#learnlockpickingwithalice — Public Fediverse posts

For my #FediSkillshares entry, check out #LearnLockpickingWithAlice!

If you happen to be in the #Seattle area, I'd be happy to teach (almost) anyone, hands-on, on a pay-what-you-feel-comfortable per-session basis (all equipment and locks provided).

Also happy to teach small groups (or big conferences).

#Lockpicking #Locksport

For my #FediSkillshares entry, check out #LearnLockpickingWithAlice!

If you happen to be in the #Seattle area, I'd be happy to teach (almost) anyone, hands-on, on a pay-what-you-feel-comfortable per-session basis (all equipment and locks provided).

Also happy to teach small groups (or big conferences).

#Lockpicking #Locksport

For my #FediSkillshares entry, check out #LearnLockpickingWithAlice!

If you happen to be in the #Seattle area, I'd be happy to teach (almost) anyone, hands-on, on a pay-what-you-feel-comfortable per-session basis (all equipment and locks provided).

Also happy to teach small groups (or big conferences).

#Lockpicking #Locksport

For my #FediSkillshares entry, check out #LearnLockpickingWithAlice!

If you happen to be in the #Seattle area, I'd be happy to teach (almost) anyone, hands-on, on a pay-what-you-feel-comfortable per-session basis (all equipment and locks provided).

Also happy to teach small groups (or big conferences).

#Lockpicking #Locksport

@Njord @eniko next up, #LearnLockpickingWithAlice

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11 (part two): DIY padlock shims!

Who wants to spend a $5 on fancy padlock shims, when you can make shitty ones for the price of a soda can (and maybe a finger or two)?

Today, I'm going to teach y'all how to turn a soda can into like 6 disposable padlock shims.

⚠️ Soda cans are razor sharp on the cut edges, please be careful; your fingers will thank you 🫶

1. To start, get yourself an empty can of soda, beer, energy drink, etc.

2. Using some scissors you don't care about, cut the top and bottom off along the bevel. You should now have a tube that is open at both ends.

3. Cut the tube down one side and flatten it out into a rectangle, then cut it into 2.5" x 1" strips.

4. Take a strip and (with a marker) divide it into a 4x4 grid.

5. Then cut an "M" shape out of the bottom half of the 2.5" x 1" rectangle.

6. Fold the top ¼ of the rectangle down.

7. Fold the legs of the "M" up and over the top on each side.

8. Shape the shim around a lock shackle.

9. Shim something.

#AlicePics #DIY #Locksport #BypassTechniques #AltText

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).

Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...

...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.

To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.

So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.

The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.

How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep 👅 at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.

How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.

Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying.

"Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"

Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.

First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.

If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.

Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.

Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.

Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.

#Locksport #Bypass #Shimming

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).

Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...

...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.

To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.

So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.

The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.

How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep 👅 at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.

How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.

Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying.

"Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"

Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.

First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.

If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.

Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.

Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.

Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.

#Locksport #Bypass #Shimming

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).

Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...

...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.

To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.

So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.

The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.

How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep 👅 at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.

How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.

Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying.

"Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"

Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.

First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.

If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.

Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.

Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.

Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.

#Locksport #Bypass #Shimming

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).

Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...

...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.

To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.

So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.

The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.

How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep 👅 at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.

How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.

Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying.

"Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"

Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.

First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.

If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.

Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.

Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.

Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.

#Locksport #Bypass #Shimming

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 11: Shimming shit ('cause ain't nobody got time for dial locks).

Plenty of old or cheap locks can be shimmed, but the place this technique shines most is with those front-dial combination locks. Sure, you can look up the model number, find some arcane YouTube video, and spend 30 minutes decoding it (both the video *and* the lock)...

...or you can do a little shimming fuckery and have it open in seconds.

To shim a lock, you'll need two things: a shimmable lock, and something to shim it with.

So how do I tell if a lock is able to be shimmed? Well, there are three main types of locking mechanisms on padlocks: ballbearing, spring-loaded, and warded (which you can see an example of in lesson 10). We want the spring-loaded kind.

The easy way to tell the spring-loaded ones from the ballbearing is that the cutouts in the shackle will look like either an upside-down "7" or a "]" for the pawl, instead of a ")" which indicates a ball-bearing lock. This matters because if the only thing keeping the locking pawl (that little metal bit that grabs the shackle's cutout) in place is a stiff spring, then the only thing between us and opening the lock is reaching it.

How do we reach that pawl? With a little piece of metal called a padlock shim. They look like a little mouth with a blep 👅 at the bottom—and like A Christmas Story, we want to get it right up against that pole.

How to shim a padlock:
- Insert the shim with the tongue facing away from the mechanism (toward the outside).
- Pinch the wings so it hugs the shackle.
- Push it down as far as it will go.
- Rotate/work it toward the inside of the lock while keeping pressure on it.
- Wiggle and press down on the shackle a bit to help it slide in.

Once it’s in:
- Hold the shim in place.
- Give the shackle a firm yank—and probably send your shim flying.

"Wtf, Alice, it didn't work?! How could you lie to me?"

Okay, slow down. There are a few reasons for that.

First, the mechanism might be on the other side of the shackle—or even on both sides.

If it's still not working, the shim either isn’t deep enough, isn’t long enough, or the lock isn’t spring-loaded.

Additionally, some locks are *technically* shimmable, but the clearance around the shackle is too narrow to fit a shim in. In this case, a thinner shim, or a narrow pokey piece of metal might still work.

