How To - Pick Combination Lockz

Picking Combination Locks

by: The Byte Byter

The writer of this text file takes responsibility for what

this text file is used for.

Well, on with the text file.

Ok, so ya say ya wanna learn how to pick combination locks...This text

file should help you. As a matter of fact, if ya do it right, it will help

you. First of all, let me tell you about the set-up of a lock. When the lock

is locked, there is a curved piece of metal wedged inside the little notch

on the horseshoe shaped bar that is pushed in to the lock when you lock it.

To free this wedge, you must (must is a word used to much) you usually (that

sounds much better) have to turn the lock to the desired combination and the

pressure on the wedge is released therefore letting the lock open. I will now

tell you how to make a pick so you can open a lock without having to waste

all that time turning the combination (this also helps when ya don't know the

combination to begin with). First of all, ya need to find a hairpin. What's a

hairpin? Well, just ask your mom. She will have one. If she asks what its

for, say ya gotta hold something together... If she says use a rubber band or

use a paperclip, tell her thanks anyway and then go to the store and buy

you a box of 50 or so. Ok, enough stalling (yea, I was stalling). Once you

have your hair pin (make sure its metal), take the ridged side and break it off

right before it starts to make a U-turn onto the straight side. The curved part

can now be used as a handle. Now, using a file, file down the other end

until it is fairly thin. You should do this to many hairpins and file them

so they are of different thicknesses so you can pick various locks. Some locks

are so cheap that ya don't even have ta file! But most are not. Ok, now you

have a lock pick. Now if ya haven't figured it out, here's how ya use it.

You look at a lock to see which side the lock opens from. If you can't tell,

you will just have to try both sides. When ya find out what side it opens from,

take the lock pick and stick the filed end into the inside of the horseshoe-

shaped bar on whichever side the lock opens from. Now, put pressure on the

handle of the lock pick (pushing down, into the crack) and pull the lock up and

down. The lock will then open because the pick separated the wedge and the

notch allowing us thieves to open it. Don't say bullshit until you've tried it.

Also, this technique works best on American locks. I have never

picked a Master lock before because of the shape of the pressure wedge. But

if anyone does it, let me know how long it took. Also, the Master lock casing

is very tight so ya can't get the pick in. So, if you're locking something

valuable up, use a Master, cuz at least ya know I won't be picking it and I'm

sure there aren't that many that could. And when I say pick, I don't mean

lighting a stick of dynamite next to the lock, picking is opening a lock without

using force, making a substitute key, etc... If any of you believe that this

information is not sufficient for picking an American lock, or any other kind

besides Master, leave me a message at /\/\etalland 1 (503) 538-0761.

This concludes my text file on picking combination locks. My next text

file will probably be "Picking key locks". See ya later.

The Byte Byter

This text file was written on 06/21/85. Edited on 11-1-87 by Z.W.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY COMPUTER PIRATES OF UTAH

COURTESY OF THE SAFEHOUSE (801)-264-8201

L O C K P I C K I N G

WRITTEN BY: DARC DEATHE

THIS TUTORIAL WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW TO "PICK" A PIN TUMBLER LOCK. USE OF THIS

MATERIAL IS FOR LOCKSMITHS ONLY, ANY USE OF THIS INFORMATION FOR ILLEGAL

PURPOSES IS FORBIDDEN AND AGAINST THE LAW. (AS LONG AS WE ARE AT IT, DO YOU

WANT TO BUY SOME LAND IN FLORIDA?)

IN ORDER TO PICK A PIN TUMBLER LOCK, YOU WILL REQUIRE FOUR ITEMS: A LOCK,

YOU, A PICK, AND A TENSION WRENCH. YOU CAN USUALLY GET THESE AT A LOCKSMITH

STORE, IF YOU CAN NOT FIND ONE NEAR YOU THERE WILL BE AN ADDRESS AT THE END OF

THE ARTICLE THAT YOU CAN ORDER THEM FROM. HERE IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF A PICK

AND A TENSION WRENCH:

________/ !________

PICK TENSION WRENCH

MOST PEOPLE KNOW OF THE NEED FOR THE PICK, BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE WRENCH

IS FOR. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WITHOUT IT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO PICK

A LOCK.

