[00:00.720 --> 00:03.180] Welcome to the Lockpick Village. [00:03.180 --> 00:05.460] We are the open organization of lockpickers, [00:05.460 --> 00:07.220] an international non-profit organization [00:07.220 --> 00:10.160] dedicated to teaching hobbyist lockpicking, [00:10.160 --> 00:12.020] sometimes called locksport. [00:12.020 --> 00:15.500] This is the tool introduction to lockpicking talk, [00:15.500 --> 00:17.280] where we will teach you real lockpicking [00:17.280 --> 00:19.980] over the course of the next 20 to 25 minutes. [00:20.120 --> 00:23.060] To begin with, though, we have some rules. [00:23.060 --> 00:25.520] Because we are the good guys, the white hat hackers, [00:25.520 --> 00:26.740] ethical locksporters, [00:26.740 --> 00:29.180] we have two rules that we're very serious about. [00:29.180 --> 00:31.880] First, don't pick locks that you don't own, [00:31.880 --> 00:33.620] which includes the locks in your apartment [00:33.620 --> 00:35.600] or the other institutions that you're at. [00:35.600 --> 00:38.380] And also, don't pick locks upon which you rely. [00:38.380 --> 00:40.300] We want lockpicking to improve your safety [00:40.300 --> 00:43.420] and improve your ability to control your surroundings, [00:43.420 --> 00:46.500] not damage the locks or damage your personal safety. [00:46.500 --> 00:48.140] So follow those two rules, [00:48.140 --> 00:50.320] help us improve the impression of lockpickers, [00:50.320 --> 00:52.360] and help yourself stay out of trouble. [00:52.960 --> 00:55.300] The type of lockpicking we're talking about today [00:55.300 --> 00:57.880] is pin tumbler lockpicking, [00:57.880 --> 01:00.220] and it has two tools involved. [01:00.220 --> 01:02.220] Not one, not three or more. [01:02.220 --> 01:04.160] It's two hands with two different tools [01:04.160 --> 01:07.100] doing two different tasks inside the lock. [01:07.100 --> 01:09.100] In Hollywood, you'll see them stick [01:09.100 --> 01:11.700] any old thing, a piece of chewing gum, [01:11.800 --> 01:12.940] a pen, inside the lock, [01:12.940 --> 01:14.780] and what do you know? It just falls open. [01:14.780 --> 01:17.060] In the real world, though, picking this type of lock [01:17.060 --> 01:19.920] takes two different tools with two different tasks. [01:19.920 --> 01:22.840] I show you this slide here so that you can see it [01:22.840 --> 01:25.320] at least once right before we talk about [01:25.320 --> 01:26.740] how it's actually done. [01:26.740 --> 01:29.940] As for the type of lock, that pin tumbler lock, [01:29.940 --> 01:31.740] well, that's the famous lock profile [01:31.740 --> 01:34.040] that you've seen just about every day [01:34.040 --> 01:35.580] if you're in North America and many [01:35.580 --> 01:37.300] places outside North America. [01:37.300 --> 01:39.240] Whether you see that shape in a deadbolt [01:39.240 --> 01:41.480] or a padlock or [01:41.480 --> 01:43.840] any time that you see that familiar [01:43.840 --> 01:46.460] curvy shape, that's the pin tumbler lock, [01:46.460 --> 01:48.300] and since about 1865, [01:48.300 --> 01:49.940] it has been what we mean [01:49.940 --> 01:52.240] when we say lock in North America. [01:52.420 --> 01:54.460] You're used to seeing it from the outside, [01:54.460 --> 01:56.280] which you're probably less used to seeing [01:56.280 --> 01:58.440] is the inside. Let's go past that [01:58.440 --> 02:00.300] front face and look behind it. [02:00.300 --> 02:01.900] Here's your x-ray view. [02:02.440 --> 02:04.440] And some vocabulary terms. [02:04.820 --> 02:06.340] There's a lot of terms here. [02:06.340 --> 02:07.900] The one I want you to focus on [02:08.340 --> 02:10.240] is that one right in the middle, [02:10.240 --> 02:12.060] that blue pin, which we call [02:12.060 --> 02:14.460] the driver pin. Obviously, [02:14.460 --> 02:16.020] they're not red and blue in real life, [02:16.020 --> 02:17.960] and we can't really refer to them as one pin, [02:17.960 --> 02:20.160] two pin, red pin, blue pin, nor can we [02:20.160 --> 02:22.180] refer to them as top and bottom pin [02:22.180 --> 02:24.140] because in Europe, when they have [02:24.140 --> 02:25.960] these types of locks, they can often [02:25.960 --> 02:27.940] be inverted. And since they've been doing this longer [02:27.940 --> 02:30.140] than we have, they win. We don't call them [02:30.140 --> 02:32.460] top and bottom. We give them functional names. [02:32.460 --> 02:33.620] And the driver pin, [02:33.620 --> 02:36.100] the driver pin's job is to push [02:36.100 --> 02:37.800] down on that key pin. The key pin [02:37.800 --> 02:40.040] holds the driver pin up, and the spring [02:40.040 --> 02:42.060] makes sure that gravity doesn't affect [02:42.060 --> 02:44.020] what happens with those pins. [02:44.200 --> 02:45.820] If you want to think about it, [02:45.820 --> 02:48.280] the driver pin is the lock [02:48.280 --> 02:49.960] because it's the piece that's half in [02:49.960 --> 02:52.080] and half out of that plug, that yellow plug [02:52.080 --> 02:54.100] that turns. If the [02:54.100 --> 02:56.200] driver pin sits right there, [02:56.200 --> 02:58.240] then the lock stays locked [02:58.240 --> 03:00.040] in the spring, and the key pin are just [03:00.040 --> 03:02.240] there to make sure that unless and until [03:02.240 --> 03:04.140] the proper key is entered, that [03:04.140 --> 03:06.460] driver pin is in the way. [03:07.060 --> 03:08.200] We talked about the driver [03:08.200 --> 03:10.060] pin being in the way. What we mean is [03:10.060 --> 03:11.860] it's at this dotted line [03:11.860 --> 03:14.040] called the shear line. The shear line isn't [03:14.200 --> 03:16.280] a part of a lock. It's a place [03:16.280 --> 03:18.040] or it's really an absence of [03:18.040 --> 03:19.980] thing, which is the separation [03:19.980 --> 03:21.600] between, again, the plug that turns [03:21.600 --> 03:23.880] and the housing that doesn't. As long as there's [03:23.880 --> 03:25.940] something at that shear line, usually the driver [03:25.940 --> 03:27.920] pin, the lock is locked, won't [03:27.920 --> 03:29.500] turn, and won't open. [03:30.680 --> 03:32.000] Here's what it looks like [03:32.000 --> 03:33.880] when you try to turn the lock [03:33.880 --> 03:36.420] with the driver pin still in place. [03:36.880 --> 03:38.100] It wobbles [03:38.240 --> 03:40.120] a little bit, but it doesn't open. [03:40.120 --> 03:41.740] Think of that driver pin as saying, [03:41.740 --> 03:44.520] no, no, still no, try again, [03:44.520 --> 03:45.680] I'm locked. [03:46.040 --> 03:48.040] The way to change that [03:48.040 --> 03:50.020] is with a key. All the [03:50.020 --> 03:52.380] key's job is to displace, [03:52.380 --> 03:54.000] fill up that space, so that [03:54.000 --> 03:55.940] the key pin rises up, which [03:55.940 --> 03:58.040] in turn pushes the driver pin up, [03:58.040 --> 03:59.640] and as soon as the driver pin [03:59.640 --> 04:02.040] is past that shear line, and there is nothing [04:02.040 --> 04:03.700] at the shear line, i.e. [04:03.700 --> 04:06.500] the key pin is all the way in [04:06.500 --> 04:08.340] and the driver pin is all the way out, [04:08.340 --> 04:10.380] there's nothing blocking the plug, [04:10.380 --> 04:11.980] the plug can turn, and [04:11.980 --> 04:13.700] the lock can open. [04:14.080 --> 04:16.040] If you take multiple [04:16.040 --> 04:17.960] driver pins, multiple [04:17.960 --> 04:20.020] key pins, and multiple [04:20.020 --> 04:22.080] springs, and you all [04:22.080 --> 04:24.020] put those in a lock body, you have a real [04:24.020 --> 04:26.080] honest-to-goodness, bought-it-at-the-hardware [04:26.080 --> 04:27.300] store lock. [04:27.900 --> 04:30.080] This is the lock at rest. A few things [04:30.080 --> 04:32.220] you'll notice about it. First, [04:32.220 --> 04:33.960] the driver pins [04:33.960 --> 04:36.020] are all in line at the [04:36.020 --> 04:38.680] shear line, and they're all identical. [04:38.800 --> 04:40.000] Also, the springs are [04:40.000 --> 04:41.760] all identical up here, [04:41.760 --> 04:43.960] even though they look like they're different sizes, they're [04:43.960 --> 04:45.740] just doing what springs do in filling up [04:45.740 --> 04:47.780] space. The key pins [04:47.780 --> 04:50.100] are where the difference comes in. [04:50.100 --> 04:51.940] Key pins, some are short, some are [04:51.940 --> 04:53.800] tall. That's where the variation [04:53.800 --> 04:56.140] lock-to-lock comes from, and by definition [04:56.140 --> 04:57.440] the key for that lock [04:57.860 --> 04:59.920] is the reciprocal of each of those [04:59.920 --> 05:00.940] key pins. [05:01.720 --> 05:03.800] Notice that the pins don't fall [05:03.800 --> 05:05.680] all the way down to the bottom of the lock, because [05:05.680 --> 05:07.820] the hole that each [05:07.820 --> 05:09.980] pin is drilled into is just [05:09.980 --> 05:11.960] the right size to make sure that [05:11.960 --> 05:13.960] even though this area down here [05:14.520 --> 05:16.280] looks like it's just empty space, [05:16.280 --> 05:18.100] it's actually a little [05:18.700 --> 05:20.040] notched so that the pins don't [05:20.040 --> 05:21.900] fall all the way down to the bottom and that there's room [05:21.900 --> 05:24.060] for the key. Now, if you [05:24.060 --> 05:26.260] have the right key for the lock, [05:26.260 --> 05:27.900] it slides in, [05:27.900 --> 05:30.080] you'll watch the driver pins go up and down, [05:30.080 --> 05:31.740] the key pins go up and down, and [05:31.740 --> 05:34.000] when it's finished, there's a nice, clear shear [05:34.000 --> 05:36.020] line. You pull the key back out, [05:36.020 --> 05:37.920] everything returns to its resting state, [05:37.920 --> 05:39.800] and the lock is locked again. [05:40.520 --> 05:42.140] One more time, [05:42.140 --> 05:43.920] the springs give way, [05:43.920 --> 