Finally, this lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning that padlock shims are a disposable resource. They *will* break—sometimes after only a couple uses. If you're lucky, they'll last for dozens of attempts though.

Which leads me to my friend, @deviantollam, who is well-known for making shims out of soda or beer cans. These shims are fragile, but they'll work in a pinch and only take a moment to make. If you're good, you can even tear a can into a close enough shape for the job—just be careful, those fuckers are *sharp*.

#Locksport #Bypass #Shimming

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 10: Decoding combination locks by "Pull-Picking".

There are a lot of types of combination locks out there, but one of the most common is also one of the easiest to open—no tools necessary.

So, today I'm going to talk about popping locks with nothing but some fingers and a little feeling around.

Almost every example of this style of combination lock uses a series of 3-4 wheels, with 10 numbers or letters arranged around each one (though a rare few have fewer positions per wheel, or a fifth wheel).

From the exploded diagram, you might already be able to see the design flaw. When you pull on the shackle, it pulls on the wheels, and—much like with traditional picking—we can exploit manufacturing defects to give ourselves more information about the solution to our puzzle. To get a feel for this, try interlacing the tips of your fingers, then lift one hand so the sides of your fingers press into each other. The pressure is distributed between all your fingers, but some take more than others. Now fold your middle finger in, so it's no longer in contact with its counterpart; the pressure is distributed between the remaining fingers. This is like the wards on the shackle pressing against the wheels. Once a wheel is set correctly, the remaining tension on the shackle is redistributed to the remaining incorrectly set wheels.

But there's a catch.

Lockmakers add smaller "false gates" along the wheel to trick you into thinking you've got the right combo when you don't.

This means each wheel can be in one of three states: not in a gate, in a false gate, or in a true gate. Our goal is to get all of them set to their true gates.

Remember earlier when I mentioned manufacturing defects and design flaws? Well, in a perfect world (for the locks) all the wheels would be perfectly cut and uniformly shaped, and the false gates would be indistinguishable from the true one. That's not the case.

False gates will always be narrower or shallower than the one true gate on each wheel, and wheels will always be slightly irregular. This means that the pressure won't distribute perfectly between each wheel, and that the false and true gates "feel" different.

Okay, enough origin story—how do you decode one of these?

Step zero: try all zeroes...no really, it's like "password123", you don't think anyone is that bad at security, but they are. Like really bad. If it's a love lock, try the current or previous year too.

Step one: pull the shackle like you're trying to open the lock. If you find you can't turn a wheel, release a little tension until you can.

Step two: find the wheel that is hardest to turn—it'll feel like it's scraping a little, or it'll lock into place and have a small amount of wiggle to it, but won't go past the next number.

Step three: cycle through wheels, repeating step two until all of them feel like they're in *a* gate. If a wheel is in a gate, it'll have a small amount of play before it bumps into the ward on the shackle—with a false gate, this *may* be almost no wiggle, with the true gate, it may move by a good half-a-position in either direction before it bumps the edge.

Step four: if it feels like all the wheels are in *a* gate, but the lock isn't open, find the wheel with the least play in it, remember the number, and try rotating it until you find another gate. Once you either come back around to that number, or find a more wiggly one, check the next least wiggly wheel.

Each wheel may have up to N-1 false gates, but will only have 1 true gate, so learning to tell the difference is the key to decoding.

When you watch a professional do this, you'll usually notice them rapidly cycling wheels, wiggling each wheel frequently. It's not a matter of trying a ton of combos quickly, but more about calibrating your feel for the gates. Every lock is a little different, but they all have tells if you listen.

#Locksport #Decoding #CombinationLocks

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 10: Decoding combination locks by "Pull-Picking".

There are a lot of types of combination locks out there, but one of the most common is also one of the easiest to open—no tools necessary.

So, today I'm going to talk about popping locks with nothing but some fingers and a little feeling around.

Almost every example of this style of combination lock uses a series of 3-4 wheels, with 10 numbers or letters arranged around each one (though a rare few have fewer positions per wheel, or a fifth wheel).

From the exploded diagram, you might already be able to see the design flaw. When you pull on the shackle, it pulls on the wheels, and—much like with traditional picking—we can exploit manufacturing defects to give ourselves more information about the solution to our puzzle. To get a feel for this, try interlacing the tips of your fingers, then lift one hand so the sides of your fingers press into each other. The pressure is distributed between all your fingers, but some take more than others. Now fold your middle finger in, so it's no longer in contact with its counterpart; the pressure is distributed between the remaining fingers. This is like the wards on the shackle pressing against the wheels. Once a wheel is set correctly, the remaining tension on the shackle is redistributed to the remaining incorrectly set wheels.

But there's a catch.

Lockmakers add smaller "false gates" along the wheel to trick you into thinking you've got the right combo when you don't.

This means each wheel can be in one of three states: not in a gate, in a false gate, or in a true gate. Our goal is to get all of them set to their true gates.

Remember earlier when I mentioned manufacturing defects and design flaws? Well, in a perfect world (for the locks) all the wheels would be perfectly cut and uniformly shaped, and the false gates would be indistinguishable from the true one. That's not the case.

False gates will always be narrower or shallower than the one true gate on each wheel, and wheels will always be slightly irregular. This means that the pressure won't distribute perfectly between each wheel, and that the false and true gates "feel" different.

Okay, enough origin story—how do you decode one of these?

