas "Enzo" McCallum
Shiawassee Technical Services
Lansing, Michigan
After reading the article last month on lock picks,
I urge anyone to be careful before they spend the money.
The claim that two or three picks
will unlock 95% of all locks is at
best misleading, and more likely
simply ludicrous.
Just like a baseball bat, ice skates,
or a violin, a lock pick is a tool
made to do a job. One could
market the above items claiming
these three bats can hit 95% of
the home runs, these skates will
win 2/3 of the gold medals, and
this violin will play 3/4 of all sym-
phonies, and be about as honest
or informative.
Like the other three examples,
locksmithing and specifically
picking locks is a skill built up
with a great deal of practice. Of
the many pick styles available,
most locksmiths settle on one or
two favorite picks for the major-
ity of their work.
The catch is that the pick isn't
magic, each locksmith simply
finds one or two that feel best to
him. There is no universal pick
design. Whether you chose a
rake or hook or whatever style
pick, only practice makes pick-
ing "easy."
Of my dozen or so picks, I use
one rake almost exclusively. As
to tension wrenches, one needs
a couple different sizes to accom-
modate the variety of keyway
sizes. No secrets there either.
We are in a lock-intensive busi-
ness. Find a cooperative local
locksmith, give him your spare
"... the local lock-
smith will probably
sell you a foot or two
of stock for cheap.
Mine gave me a
couple scrap pieces
for nothing. "
key set business, and establish a
relationship of trust. You are not
up to anything criminal, you are
just maintaining your equipment
and access to it.
You should be able to find a lock-
smith willing to make or order
picks for you. You can make your
own out of flat wire stock. Again,
the local locksmith will probably
sell you a foot or two of stock for
cheap. Mine gave me a couple
scrap pieces for nothing.
"Disk" tumbler locks, like those
supplied with games are the sim-
plest to pick. The Ace type lock
is much harder, and the high se-
curity locks like the Abloys,
Medecos, magnetic types, etc. are
very, very difficult. Locks that
don't move freely are not easy to
pick, so if the lock in question is
on a tight door, you aren't going
to turn it with your pick and ten-
sion wrench anyway.
I would hate to see someone shell
out $40 for something they can
get for a lot less and find out it
doesn't do what they think it will
in the bargain.
I am not a licensed locksmith, I
have taken the course. I got the
training twenty years ago, early
in my career, intending to learn
what we needed in this industry.
I never intended to hand out a
locksmith shingle.
I have gotten some bonus points
over the years letting young la-
dies into their apartments after
they lost their keys, though.
You do what you gotta do.