05:46.000] and then they push everything back down [05:46.000 --> 05:47.920] to its new [05:47.920 --> 05:49.840] resting state with a clear shear [05:49.840 --> 05:51.880] line. If you have [05:52.000 --> 05:53.840] a key that is almost right, you have [05:53.960 --> 05:55.780] a lock that is almost locked. [05:55.780 --> 05:58.000] In this case, this key is right [05:58.000 --> 06:00.040] in the first position, third, [06:00.040 --> 06:01.620] fourth, and fifth position, [06:01.620 --> 06:03.820] but the second position, it doesn't lift the [06:03.820 --> 06:05.880] key pin quite high enough, which means the driver pin isn't [06:05.880 --> 06:07.940] lifting quite high enough, and there is still [06:07.940 --> 06:10.240] one driver pin at the shear line. [06:10.260 --> 06:11.700] This lock is almost [06:11.700 --> 06:14.160] open, but almost is not good enough. [06:14.160 --> 06:15.980] It's still locked. You can have [06:15.980 --> 06:17.860] the alternate problem, where now [06:17.860 --> 06:19.780] we have a key that is a little [06:19.780 --> 06:21.860] too high in that second position, which means [06:21.860 --> 06:23.800] it's pushed that key pin up above the [06:23.800 --> 06:25.800] shear line. Key pins are just as [06:25.800 --> 06:27.660] happy as driver pins to block [06:27.660 --> 06:29.660] the shear line and prevent that lock from [06:29.660 --> 06:30.420] opening. [06:31.560 --> 06:33.820] But of course, where we're going, [06:33.820 --> 06:35.800] we don't need keys. So if you [06:35.800 --> 06:37.680] came here just to learn about keys, [06:37.680 --> 06:39.760] then you can go. You know everything there is to [06:39.760 --> 06:41.260] know about pin tumbler keys. [06:41.760 --> 06:43.780] If you want to learn about lockpicking, [06:43.780 --> 06:45.800] then kick your brain into overdrive, [06:45.800 --> 06:47.940] because this is the complicated part here. [06:48.740 --> 06:49.740] In a perfect [06:49.740 --> 06:51.800] world, lockpicking would not [06:51.800 --> 06:53.600] be possible. Now, that wouldn't be a perfect world [06:53.600 --> 06:55.720] for all of us that love teaching [06:55.720 --> 06:57.600] lockpicking and love doing lockpicking, [06:57.600 --> 06:59.520] but when I say a perfect world, I mean [06:59.520 --> 07:01.840] mathematically perfect, where things [07:01.840 --> 07:03.620] roll off the production line exactly [07:03.620 --> 07:06.020] the way they were designed. Here is a [07:06.020 --> 07:08.180] schematic view of a lock. We've taken that plug, [07:08.180 --> 07:10.100] and we've taken all the springs, [07:10.100 --> 07:11.680] key pins, and driver pins out of it, [07:11.680 --> 07:14.800] and we're just looking at the holes that they go into. [07:14.800 --> 07:16.220] You'll notice that those [07:16.220 --> 07:18.100] holes are perfectly in [07:18.100 --> 07:20.020] line, which means [07:20.020 --> 07:22.140] when you try to give that plug [07:22.140 --> 07:24.900] a turn after you've filled it with [07:24.900 --> 07:25.960] springs, driver pins, [07:25.960 --> 07:27.740] and key pins, each one [07:27.740 --> 07:30.600] of those driver pins that is right on the shear line, [07:30.600 --> 07:31.420] every single one of them says [07:31.420 --> 07:33.140] together and in unison, [07:33.140 --> 07:35.460] no, stop, go no further, [07:35.460 --> 07:37.300] the right key isn't in here, [07:37.300 --> 07:39.240] this lock will remain locked. [07:39.240 --> 07:41.040] And they agree on that. [07:41.720 --> 07:42.940] And that would be great [07:42.940 --> 07:45.180] if such a lock existed, because [07:45.180 --> 07:47.500] it would be unpickable, reason being [07:47.500 --> 07:48.660] the only way [07:49.240 --> 07:51.200] to open the lock would be to lift [07:51.200 --> 07:52.980] each and every one [07:52.980 --> 07:55.580] to the right height at the right time, [07:55.580 --> 07:57.180] and if you can do that, then you have [07:57.180 --> 07:59.000] what's called a key. [08:00.000 --> 08:01.100] In the real [08:01.100 --> 08:02.920] world, however, [08:02.920 --> 08:05.480] no lock is perfect. [08:06.160 --> 08:07.200] So what you see here [08:07.200 --> 08:09.080] is the downsides of mass [08:09.080 --> 08:11.020] production. Cheap locks, [08:11.020 --> 08:12.920] not bad locks, just inexpensive [08:12.920 --> 08:15.020] locks built with different priorities [08:15.020 --> 08:17.100] in mind, cost effectiveness being one [08:17.100 --> 08:18.940] of them. So here you see the [08:18.940 --> 08:21.040] chipping, the marring, the [08:21.040 --> 08:23.000] misalignments, the rusting, that [08:23.000 --> 08:25.060] comes from a real world [08:25.060 --> 08:26.320] piece of equipment. [08:26.320 --> 08:28.300] As a result, [08:28.300 --> 08:30.440] if you put keypins [08:30.440 --> 08:32.360] into it, then you'll see that they [08:32.360 --> 08:34.180] don't all align. [08:34.280 --> 08:36.840] In fact, up here at the top, [08:36.840 --> 