Step zero: try all zeroes...no really, it's like "password123", you don't think anyone is that bad at security, but they are. Like really bad. If it's a love lock, try the current or previous year too.

Step one: pull the shackle like you're trying to open the lock. If you find you can't turn a wheel, release a little tension until you can.

Step two: find the wheel that is hardest to turn—it'll feel like it's scraping a little, or it'll lock into place and have a small amount of wiggle to it, but won't go past the next number.

Step three: cycle through wheels, repeating step two until all of them feel like they're in *a* gate. If a wheel is in a gate, it'll have a small amount of play before it bumps into the ward on the shackle—with a false gate, this *may* be almost no wiggle, with the true gate, it may move by a good half-a-position in either direction before it bumps the edge.

Step four: if it feels like all the wheels are in *a* gate, but the lock isn't open, find the wheel with the least play in it, remember the number, and try rotating it until you find another gate. Once you either come back around to that number, or find a more wiggly one, check the next least wiggly wheel.

Each wheel may have up to N-1 false gates, but will only have 1 true gate, so learning to tell the difference is the key to decoding.

When you watch a professional do this, you'll usually notice them rapidly cycling wheels, wiggling each wheel frequently. It's not a matter of trying a ton of combos quickly, but more about calibrating your feel for the gates. Every lock is a little different, but they all have tells if you listen.

#Locksport #Decoding #CombinationLocks

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 10: Decoding combination locks by "Pull-Picking".

There are a lot of types of combination locks out there, but one of the most common is also one of the easiest to open—no tools necessary.

So, today I'm going to talk about popping locks with nothing but some fingers and a little feeling around.

Almost every example of this style of combination lock uses a series of 3-4 wheels, with 10 numbers or letters arranged around each one (though a rare few have fewer positions per wheel, or a fifth wheel).

From the exploded diagram, you might already be able to see the design flaw. When you pull on the shackle, it pulls on the wheels, and—much like with traditional picking—we can exploit manufacturing defects to give ourselves more information about the solution to our puzzle. To get a feel for this, try interlacing the tips of your fingers, then lift one hand so the sides of your fingers press into each other. The pressure is distributed between all your fingers, but some take more than others. Now fold your middle finger in, so it's no longer in contact with its counterpart; the pressure is distributed between the remaining fingers. This is like the wards on the shackle pressing against the wheels. Once a wheel is set correctly, the remaining tension on the shackle is redistributed to the remaining incorrectly set wheels.

But there's a catch.

Lockmakers add smaller "false gates" along the wheel to trick you into thinking you've got the right combo when you don't.

This means each wheel can be in one of three states: not in a gate, in a false gate, or in a true gate. Our goal is to get all of them set to their true gates.

Remember earlier when I mentioned manufacturing defects and design flaws? Well, in a perfect world (for the locks) all the wheels would be perfectly cut and uniformly shaped, and the false gates would be indistinguishable from the true one. That's not the case.

False gates will always be narrower or shallower than the one true gate on each wheel, and wheels will always be slightly irregular. This means that the pressure won't distribute perfectly between each wheel, and that the false and true gates "feel" different.

Okay, enough origin story—how do you decode one of these?

Step zero: try all zeroes...no really, it's like "password123", you don't think anyone is that bad at security, but they are. Like really bad. If it's a love lock, try the current or previous year too.

Step one: pull the shackle like you're trying to open the lock. If you find you can't turn a wheel, release a little tension until you can.

Step two: find the wheel that is hardest to turn—it'll feel like it's scraping a little, or it'll lock into place and have a small amount of wiggle to it, but won't go past the next number.

Step three: cycle through wheels, repeating step two until all of them feel like they're in *a* gate. If a wheel is in a gate, it'll have a small amount of play before it bumps into the ward on the shackle—with a false gate, this *may* be almost no wiggle, with the true gate, it may move by a good half-a-position in either direction before it bumps the edge.

Step four: if it feels like all the wheels are in *a* gate, but the lock isn't open, find the wheel with the least play in it, remember the number, and try rotating it until you find another gate. Once you either come back around to that number, or find a more wiggly one, check the next least wiggly wheel.

Each wheel may have up to N-1 false gates, but will only have 1 true gate, so learning to tell the difference is the key to decoding.

When you watch a professional do this, you'll usually notice them rapidly cycling wheels, wiggling each wheel frequently. It's not a matter of trying a ton of combos quickly, but more about calibrating your feel for the gates. Every lock is a little different, but they all have tells if you listen.

#Locksport #Decoding #CombinationLocks

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 10: Decoding combination locks by "Pull-Picking".

There are a lot of types of combination locks out there, but one of the most common is also one of the easiest to open—no tools necessary.

So, today I'm going to talk about popping locks with nothing but some fingers and a little feeling around.

Almost every example of this style of combination lock uses a series of 3-4 wheels, with 10 numbers or letters arranged around each one (though a rare few have fewer positions per wheel, or a fifth wheel).

From the exploded diagram, you might already be able to see the design flaw. When you pull on the shackle, it pulls on the wheels, and—much like with traditional picking—we can exploit manufacturing defects to give ourselves more information about the solution to our puzzle. To get a feel for this, try interlacing the tips of your fingers, then lift one hand so the sides of your fingers press into each other. The pressure is distributed between all your fingers, but some take more than others. Now fold your middle finger in, so it's no longer in contact with its counterpart; the pressure is distributed between the remaining fingers. This is like the wards on the shackle pressing against the wheels. Once a wheel is set correctly, the remaining tension on the shackle is redistributed to the remaining incorrectly set wheels.