IN ORDER TO PICK A LOCK, WE MUST COUNT UPON THE IMPERFECTION OF THE LOCK.

BEFORE WE LOOK AT HOW TO ACTUALLY PICK THE LOCK, WE WILL LOOK AT THE PARTS OF

IT AND HOW THE IMPERFECTION PART FITS IN. HERE IS A DISASSEMBLED LOCK:

/ / / /

\ \ \ \

SPRINGS -> / / / /

\ \ \ \

_ _ _ _

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

DRIVERS ->! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

!_! !_! !_! !_!

_ _

! ! _ ! !

BOTTOM PINS ->! ! ! ! _ ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/

_____________________

! : : : : : : : : !

HOUSING ->! : : : : : : : : !

! : : : : : : : : !

!___: :_: :_: :_: :___!

! : : : : : : : : !

PLUG ->! : : : : : : : : !

!______________________!

! !

! !

! !

!_____________________!

___

/ \

! !__ _ _

! \__ / \_/ \__

! \/ \

\__/------------------- <- KEY

WHEN YOU INSERT A KEY INTO A LOCK, THE BOTTEM PINS ARE PUSHED UP, AND IF IT

IS THE PROPER KEY, THE TOPS OF THE BOTTOM PINS WILL MATCH WITH THE SPOT

WHERE THE PLUG AND HOUSING MEET, THUS ALLOWING YOU TO TURN THE PLUG, AND OPEN

THE DOOR, ETC.. WHEN YOU INSERT THE KEY, THE BOTTOM PINS GO INTO THE VALLEYS OF

THE KEY, THUS MEANING THAT THE KEY MUST HAVE THE RIGHT HEIGHT VALLEYS TO MAKE

THE LOCK OPEN. PRETTY ELEMENTARY, RIGHT? WELL NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO HOW TO PICK

A LOCK.

IN ORDER TO PICK A LOCK WE (AS I SAID BEFORE) DEPEND ON THE INACCURACY OF THE

MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE FIRST THING TO DO IS TO INSERT THE TENSION WRENCH

INTO THE LOCK AND APPLY A SLIGHT PRESSURE TO THE LEFT (OR RIGHT IF YOU

WISH) SO THAT IF YOU COULD LOOK INSIDE THE LOCK AT WHERE THE PLUG AND THE

HOUSING WOULD MEET, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:

! !*! !

HOUSING ! !*! !

! !*! !

__________! !*! !___________

__________ !*! ____________

! !*!!

PLUG ! !_!!

! _ !

! !*!!

! \_/!

NOW A SLIGHT PRESSURE IS ON THE PINS. BECAUSE THE PINS CAN NOT BE PRODUCED

EXACTLY THE SAME, THERE IS ONE PIN WHICH IS THE WIDEST AND THEREFORE HAS

MORE TENSION ON IT, AND ONE WHICH IS THE THINNEST AND HAS ALMOST NO PRESSURE

ON IT. WE NOW USE THE PICK TO >GENTLY<>

WHEN YOU LET IT DOWN) UNTIL WE FIND WHICH IS THE TIGHTEST ONE AND WHICH IS

LOOSEST. GETTING THE FEEL FOR THIS IS THE HARDEST PART OF LOCK PICKING. NOW

THAT YOU HAVE FOUND THE LOOSEST ONE, GENTLY PRESS IT UPWARD UNTIL YOU FEEL

A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN TENSION ON THE TENSION WRENCH. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN

THE TOP OF THE BOTTOM PIN BECOMES EVEN WITH THE JUNCTION OF THE PLUG AND

THE HOUSING. DO NOT RELEASE ANY TENSION FROM THE WRENCH NOW! THE DRIVER WILL

NOW BE TRAPPED IN THE HOUSING AS ILLUSTRATED HERE: (DON'T I DRAW PRETTY)

! !*! !

HOUSING ! !*! !

! !*! !