08:38.240] the holes have drifted fairly far [08:38.240 --> 08:40.400] to the left, and down here at the [08:40.400 --> 08:42.640] bottom, the holes have begun to drift to the right. [08:42.680 --> 08:44.580] Of these one, two, three, [08:44.580 --> 08:46.360] four, five, six pins, [08:46.840 --> 08:48.420] only about one of them [08:48.420 --> 08:50.200] is in the center where it's intended [08:50.200 --> 08:52.020] to be. All the rest of them [08:52.020 --> 08:53.680] wobble a little bit. [08:55.120 --> 08:55.780] So, [08:55.780 --> 08:57.780] here's what it looks like in the real [08:57.780 --> 09:00.020] world. We've taken this plug again, [09:00.020 --> 09:01.720] and we've redrawn it [09:01.720 --> 09:03.640] to be schematic of what you'd see in [09:03.780 --> 09:05.500] a real lock in the real world. [09:05.500 --> 09:07.360] It was manufactured off a real [09:07.360 --> 09:09.600] manufacturing line. And you'll see that [09:09.600 --> 09:11.760] all the holes are still there, [09:11.760 --> 09:13.660] but now they wander a little [09:13.660 --> 09:15.500] bit. We put this dotted [09:15.500 --> 09:17.600] line here to make it a little bit more obvious, [09:17.600 --> 09:19.580] and you can see that the one, two, [09:19.580 --> 09:21.660] three, fourth pin here is [09:21.660 --> 09:23.540] the most out of line. If they are [09:23.540 --> 09:25.540] not perfectly in line, then by definition [09:25.540 --> 09:27.620] one of them has to be the most out of line. [09:27.700 --> 09:29.520] In this case, in this particular example [09:29.520 --> 09:31.660] of a lock, it's the fourth pin [09:31.660 --> 09:33.760] that is the furthest to the right, [09:33.760 --> 09:35.540] which means if we were to give that [09:35.540 --> 09:37.800] plug a turn, [09:37.800 --> 09:39.780] well, it wouldn't open because it's not that bad, [09:39.780 --> 09:41.440] but what it would do is it would [09:41.440 --> 09:43.620] stop on the one and only one [09:43.620 --> 09:45.540] driver pin that is actually [09:45.540 --> 09:47.960] in the way, which is the one furthest to the right. [09:47.960 --> 09:49.580] So you can think of it as [09:49.580 --> 09:51.400] five pins, but [09:51.400 --> 09:53.500] now instead of agreeing whether the [09:53.500 --> 09:55.240] lock should stay closed, [09:55.240 --> 09:57.040] four of them are silent. [09:57.040 --> 09:59.860] They don't even notice the plug is being turned. [09:59.900 --> 10:01.260] One and only one of them is saying [10:01.260 --> 10:03.380] stop, go no further. [10:03.420 --> 10:04.960] In other words, you've paid for [10:05.500 --> 10:07.300] five pins worth of security, [10:07.300 --> 10:09.440] and you're only getting this one pin [10:09.440 --> 10:11.040] worth of security right now [10:11.460 --> 10:13.260] because of manufacturing tolerances [10:13.260 --> 10:15.220] in the lock. So it [10:15.220 --> 10:17.320] stands to reason that if this is the one and only [10:17.320 --> 10:18.920] one pin that is blocking your progress, [10:18.920 --> 10:21.560] if you could reach inside the lock [10:21.560 --> 10:23.180] with some sort of lock [10:23.180 --> 10:25.280] pick and lift [10:25.280 --> 10:27.280] up on that key pin, it would [10:27.280 --> 10:29.300] lift up on the driver pin, and if you managed [10:29.300 --> 10:31.680] to get that driver pin above the shear line, [10:31.680 --> 10:33.180] then nothing would be stopping the lock [10:33.180 --> 10:35.280] from turning, and it would turn. [10:35.280 --> 10:37.480] How far would it turn? Not a lot. [10:37.500 --> 10:38.980] Just until it stopped [10:38.980 --> 10:41.380] at the next pin that was [10:41.380 --> 10:43.320] in the way. On this diagram, [10:43.320 --> 10:44.880] it might be the first one. [10:44.880 --> 10:47.120] You have to figure that out for yourself. [10:47.120 --> 10:49.600] Lock by lock, pin by pin. [10:49.660 --> 10:50.960] Remember, these are not [10:50.960 --> 10:52.940] intentional. These are manufacturing [10:52.940 --> 10:55.660] defects or manufacturing tolerances, [10:55.660 --> 10:56.940] but that's the nature of [10:56.940 --> 10:59.220] hacking. Given an inch, or given a [10:59.220 --> 11:01.560] fraction of a millimeter, we will take [11:01.560 --> 11:03.900] a mile. This allows us to pick [11:03.900 --> 11:05.640] each pin individually [11:05.640 --> 11:08.920] using only one lock pick. [11:08.920 --> 11:09.860] So let's [11:09.860 --> 11:11.560] go look back at that attempt [11:11.560 --> 11:13.820] without a key. If you turn the plug, [11:13.820 --> 11:15.620] the plug turns a little bit and then [11:15.620 --> 11:17.740] stops on that driver pin. We call that [11:17.740 --> 11:19.840] the binding pin. If you [11:19.840 --> 11:21.740] can find the binding pin, then [11:21.740 --> 11:23.700] your job is to solve the binding [11:23.700 --> 11:25.780] pin. Lift up on it just [11:25.780 --> 11:27.340] enough such that [11:27.340 --> 11:29.840] the key pin pushes the