But there's a catch.

Lockmakers add smaller "false gates" along the wheel to trick you into thinking you've got the right combo when you don't.

This means each wheel can be in one of three states: not in a gate, in a false gate, or in a true gate. Our goal is to get all of them set to their true gates.

Remember earlier when I mentioned manufacturing defects and design flaws? Well, in a perfect world (for the locks) all the wheels would be perfectly cut and uniformly shaped, and the false gates would be indistinguishable from the true one. That's not the case.

False gates will always be narrower or shallower than the one true gate on each wheel, and wheels will always be slightly irregular. This means that the pressure won't distribute perfectly between each wheel, and that the false and true gates "feel" different.

Okay, enough origin story—how do you decode one of these?

Step zero: try all zeroes...no really, it's like "password123", you don't think anyone is that bad at security, but they are. Like really bad. If it's a love lock, try the current or previous year too.

Step one: pull the shackle like you're trying to open the lock. If you find you can't turn a wheel, release a little tension until you can.

Step two: find the wheel that is hardest to turn—it'll feel like it's scraping a little, or it'll lock into place and have a small amount of wiggle to it, but won't go past the next number.

Step three: cycle through wheels, repeating step two until all of them feel like they're in *a* gate. If a wheel is in a gate, it'll have a small amount of play before it bumps into the ward on the shackle—with a false gate, this *may* be almost no wiggle, with the true gate, it may move by a good half-a-position in either direction before it bumps the edge.

Step four: if it feels like all the wheels are in *a* gate, but the lock isn't open, find the wheel with the least play in it, remember the number, and try rotating it until you find another gate. Once you either come back around to that number, or find a more wiggly one, check the next least wiggly wheel.

Each wheel may have up to N-1 false gates, but will only have 1 true gate, so learning to tell the difference is the key to decoding.

When you watch a professional do this, you'll usually notice them rapidly cycling wheels, wiggling each wheel frequently. It's not a matter of trying a ton of combos quickly, but more about calibrating your feel for the gates. Every lock is a little different, but they all have tells if you listen.

#Locksport #Decoding #CombinationLocks

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 10: Decoding combination locks by "Pull-Picking".

There are a lot of types of combination locks out there, but one of the most common is also one of the easiest to open—no tools necessary.

So, today I'm going to talk about popping locks with nothing but some fingers and a little feeling around.

Almost every example of this style of combination lock uses a series of 3-4 wheels, with 10 numbers or letters arranged around each one (though a rare few have fewer positions per wheel, or a fifth wheel).

From the exploded diagram, you might already be able to see the design flaw. When you pull on the shackle, it pulls on the wheels, and—much like with traditional picking—we can exploit manufacturing defects to give ourselves more information about the solution to our puzzle. To get a feel for this, try interlacing the tips of your fingers, then lift one hand so the sides of your fingers press into each other. The pressure is distributed between all your fingers, but some take more than others. Now fold your middle finger in, so it's no longer in contact with its counterpart; the pressure is distributed between the remaining fingers. This is like the wards on the shackle pressing against the wheels. Once a wheel is set correctly, the remaining tension on the shackle is redistributed to the remaining incorrectly set wheels.

But there's a catch.

Lockmakers add smaller "false gates" along the wheel to trick you into thinking you've got the right combo when you don't.

This means each wheel can be in one of three states: not in a gate, in a false gate, or in a true gate. Our goal is to get all of them set to their true gates.

Remember earlier when I mentioned manufacturing defects and design flaws? Well, in a perfect world (for the locks) all the wheels would be perfectly cut and uniformly shaped, and the false gates would be indistinguishable from the true one. That's not the case.

False gates will always be narrower or shallower than the one true gate on each wheel, and wheels will always be slightly irregular. This means that the pressure won't distribute perfectly between each wheel, and that the false and true gates "feel" different.

Okay, enough origin story—how do you decode one of these?

Step zero: try all zeroes...no really, it's like "password123", you don't think anyone is that bad at security, but they are. Like really bad. If it's a love lock, try the current or previous year too.

Step one: pull the shackle like you're trying to open the lock. If you find you can't turn a wheel, release a little tension until you can.

Step two: find the wheel that is hardest to turn—it'll feel like it's scraping a little, or it'll lock into place and have a small amount of wiggle to it, but won't go past the next number.

Step three: cycle through wheels, repeating step two until all of them feel like they're in *a* gate. If a wheel is in a gate, it'll have a small amount of play before it bumps into the ward on the shackle—with a false gate, this *may* be almost no wiggle, with the true gate, it may move by a good half-a-position in either direction before it bumps the edge.

Step four: if it feels like all the wheels are in *a* gate, but the lock isn't open, find the wheel with the least play in it, remember the number, and try rotating it until you find another gate. Once you either come back around to that number, or find a more wiggly one, check the next least wiggly wheel.

Each wheel may have up to N-1 false gates, but will only have 1 true gate, so learning to tell the difference is the key to decoding.

When you watch a professional do this, you'll usually notice them rapidly cycling wheels, wiggling each wheel frequently. It's not a matter of trying a ton of combos quickly, but more about calibrating your feel for the gates. Every lock is a little different, but they all have tells if you listen.