___________! !_! !___________

_______________ ___________

! !*! !

PLUG ! !*! !

! \_/ !

! !

NOW YOU CONTINUE THIS PROCESS WITH EACH OF THE PINS UNTIL YOU WORK YOUR WAY UP

TO THE ONE THAT IS WIDEST. WITH SOME PRACTICE YOU CAN GET FAIRLY FAST AT

THIS. I SUGGEST PRACTICING ON A FOUR PIN TUMBLER LOCK THAT IS BOUGHT FROM A

HARDWARE STORE, THE CHEAPER THE BETTER.

I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS A PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION OF THE PINS NOW THAT MAY

PRESENT A PARTICULARLY HARD JOB TO PICK. THIS IS GRAPHICALLY SHOWN HERE BY

THE TWO MIDDLE PINS:

!*! !*! !*! !*!

!*! !*! !_! !*!

!*! !*! _ !*!

!_! !*! !*! !_!

_ !*! !*! _

!*! !*! !*! !*!

!*! !_! !*! !*!

!*! _ !*! !*!

!*! !*! !*! !*!

\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/

\_______________

WHEN YOU TRY TO PUSH THE 2ND PIN FROM THE LEFT UP, YOU WILL UNAVOIDABLY BE

PUSHING THE ONE IN FRONT OF IT UP BECAUSE OF IT'S LONG BOTTOM PIN. THE ONLY

SOLUTION FOR THIS IS TO GET A SPECIAL PICK THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS:

\

\ _______________

\_/

THE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT IT IS HARD TO INITIALLY DETECT. THE REASON

THAT IT MAKES IT HARDER IF IT IS NOT IMMEDIATELY APPARENT IS THAT YOU UN-

AVOIDABLY PUSH THE 3RD PIN FROM THE LEFT UP INTO THE HOUSING, GETTING IT

JAMMED:

! !*! !

HOUSING ! !_! !

! _ !

! !*! !

__________! !*! !________

___________ !*! ________

!!*!!

PLUG !!*!!

!\_/!

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS A TECHNIQUE CALLED RAKING. IT USES A

TOOL LIKE THIS:

\/\/\/\___________

BASICALLY YOU "RAKE" IT BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE PINS, HOPING THAT COMBINED

WITH THE TENSION IT WILL GIVE YOU THE RIGHT COMBINATION. THIS WAY HAS BEEN

KNOWN: FAST SOMETIMES, BUT IS NOT VERY RELIABLE, AND I WOULD SUGGEST

LEARNING TO ACTUALLY "PICK" THE LOCK.

EARLIER I PROMISED AN ADDRESS TO ORDER LOCKSMITHING MATERIALS FROM, SO HERE IT

IS:

GARRISON PROTECTIVE ELECTRONICS

BOX 128

KEW GARDENS, NEW YORK, 11415

SOURCES: PERSONAL PRACTICE AND MANY EXCELLENT BOOKS FROM MENTOR PRESS, IF

YOU WOULD LIKE THEIR CATALOG, SEND A SASE TO:

THE INTELLIGENCE LIBRARY

MENTOR PUBLICATIONS

135-53 NORTHERN BLVD.

FLUSHING, NY 11354

AND ASK FOR ANY INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE INTELLIGENCE LIBRARY.

THIS CONCLUDES OUR EXTRAORDINARILY GRAPHIC ARTICLE ON LOCK PICKING. IF YOU

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LEAVE E-MAIL FOR DARC DEATHE ON MOST NATIONAL BBS'S.

Edited by : Quasimoto

LOCK PICKING

BY ^^^NIGHTWING^^^

SO YOU WANT TO BE A CRIMINAL. WELL, IF YOU ARE WANTING TO BE LIKE JAMES BOND

AND OPEN A LOCK IN FIFTEEN SECONDS, GO TO HOLLYWOOD BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY

PLACE YOUR GONNA DO IT. EVEN EXPERIENCED LOCKSMITHS CAN SPEND 5 TO 10 MINUTES

ON A LOCK IF THEY'RE UNLUCKY. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR EXTREMELY QUICK ACCESS,

LOOK ELSEWHERE.

THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS WILL PERTAIN MOSTLY TO THE "LOCK-IN-KNOB" TYPE

LOCK, SINCE IT IS THE EASIEST TO PICK. IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT DEMAND, I WILL

LATER WRITE A FILE DISCUSSING THE OTHER FORMS OF ENTRANCE, INCLUDING DEAD-BOLT

FIRST OF ALL, YOU NEED A PICK SET. IF YOU KNOW A LOCKSMITH, GET HIM TO MAKE YOU

A SET. THIS WILL BE THE BEST POSSIBLE SET FOR YOU TO USE. IF YOU FIND A

LOCKSMITH WILLING TO SUPPLY A SET, DON'T GIVE UP HOPE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE

YOUR OWN, IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A GRINDER (YOU CAN USE A FILE, BUT IT TAKES

FOREVER.)

THE THING YOU NEED IS AN ALLEN WRENCH SET (VERY SMALL). THESE SHOULD BE SMALL

ENOUGH TO FIT INTO THE KEYHOLE SLOT. NOW, BEND THE LONG END OF THE ALLEN

WRENCH AT A SLIGHT ANGLE..(NOT 90 DEG.) IT SHOULD LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

#1

\\

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (THIS IS THE HANDLE

\\\ THAT WAS ALREADY

\\\ (HERE.)

\\\

\\\

\\\

NOW, TAKE YOUR PICK TO A GRINDER OR A FILE AND SMOOTH THE END (#1) UNTIL IT'S

ROUNDED SO IT WON'T HANG INSIDE THE LOCK. TEST YOUR TOOL OUT ON DOORKNOBS AT

YOUR HOUSE TO SEE IF IT WILL SLIDE IN AND OUT SMOOTHLY.

NOW, THIS IS WHERE THE SCREWDRIVER COMES IN. IS IT SMALL ENOUGH FOR IT AND

YOUR PICK TO BE USED IN THE SAME LOCK AT THE SAME TIME, ONE ABOVE THE OTHER ?

LETS HOPE SO, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOUR GONNA OPEN IT.

IN THE COMING INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO THIS CHART OF THE INTERIOR OF A

LOCK:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX| K

# # # # # # | E

# # # # | Y

* * | H

* * * * * * | O

| L

| E

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|

#= UPPER TUMLER PIN

*= LOWER TUMLER PIN

X= CYLINDER WALL

(THIS IS A GREATLY SIMPLIFIED DRAWING)

THE OBJECT IS TO PRESS THE PIN UP SO THAT THE SPACE BETWEEN THE UPPER PIN AND

THE LOWER PIN IS LEVEL WITH THE CYLINDER WALL. NOW, IF YOU PUSH A PIN UP, ITS

TENDENCY IS TO FALL BACK DOWN, RIGHT ? THAT IS WHERE THE SCREWDRIVER COMES IN.

INSERT THE SCREWDRIVER INTO THE SLOT AND TURN. THIS TENSION WILL KEEP THE

"SOLVED" PINS FROM FALLING BACK DOWN. NOW, WORK FROM THE BACK OF THE LOCK TO

THE FRONT, AND WHEN YOU'RE THROUGH.....

THERE WILL BE A CLICK, THE SCREWDRIVER WILL TURN FREELY, AND THE DOOR WILL

OPEN. DON'T GET DISCOURAGED ON YOUR FIRST TRY! IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE YOU ABOUT

20-30 MINUTES YOUR FIRST TIME. AFTER THAT YOU WILL QUICKLY IMPROVE WITH

PRACTICE.

X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X

Another file downloaded from: The NIRVANAnet(tm) Seven

& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Taipan Enigma 510/935-5845

Burn This Flag Zardoz 408/363-9766

realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510/527-1662

Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 801/278-2699

The New Dork Sublime Biffnix 415/864-DORK

The Shrine Rif Raf 206/794-6674

Planet Mirth Simon Jester 510/786-6560

"Raw Data for Raw Nerves"

X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X