driver pin [11:29.840 --> 11:31.940] above that shear line, and watch [11:31.940 --> 11:33.780] what happens. Something magical. The [11:33.780 --> 11:35.600] plug turns under the driver [11:35.600 --> 11:37.760] pin, and the driver pin can't go [11:37.760 --> 11:39.860] home again. One [11:39.860 --> 11:41.860] more time. Once the [11:41.860 --> 11:44.260] driver pin goes above the shear line, [11:44.260 --> 11:46.380] the door closes behind it, [11:46.380 --> 11:48.200] and it traps it up there. [11:48.880 --> 11:49.920] In other words, [11:49.920 --> 11:51.760] it's mechanical autosave. [11:51.760 --> 11:53.880] It's like a ratchet mechanism. [11:53.940 --> 11:55.800] Not designed that way. [11:55.880 --> 11:58.120] It's an effect of the manufacturing [11:58.120 --> 12:00.020] tolerances, and we're going to exploit [12:00.020 --> 12:01.940] the heck out of it to allow us [12:01.940 --> 12:03.580] to set multiple pins in a row [12:03.580 --> 12:05.840] until there are no more to set and the lock [12:05.840 --> 12:06.840] falls open. [12:07.980 --> 12:09.860] Here's what it looks like in practice. [12:09.860 --> 12:11.560] We're first going to tension [12:11.560 --> 12:13.660] the lock. If there's no tension, [12:13.660 --> 12:15.720] then you're not picking the lock, you're just lifting [12:15.720 --> 12:17.520] up pins and they'll fall right back down. [12:17.520 --> 12:19.640] You need to tension the lock to create that [12:19.640 --> 12:21.600] bind in the first place. Once you've created [12:21.600 --> 12:23.740] the bind, your next job, find [12:23.740 --> 12:25.180] the bind. Go through [12:25.180 --> 12:27.560] the pins sequentially, lift [12:27.560 --> 12:29.520] up on each one until you find one [12:29.520 --> 12:32.100] that has a little bit of a [12:32.100 --> 12:34.000] grind, crunch, creak, [12:34.000 --> 12:36.040] something, anything other than [12:36.040 --> 12:37.240] the squishiness that says [12:37.240 --> 12:39.180] it's not the binding pin, it's [12:39.180 --> 12:41.340] just the spring. This may take a [12:41.340 --> 12:43.360] little bit of practice, keeping track of where you are [12:43.360 --> 12:45.700] in the lock and learning how to feel the subtle [12:45.700 --> 12:47.360] differences between the pins. That's the [12:47.360 --> 12:49.240] skill of lock picking. But as [12:49.240 --> 12:51.560] you get better at it, you'll be able to find each binding [12:51.560 --> 12:53.660] pin, push it up just the right amount, [12:53.660 --> 12:55.380] get the click, get the feedback, get [12:55.380 --> 12:57.920] the little bit of turn of the lock that tells you [12:57.920 --> 12:59.280] it's set, and then you'll go [12:59.280 --> 13:01.940] on to the next one. Do that for as many [13:01.940 --> 13:03.440] pins as there are in the lock, [13:03.440 --> 13:05.260] and the lock will just fall [13:05.260 --> 13:07.340] open. This is not like a big [13:07.340 --> 13:08.820] safe lock where you've got it [13:08.820 --> 13:11.360] open at the end, because [13:11.360 --> 13:13.280] you've been turning since the very beginning [13:13.280 --> 13:15.260] and taking away each and every [13:15.260 --> 13:16.800] obstacle to the turning. [13:17.040 --> 13:19.200] So, if you just put the tension [13:19.200 --> 13:21.680] in, start turning, that same [13:21.680 --> 13:23.180] constant steady [13:23.180 --> 13:25.260] pressure will serve you all the way [13:25.260 --> 13:27.620] through the end, and every time you set a [13:27.620 --> 13:29.480] pin, the lock will turn just a little [13:29.480 --> 13:31.440] bit more, until when you've removed [13:31.440 --> 13:33.440] all the pins in the way, it will just [13:33.440 --> 13:35.220] fall open. [13:36.260 --> 13:37.540] Now let's take a look at [13:37.540 --> 13:39.560] one of the most common problems [13:39.560 --> 13:42.040] in lockpicking that will stop you cold, [13:42.040 --> 13:43.480] especially if you don't know to be on the [13:43.480 --> 13:45.140] lookout for it. We call it [13:45.140 --> 13:47.360] overlifting, and that's when you replace one problem [13:47.360 --> 13:49.400] with another by putting the key [13:49.400 --> 13:51.460] pin up above the shear line, where the driver [13:51.460 --> 13:53.360] pin normally is. You see, this [13:53.360 --> 13:55.300] person picking along had a short [13:55.300 --> 13:57.420] one in the fourth position, and another [13:57.420 --> 13:59.180] short one in the third position, which [13:59.180 --> 14:01.540] means when it comes time to pick the last [14:01.540 --> 14:03.560] one with a little bit taller key [14:03.560 --> 14:05.640] pin, they lift it too high [14:05.640 --> 14:07.620] and it gets bound above the shear line. [14:07.620 --> 14:09.540] The only way to get out of this position is to [14:09.540 --> 14:11.540] release your tension down here, shake the [14:11.540 --> 14:13.400] etch-a-sketch, and lose all your [14:13.400 --> 14:15.200] progress. So, [14:15.200 --> 