#Locksport #Decoding #CombinationLocks

See also: #LearnLockpickingWithAlice

I'm making a #LearnLockpickingWithAlice zine for Fedi, and to hand out at an upcoming conference where I've been asked to host a lockpicking village.

It's intended to answer "what should I know about lockpicking (and Alice) in the first 5 minutes?". Then I can explain concepts, teach techniques, and run hands-on demos from there.

If Fedi is excited about this, I'll likely do more in-depth ones on specific aspects of lockpicking and related skills, like: improvised tools, decoding combo locks, slipping latches, etc.

I'll make the finished versions available on my Codeberg page for free.

---

# 1 Alice Watson's Itty-Bitty Intro to Lockpicking

## 2 Picks

Slim teardrop-tip short hook for small keyways, sturdy gem-tip medium hook for bullying, a w-rake for luck, and several turning tools. I've opened 10x more locks with those three picks than all others combined.

Sketches: each of the 3 pick profiles, and a double-ended wiper-insert turning tool

## 3 Lock Types

Warded: wards stop wrong key from turning
Wafer: flat wafers prevent core turning
Pin-tumbler: pin stacks prevent core turning
Tubular: pin-tumbler, but circular arrangement

Sketches: a key and keyway for each of the 4 lock types, a wafer, and the inside of a pin-tumbler lock

## 4 Pins Types

A pin-stack consists of a spring, driver, and a key pin. Driver pins have different shapes, key pins have different lengths (bitting).

Standard: plain cylinder
Spool: like a thread spool, causes false-sets
Serrated: like standard pins, but clickier

There are many others, but they're much rarer.

Sketches: each of the 3 pins

## 5 Techniques

Torsion: rotates core, use just enough force to balance a few coins on your fingertip
Single-pin picking: find binding pin, set it, repeat
Raking: generate random bitting guesses—try rising, falling, flat, and rocking motions

Sketches: turning tool & pick setting pin in cutaway pin-tumbler lock, raking motions

## 6 Practice Locks

Clear: good for first 10 minutes, terrible feedback
Laminated Master: good until trivial
Master 140: has spools, good until trivial

Sketches: each of the 3 padlocks

## 7 Bypasses

Keys (TSA007, CH751): they just work
Combs: open some locks as fast as the key
Shims: good for cheap padlocks

Sketches: TSA007 & CH751 keys, comb, padlock and door shims

## 8 About Alice

Alice is a love-lock enthusiast, professional lockpicker, and lockpicking instructor who has been in the sport for nearly a decade. In that time, Alice has taught at several security conferences, hosted workshops, become a brand ambassador for Red Team Tools, and opened many thousands of locks.

Sketches: Alice's profile pic, heart-shaped love lock

LGBTQIA.space/@alice
[email address]

Anyone sleeping on the #LearnLockpickingWithAlice posts is seriously missing out! 🔓

Just LOADS of amazing advice. 🤩

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 9 (part two): Security pins and other cheeky buggers.

When you move on from Master No.1-8 laminated padlocks and the brandless Chinese padlocks that are based on them, you're going to start finding locks with spools. The first spools you're likely to encounter will be in the Master 140/141 and V-line locks (they're everywhere). In the video below I'm showing a Brinks 164 (which typically has two spools).

Spools will always be combined with at least one standard pin (or another full-bodied pin) otherwise the lock wobbles. Once you set the standard pin(s), the lock will drop into a "false set"—this is where the core turns a small amount and then gets stuck on the narrow part of the spool.

Once in a false set, your goal is to find the most "talkative" pin—the one that causes the core to try to rotate backwards as you push on it. This talkative pin will be one of the spools.

As you set that pin, the core will try to rotate backwards a small amount to accommodate fitting the spool's chonky little rump through the opening at the shear line. Just slowly ease off the tension as you push and let it happen. Once the spool sets, you'll either drop back into a false set, have to re-set a standard pin or two, or the lock will open.

The tricky part about spools is that they tend to unset other pins when you set them, which can lead to a game of whack-a-mole in a lock with multiple spools as one drops every time another gets set. To get put of this loop, try setting the spools in a different order, using slightly heavier tension and wiggling your pick a bit as you set it, or...

"Reverse Picking" (as I call it) — this is where you purposefully overset *all the pins* by using the shank of your pick to lift everything as high as it'll go *before applying tension*. Once you apply tension, lower your pick and probe around to see which pins didn't stay up (you'll come back to them). Now back off the tension until you hear/feel the first pin pop back down. Test it. What's binding? If something is binding, set it; if not, ease off the tension a bit more and repeat. With a little skill (and luck) you'll have defeated several pins right off the bat, and the one(s) that drop will get caught at the shear line. You can also gently rake the overset pins with your pick to dislodge them sometimes. When it works, it's kinda magical to bypass the security pins and only have to set one or two stragglers.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 9 (part one): Security pins and other cheeky buggers.

I couldn't do much better than TheMuspelheimr's Reddit post for images and descriptions of the various pin types, so I'll direct you there for that stuff.

https://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/comments/ym1fk2/a_guide_to_security_pins

Now on to my notes. Until you level up a bit, you're likely to only encounter regular and spool pins, maybe a serrated pin here and there (such as in the American 1100 series locks).

While picking a lock with all standard (regular) pins is pretty straight forward, security pins can cause some serious issues for new pickers (as well as experts 😅). But before I dive in on those, let's talk about something tricky lock makers can do with standard pins.

The "guard pin". This is what we call a pin that sits in front of another pin and sets lower than the one behind it. The worst guard pins are "zero-lift" pins—a pin that oversets if lifted *at all*. Interestingly guard pins are also what makes locks "key-retaining" (e.g. the key gets stuck in the keyway when the lock is open). The worst guard pins tend to be the second-from-last pin, because that's where you have the least wiggle-room to angle your pick. Two ways to handle guard pins are to use a deeper hook, and/or to use top-of-the-keyway tension, so you can come at the pin from a steeper angle.

The opposite of the guard pin—which I'll call "the nub" because it makes me laugh—is a very short pin that has to be lifted basically all the way up until it's flush with the top of the core. Because of MACS (max adjacent cut specs) you won't see nubs and zero-lift pins next to each other, but you will find nubs as the first pin sometimes. When paired with a guard pin in the second-to-last slot, this makes top-of-the-keyway tension much more difficult, as your turning tool acts as a guard pin for the nub in front. This sometimes causes pickers to pick their turning tool right out of the keyway as they're trying to set the nub.

Part two to follow.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 8: single-pin picking. The picking purists pursuit.

*professor voice* Single-pin picking is the Platonic ideal of lockpicking. You exploit the inevitable imperfections of the world, deftly manipulating each pin—defeating the designer's best efforts to thwart you—until, finally, it bends to your skill and determination. *pop*

If raking is about rapidly guessing semi-random numbers, then single-pin picking is about taking methodical, educated guesses until you discover the correct code.

A lot of the skill of single-pin picking has already been covered in previous lessons, but here's a refresher to tie it together before moving to security pins in the next lesson.

Because manufacturing is imperfect, we can apply a *small* rotational force to a lock's core (using a turning tool), which causes the (imperfectly aligned) pins closest to the wall of the lock's housing to bind up.

We can then feel around with our pick to gather information about the internal state of the lock. We hunt for the pin that is binding the hardest, and then leverage it towards the housing until the driver pin is above the shear line (and the key pin is below).

We keep track of the internal state by remembering which pins we've moved from their default state, and whether they're binding, set, or overset. If they're binding, we seek to set them. If they're overset we release tension on the core until they're back to their at-rest state. When they're all set, the lock opens.

The biggest skill involved is in learning to differentiate between pin states, followed by correctly tensioning the lock, and remembering the internal states of the pins.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 7: Raking, rocking, and zipping.

Sometimes you just need a quick open...and that's when rapid entry techniques come in.

Sure, you *could* single-pin pick it, or you could shove something in the keyway like you're a randy college kid and just wiggle it around until something happens.

Okay, I'm being a little flippant. Raking techniques *do* actually require skill, and I think that's where some folx get stuck. So let's talk about keys and why raking works.

- Every pin-tumbler lock has a number of pins (typically 4-6).
- Each key pin comes in a set number of lengths (typically 7±2).
- The key bitting is just the height of the shear line, minus the length of the key pin.

So think of a key as a (semi)secret code. You punch it into the lock, and if it's the right code, it opens.

That's a lot of potential combinations, but there's a few things that work in our favor:

- MACS (max adjacent cut specification) — no two adjacent key cuts can differ by more than a few numbers, so no 09090 keys, but 69696 is valid.
- A set pin will tend to remain set.
- A binding pin will tend towards a set state.
- An overset pin will fall when tension is released.
- A nonbinding pin will return to its default state.

To "guess" the right combination with our rake, we need to generate some numbers, and we need to do it quickly.

The skill of raking is in quickly moving the tool in one of a few patterns, while varying tension on the core.

Here are some key codes that demonstrate the patterns of the bitting: 33333 (flat), 12345 (rising), 54321 (falling), 12321 (hump), 32123 (valley), 13131 (sawtooth).

Were going to focus on the valley, because it gets us closest to five of the six patterns in one basic movement—rocking.

See the attached video for an example. The rake (I prefer a triple-peak w-shaped rake for this technique for a few reasons) is placed towards the middle pin and rocked using the middle finger as a pivot. This tends to lift the front and back pins into that valley shape. Tilt your rake up or down as you rock it to make it more like the rising or falling slope. Scrub slightly and rock less to simulate the flat and sawtooth patterns.

While rocking the rake, if everything seems mushy, you've probably overset stuff, back off the tension slightly. If everything seems springy, apply more tension until you feel a pin resisting movement a bit. If the pins all seem bound up and frozen, back off the tension until you get movement again.

Raking is a fast attack. If it doesn't open by the count of three, change your pattern.

If you go through the patterns a few times and it doesn't open, then it might be a hump-bitting, or it might just be rake-resistant. *But* if you get it opened even once by raking, then you know it's repeatable with that specific rake and lock.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 6: What goes on inside a lock?

A (typical pin tumbler) lock consists of a pretty simple mechanism. Pairs of pins—the driver and key pins—are pushed by a spring, such that the driver pins block the core of the lock from rotating. When a key is inserted, it raises the pin-stacks so that the driver pin is above the shear line between the core and the lock housing, and they key pin is below it. Key pins are different lengths to compliment the bitting of the key, so that they all end up being the same height when resting on the cuts in the key.

In picking a lock, we simulate the key by manipulating the pins manually.

Locks are only pickable because manufacturing is imperfect. *Ideally* the pin chambers would be perfectly identical and in a perfectly straight line. *Ideally* the pins would be perfectly smooth and identical in all but length. But that's never the case. And we can use that fact to our advantage.