14:17.460] just like getting a haircut or [14:17.460 --> 14:19.580] salting the soup, you can always [14:19.580 --> 14:21.440] go back and do more, it's very [14:21.440 --> 14:23.580] hard to go back and do less. So, [14:23.580 --> 14:25.640] light hands, small movements, [14:25.640 --> 14:27.540] remember how small these pieces are, [14:27.540 --> 14:29.600] and avoid overlifting, you'll save yourself [14:29.720 --> 14:31.520] a lot of trouble. And of course, if you do get [14:31.520 --> 14:33.460] stuck, that's okay, [14:33.460 --> 14:35.880] shake it out, shake your hands out, shake the lock out, [14:35.880 --> 14:37.460] start over, you'll do better [14:37.460 --> 14:38.440] next time. [14:39.700 --> 14:41.580] We've talked a lot about what [14:41.580 --> 14:43.240] this hand is doing, [14:43.240 --> 14:45.500] using the lock pick, but let's [14:45.500 --> 14:47.520] talk about the unsung hero, the [14:47.520 --> 14:49.460] turning tool. A lot of very [14:49.460 --> 14:51.100] intelligent pickers will tell you [14:51.100 --> 14:53.400] very seriously that [14:53.400 --> 14:55.380] in all practicality, the turning tool [14:55.380 --> 14:57.540] is what picks the lock, because the turning tool [14:57.540 --> 14:59.520] is responsible for putting that all [14:59.520 --> 15:01.180] important, constant, steady [15:01.180 --> 15:03.800] pressure on the lock. [15:04.780 --> 15:05.640] As far [15:05.640 --> 15:07.640] as how to apply that pressure, [15:07.640 --> 15:09.420] well, first, we like using that big [15:09.420 --> 15:11.320] finger, the precision digit, [15:11.320 --> 15:13.600] and put it far out on [15:13.600 --> 15:15.580] the turning tool, so that [15:15.580 --> 15:17.480] you can use leverage and [15:17.480 --> 15:19.840] amplify any feedback you get. [15:20.060 --> 15:21.400] Next question, how [15:21.400 --> 15:23.680] much turning pressure? And I will tell [15:23.680 --> 15:25.520] you, honestly, there is [15:25.520 --> 15:27.520] good reasons to do light pressure, and there's [15:27.520 --> 15:29.420] good reasons to do heavy pressure. And someone [15:29.420 --> 15:31.520] who tells you one or the other isn't wrong, [15:31.520 --> 15:33.560] they're weighing different things. We [15:33.560 --> 15:35.620] at the Lock Pick Village tend to tell novice [15:35.620 --> 15:37.760] lock pickers, start off with light pressure. [15:37.760 --> 15:39.540] That has a lot more to do with not damaging [15:39.540 --> 15:41.540] the locks or the equipment than it does [15:41.540 --> 15:43.440] with being the most effective [15:43.440 --> 15:45.440] way to pick locks. A lot of [15:45.440 --> 15:47.460] very good lock pickers tend to use quite heavy [15:47.460 --> 15:49.520] tension, but very carefully [15:49.520 --> 15:51.500] modulated heavy tension. They use [15:51.500 --> 15:53.640] the right amount of tension to get the feedback [15:53.640 --> 15:55.880] from the lock. So, experiment [15:55.880 --> 15:57.540] with the tension levels, but most [15:57.540 --> 15:59.720] importantly, don't put on more than you [15:59.720 --> 16:01.600] can confidently, comfortably, and [16:01.600 --> 16:02.840] safely use. [16:03.760 --> 16:05.620] As for the type of picks, [16:05.620 --> 16:08.040] you'll probably have a lot of picks in your kit. [16:08.900 --> 16:09.680] We call this [16:09.680 --> 16:11.520] one the hook. We call this one the half [16:11.520 --> 16:13.540] diamond, because apparently triangle is too [16:13.540 --> 16:15.440] hard to say. This is sometimes [16:15.440 --> 16:17.640] called a rake, a snake rake. There's lots of [16:17.640 --> 16:19.540] varieties of cool little wiggly [16:19.540 --> 16:21.860] ones. When you're just starting off, [16:21.860 --> 16:23.580] we recommend starting with [16:23.580 --> 16:25.400] these two, either the half diamond [16:25.400 --> 16:27.840] or the hook, because [16:27.840 --> 16:29.660] they tend to promote the best [16:29.660 --> 16:31.760] practice and give you the most accuracy in [16:31.760 --> 16:33.820] picking one pin at a time. [16:36.680 --> 16:37.680] Now, [16:37.680 --> 16:39.480] as you're starting off, there's a tendency [16:39.480 --> 16:41.780] to figure out how you want to lift [16:41.780 --> 16:43.680] in the lock. You can put it [16:43.680 --> 16:45.680] against the bottom, you can put it against your finger, [16:45.680 --> 16:47.740] you can float it in midair. Whatever works [16:47.740 --> 16:49.640] for you, mindful of the [16:49.640 --> 16:51.360] task that you're trying to do, which is [16:51.360 --> 16:53.140] feel very small things in a lock [16:53.140 --> 16:55.420] and get it to turn. So don't add [16:55.420 --> 16:57.580] any more friction to the lock than you need to [16:57.580 --> 16:59.240] and don't rub up against the sides [16:59.240 --> 17:01.420] or other material in the lock more than [17:01.420 --> 17:03.720] you need to. But mostly it's a matter of personal choice. [17:04.160 --> 17:05.480] Except