When we apply rotational force to the core of the lock with our turning tool, it causes the pin-stacks to pinch between the core and the housing. The pin closest to the direction we're turning will get pinched the hardest. That's the one we're looking for. When we lift that pin with our pick, it scrapes against the pin chamber until it reaches the shear line. Once it's set correctly, the next closest pin will bind, and so on. It's the same pinching that causes the set pins to stay in place—they rest on the lip of the core's chamber. Once all the pins are set, nothing is blocking the core from turning, and *click* the lock opens.

When you lift a pin too high, you "overset" it, which means the key pin is now the thing being pinched, rather than the driver pin. This'll result in a mushy, dead feeling in the pin. It'll go up, but won't spring or fall back down. It also means other pins won't bind, so everything just feels kind of lifeless in the core (like we do under capitalism).

If you *ease* off the tension, then eventually a pin will drop back down. With any luck, it's the overset one. Reapply tension and poke around to see if a pin is binding nicely If not, ease off tension again until another pin drops. This is how you recover from a misstep while picking. If you have to do this more than once or twice, consider dropping all the pins and starting over—because you've probably lost your mental image of the lock's state and it'll be better to start clean.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 5: How to practice.

*Clear locks* — Clear locks are great...for your first hour. Use them to see how the insides of the lock respond to your tool. When you lift or rock your pick or rake, how do the pins respond? Can you isolate one pin at a time with your pick's tip, or do you accidentally move other pins too? How deep is the core? How does the inside of the lock feel?

When you visualize what's going on in the lock, imagine it blown up so the pins are the size of soda cans. It'll be easier to "see" their current state as you manipulate them.

*Multi-lock practice* — When I practice, I grab several locks that look nearly identical—five is great, as that's enough that it's hard to keep track of them in your head. Work through the group. Each time you pick one, lock it up and put it back in the pile before you grab another. Don't try to memorize each lock, try to visualize the internal state and get a clean open in as few movements as possible. Learn the characteristics they have in common. How do they feel? What quirks do they have? Can you start to tell which lock is which by just the differences in the bitting of the pins or the binding order?

*Speed-picking* — Once you can open each of the locks in the group without getting stuck for more than a few minutes on any one lock, time yourself picking all of them. Record that time. What was your average time per lock for that group? Keep practicing and then time yourself again in a few days. Aim for precise, clean, methodical opens. If you lose track of the state of the lock in your head, release tension and start again. With practice, you'll see your average time per lock getting faster and faster. If you can consistently open them in less than a minute each on average, you're doing good.

*Tiered difficulty practice* — Once a group of locks becomes trivial to you, get a new group of locks that are a tier more difficult and repeat the process. Start each practice by burning through the previous group to warm up, then work on the new group. Aim to spend most of your practice time at the upper edge of your ability. They should be challenging you. If you find yourself getting frustrated, go back to the previous group for some easy wins before you call it quits for the day. Always end your practice with some successes.

If you want a list of appropriate locks at each stage of difficulty, this is a great resource: https://lpubelts.com/#/locks

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice bonus lesson: Sometimes your stomach-wookie sings the song of its people while you're trying to film a 5-second clip of you opening a vintage Louis Vuitton padlock off of a $1000 purse, so you snort-laugh and have to redo the whole thing.

For real, I tried to film this clip like half a dozen times. First is was a motorcycle speeding by, then a plane, then my girlfriend scooting her chair, then auto-focus issues, then a stomach-wookie, then finally a clean take.

I made pizza after this shot.

And yes, this lock—that was presumably hundreds of dollars new—opens with just a turning tool...no picks needed 🤣

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 4: learning locks.

I often see new lockpickers diving into a lock cold, then getting discouraged when a lock won't pop for them. Or, they manage to get lucky once in a while, but it feels like lightning—exciting, but random and uncontrollable.

So today I'm going to talk about getting to know your lock—I'm going to talk about foreplay. (y'all went there first, I'm just leaning into it 😋)

When you get consent to touch a new lock, your first date should be about feeling it out. What brand and model is it? Are you familiar with their quirks? Have you been around the lock a few times with this type before, or is this uncharted territory? Is the lock in good shape? Is it clean and oiled, rusty and gritty? Does it feel classy and expensive or is it cheap and sloppy? Is it crisp and new, or has it seen some action?

Alright, first base time. Grab a tool (something relatively straight, like the back of a half-diamond or a probe) and slide it in. Get all up in those pins and then slowly pull out. How many pins did you count? How did each one feel as it dropped down? How deep was the keyway? Where were the pins located and how were they spaced? Were they narrow little pins like American locks use, or thicker, harder pins like an ABUS? Do this a few times and picture the inside of the lock as you do.

Second base. Find a turning tool with a nice fit and slip it in. Rest your finger on the edge of the tool and press a little. How much tension is required to move the core? Is it sloppy, smooth, gritty? How far does it turn before the first pins bind? How much spring is there to it? Is your turning tool slipping around, or do you feel like you're in control of the core? Get a feel for how much force is needed to counter the springiness—hint, it's less than you probably think.