that, if you're doing [17:05.480 --> 17:07.400] something like this rocking lifting, [17:07.400 --> 17:09.260] I want you to make sure that lifting [17:09.260 --> 17:11.100] doesn't turn into crowbar. [17:11.100 --> 17:13.500] These are precision tools, and if you're [17:13.500 --> 17:15.380] really digging, especially if you're using really [17:15.380 --> 17:17.400] heavy tension, and you [17:17.400 --> 17:19.280] start getting really firm binds, [17:19.280 --> 17:21.720] there's a tendency to start crowbarring [17:21.720 --> 17:23.840] and the pick starts to bend, [17:23.840 --> 17:25.540] which means it's no good for anyone. [17:25.540 --> 17:27.480] If these are your tools, [17:27.480 --> 17:29.360] then that's too bad because you're out of tools. [17:29.360 --> 17:31.220] If there are tools, it's almost worse [17:31.220 --> 17:33.400] because then not only can we use it, but no one [17:33.400 --> 17:35.380] else can use it either, and it makes it harder [17:35.380 --> 17:38.000] to put on lockpick villages like we love to do. [17:38.440 --> 17:39.180] So, [17:39.640 --> 17:41.700] as you're picking, be gentle. [17:41.700 --> 17:43.320] Remember these are precision tools. [17:43.320 --> 17:45.320] I put up a picture of the bunny here, not [17:45.320 --> 17:47.220] because I think you're children, but because I know I've [17:47.220 --> 17:49.260] thrown a lot of complex information at you, [17:49.260 --> 17:51.360] and if I show you a picture of a crying bunny, [17:51.360 --> 17:53.600] you'll remember, be gentle, [17:53.600 --> 17:55.220] ease up, use the tools [17:55.220 --> 17:56.240] with precision. [17:56.840 --> 17:59.020] Now, if you're just starting lockpicking, [17:59.020 --> 18:01.240] there's a great activity that [18:01.240 --> 18:03.300] everyone would benefit from, and that's [18:03.300 --> 18:05.380] this. Pull the turning tool [18:05.380 --> 18:07.220] out of the lock. Just for this one time, [18:07.220 --> 18:09.200] don't try to pick the lock. What I want you to do [18:09.200 --> 18:11.200] is feel the tension. Think of this as [18:11.360 --> 18:13.320] a tension taste test, or as a [18:14.440 --> 18:15.980] springiness taste test. Reach [18:15.980 --> 18:18.260] into the lock with the pick of your choice, [18:18.260 --> 18:20.260] and on that one pin, [18:20.260 --> 18:21.920] just lift up on that pin. [18:21.920 --> 18:23.840] This is especially great if you have a lock [18:23.840 --> 18:26.080] where you've taken all the other pins out, and there's just [18:26.080 --> 18:27.980] one to focus on. But you can do it with [18:27.980 --> 18:29.920] other locks, too, with a little bit of cleverness. [18:29.940 --> 18:31.860] Just lift up on that pin and feel [18:31.860 --> 18:33.940] what a springy pin feels like without [18:33.940 --> 18:35.960] any tension. Then, [18:35.960 --> 18:37.980] and only then, add the turning [18:37.980 --> 18:40.440] tool so that you have a little bit of tension. [18:40.440 --> 18:41.960] And now, if there's only one pin [18:41.960 --> 18:43.840] in the lock, you've created a binding [18:43.840 --> 18:45.820] pin. Now go in and try [18:45.820 --> 18:47.960] that one on for size. Feel [18:47.960 --> 18:50.320] that binding, grinding, [18:50.320 --> 18:51.860] crunching, scraping. [18:52.360 --> 18:53.900] Characterize it however you want, [18:53.900 --> 18:55.820] but being able to tell the difference between that [18:55.820 --> 18:58.060] binding pin and the unbinding [18:58.060 --> 18:59.020] pin without tension [18:59.920 --> 19:02.300] is the essence of lockpicking. [19:02.480 --> 19:03.840] And zeroing in on that feeling [19:03.840 --> 19:05.880] will make you a much better lockpicker. [19:06.060 --> 19:07.860] Of course, the most important [19:07.860 --> 19:10.320] part of lockpicking is practicing, [19:10.320 --> 19:12.160] and at Tool, we've gone to a lot of effort [19:12.160 --> 19:14.300] to create practice locks specifically designed [19:14.300 --> 19:16.060] for learning lockpicking. [19:16.340 --> 19:18.400] If you're at one of our lockpick villages, [19:18.400 --> 19:20.340] we have multiple [19:20.340 --> 19:22.360] locks that have some of the [19:22.360 --> 19:24.180] pins pulled out of them. So you can go [19:24.180 --> 19:26.360] from a one-pin lock all the way up to a six-pin [19:26.360 --> 19:28.140] lock and learn as you go. [19:28.140 --> 19:30.480] But you don't need tool locks to practice. [19:30.480 --> 19:32.580] You can get locks at your hardware store. [19:32.580 --> 19:34.520] You might find padlocks like this. [19:34.520 --> 19:36.200] They work fine. They're cheap [19:36.200 --> 19:38.100] locks, but they'll teach you enough about [19:38.100 --> 19:39.540] lockpicking. You can also find [19:40.100 --> 19:42.000] just regular door deadbolt [19:42.000 --> 19:44.240] locks. It doesn't matter what type of locks [19:44.240 --> 19:46.060] that you get as long as you [19:46.060 --> 19:47.800] sit down with them, you practice with them, [19:48.220 --> 19:50.060] and you have enough of them that [19:50.060 --> 19:52.040] you have the variety. So you're not learning how to pick [19:52.240 --> 19:54.040] a particular lock. You're learning how to pick locks [19:54.040 --> 19:56.140] in general. Because you're at home, [19:56.140 --> 19:57.900] I wanted to run you through some frequently [19:57.900 --> 20:00.220] asked questions that we often hear. [20:00.220 --> 20:02.460] See if we can get you set up on the right path. [20:02.660 --> 20:04.020] Preston, how do you [20:04.020 --> 20:06.140] hold the lock? What we like to do [20:06.140 --> 20:08.160] is turn the lock so the top part is [20:08.160 --> 20:10.140] deep in the web of your hand, and then you can [20:10.140 --> 20:11.720] close these two knuckles here [20:11.720 --> 20:14.040] over the lock. Holds it fairly [20:14.040 --> 20:16.160] gently, but securely, and [20:16.160 --> 20:18.120] then if you stick out that index finger, [20:18.120 --> 20:20.120] the turning tool will just rest right against [20:20.120 --> 20:22.680] that index finger, giving you the right amount of pressure. [20:22.780 --> 20:24.100] How do I hold the pick? [20:24.100 --> 20:26.100] Well, think of it like a scalpel. This is [20:26.220 --> 20:28.360] a surgical tool, so hold it like a scalpel. [20:28.360 --> 20:30.660] That pencil grip works great. [20:32.380 --> 20:34.080] This one doesn't work so good [20:34.080 --> 20:36.140] because you've got a little [20:36.140 --> 20:38.140] bit too much grip, and people [20:38.140 --> 20:38.740] tend to [20:39.720 --> 20:42.220] start digging too hard. And then, of course, [20:42.220 --> 20:44.020] holding it like a shiv is right out. [20:44.020 --> 20:46.500] That's dangerous and weird. Avoid that. [20:46.880 --> 20:47.660] And if you [20:47.660 --> 20:50.000] happen to have locks that are out of [20:50.000 --> 20:51.960] their housing, so that you can see the back [20:51.960 --> 20:54.300] of the lock, which people don't typically see, [20:54.300 --> 20:55.960] we want to make sure that you know that the pick [20:55.960 --> 20:57.940] goes in this part, this [20:57.940 --> 21:00.200] shiny silver front. If you can see the back [21:00.200 --> 21:01.980] that looks like that, that's the wrong end [21:01.980 --> 21:03.920] of the lock. Go in the front. You'll have [21:04.220 --> 21:06.200] a lot more luck. Now, [21:06.200 --> 21:07.940] lock picking, not supposed to be [21:07.940 --> 21:09.880] easy. This is new. [21:09.960 --> 21:12.260] This is a skill-based exercise [21:12.260 --> 21:13.920] that Evolution has done nothing to [21:13.920 --> 21:15.940] prepare you to. So, I [21:15.940 --> 21:17.860] want to make sure that as you're doing this, be [21:17.860 --> 21:19.880] nice to yourself. Relax. [21:19.880 --> 21:22.480] If you want to have a beer, talk to somebody. [21:23.860 --> 21:25.960] That's all part of the fun. That's what we do when [21:25.960 --> 21:27.940] we're doing tool meetups. We sit [21:27.940 --> 21:30.100] around, we chat with each other, we relax, [21:30.100 --> 21:31.400] we have fun with it. [21:31.740 --> 21:33.780] And if you don't know what that animal is, [21:33.780 --> 21:36.160] now you have seen a baby wombat [21:36.160 --> 21:37.460] and your day is better. [21:37.520 --> 21:39.820] And then, traditionally in lock sport, [21:39.820 --> 21:41.880] no matter what the lock is, whether it's a practice [21:41.880 --> 21:43.840] lock or it's a project lock that you've been working on [21:43.840 --> 21:46.060] for weeks, when you get it open, [21:46.060 --> 21:48.160] say open. Own it. [21:48.240 --> 21:49.820] Celebrate it. All locks you open [21:49.820 --> 21:51.880] are worth celebrating, and we want you to have fun [21:51.880 --> 21:53.700] with it. Lastly, [21:53.700 --> 21:55.920] if this sounds like fun to you, we are [21:56.080 --> 21:57.520] a membership organization. [21:57.520 --> 22:00.140] We have members all over the United States, [22:00.140 --> 22:01.940] Canada, UK, Australia, [22:01.940 --> 22:03.560] and many other countries. We would [22:03.560 --> 22:05.380] love you to join, be a part of the organization [22:06.220 --> 22:07.460] from your home or [22:07.460 --> 22:09.800] in person as soon as we can. [22:09.820 --> 22:12.460] So go check out members.tool.us [22:12.460 --> 22:14.820] And of course, if you can't wait to get lockpicking [22:14.820 --> 22:16.640] and you want to get your hands on lockpicking gear [22:16.640 --> 22:18.840] as soon as you can, then tool.us [22:18.840 --> 22:20.540] slash equipment has [22:20.540 --> 22:22.660] exactly the gear that we like to train people [22:22.660 --> 22:25.120] on, and we'd love you to get started on it too. [22:25.280 --> 22:27.260] So, happy lockpicking, [22:27.260 --> 22:29.260] practice, be gentle, [22:29.260 --> 22:31.260] celebrate your wins, and we'll see you at the next [22:31.260 --> 22:32.300] Lockpick Village.