Third base. Slide your favorite pick all the way back into the keyway, then apply a little pressure to the turning tool. How much room do you have with both tools in there? Is it too tight? Work your way from the back to the front, feeling each pin with the tip of your pick. Which pin is binding? How much force do you need to move it? What does it feel like when it moves? How about when it sets into place? Did the core rotate a little? Can you feel it? Okay, now keep pushing. Feel that pin overset. What does that feel like? Did the core counter-rotate? Try releasing tension and trying a few more times. Springy, binding, pushing, set, overset, release. Now set that pin correctly and move to the next one that binds.

Good job. Now you're ready to go all the way. Keep knocking those pins up. Try to remember the binding order and the state of each pin as you go. If you lose track of the steps and state, reset the lock and start over. Repeat until you know exactly what you're doing and *why* at each step. Don't fumble for an open right away. Be methodical.

With practice, you'll be able to grab a new lock and size it up in a few seconds. And when it pops, you'll know it was because you're a fucking badass, not just someone who got lucky :gay_alice_shades:

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 3: Reproducibility.

The key to opening locks easily, quickly, and consistently is...consistency.

Limit your variables.
Know your tools.
Know your lock.
Focus on your technique.

When I did speed-picking, I only used two tools. A short hook and a medium-sized turning tool. But I knew those tools inside and out.

When I went to meetups and conferences, folx would show up with *huge* kits full of dozens of picks. I could often have a lock open before they could select a tool. Not to mention, their picking practice was spread out over a dozen pick profiles and gimmicks. Instead of focusing on their technique when they hit a wall, they'd reach for a different tool in the hopes that it would make things easier.

When you open a lock successfully, ask yourself "how clean was that open?", "can I do it better?", "did every movent count?"

Every movent should do one of three things:
1. Give you more information about the lock.
2. Set one or more pins.
3. Recover from a misstep.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice lesson 2: Tension tools and pick grip.

Remember when I said turning tools are the most important part of your kit? Well, that's because it's easier to open most locks with a good turning tool and a trash pick than vice versa.

A good turning tool fits the keyway with almost no wiggle room. It shouldn't obstruct your working space, and it should be as easy to apply tension as to remove tension. The two figures below show a tool that is slightly too thin and one that is just right for this lock. The thinner tool sits at a greater angle to the keyway, and when tension is applied, it tries to slip into the small gap in the warding at the very bottom. This makes it dig into the lock's housing and, which both diminishes feedback and gives less control over the core.

The correct turning tool can be easily inserted and removed, but doesn't easily fall out. It will typically form a right-angle to the keyway, and it won't wedge itself into any little nooks or crannies when tension is applied.

---

Pick grip: The third image shows my preferred pick grip—pinched between pointer finger and thumb, resting on the side of the middle finger. This gives you great control for a variety of picking and raking techniques. When inserted into a lock, your middle fingertip should touch the front of the core. Touching the lock with your middle fingertip, while resting the pick on the side of your middle finger, gives you several advantages:

- Consistency — you can measure along your fingertip so, without looking, you know how deep the pick is in the keyway, and that you haven't accidentally changed its orientation to the lock.

- Leverage — you can gently rock the pick or rake using your middle fingertip as a pivot. This helps you consistently apply the correct lifting force to the pins and reduces chance of oversetting pins. It also makes dealing with counter-rotation easier when working on spool pins.

- Feedback — you'll feel much more feedback as you work in the lock. When a pin sets, you'll have a chance to feel it in your (correctly-sized) turning tool, along your pick, and in the fingertip/nail of your middle finger where it touches the lock's face. With practice, when a pin drops you should be able to tell which one by where it strikes the shank of your pick—you'll feel it closer or farther from your middle fingertip, and if you know the length and position of the pick-tip, then you know which pin fell.

#LearnLockpickingWithAlice, lesson 1: Get yourself a decent starter set.

You'll want some good turning tools. My favorites are the red/white/blue set from Red Team Tools for a few reasons: they're a good range of thicknesses, they're color-coded, they're smooth, and the short ends are slimmed down for top of the keyway tensioning or for smaller locks. Turning tools are the most important part of your kit.

You'll want a couple good hooks. I recommend a thin-shank short hook, and a sturdy short/medium hook. The thin one will be your friend in tight keyways and for small locks. The sturdy one will let you bully most other locks.

Finally, you'll want a couple wave rakes. My favorites are the triple-peak w-shape and m-shape (in that order). They're easy to work with, don't get hung up on the keyway, and can be maneuvered to more precisely hit specific pins.

Oh, and you'll need some locks to practice on. Clear locks are great *for your first day*, but you'll run into trouble if you start to rely on seeing the pins. Grab some cheap Master No.3, Master No.140, and/or Brinks padlocks. They're satisfying to open, and they'll teach you the basics. Beware dollar store locks—the manufacturing is usually shit and some have plastic cores, which feel like garbage to pick, and break easily.

Everything else is icing on the cake.

Most starter sets will include a "city rake" or "L rake", and several other mostly useless picks. Ignore them. They're filler and you'll spend days just trying to find a valid reason to carry them—because they *have* to be good for *something*, right? ...right?

Here's the kit I currently recommend: https://www.redteamtools.com/essential-lock-pick-set/ (with the book https://www.redteamtools.com/practical-lock-picking-a-physical-penetration-testers-training-guide-by-deviant-ollam-signed) It's ~$60, solid, no fluff, and well made. I love the book, the turning tools are part of my everyday carry, and I use the picks whenever I teach lockpicking in person.

Disclaimer: @deviantollam (Red Team Tools' founder) is a friend of mine, but I don't recommend anything that I don't personally use.