ANARCHY COOKBOOK VERSION 2000: The Arts of Lockpicking II

So you want to be a criminal. Well, if you want to be like James Bond and open a lock in fifteen seconds, then go to Hollywood, because that is the only place you are ever going to do it. Even experienced locksmiths can spend five to ten minutes on a lock if they are unlucky. If you are wanting 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.

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 unwilling 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 90ø). Now, take your pick to a grinder or a file, and smooth the end until it is 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. It must be small enough for it and your pick to be used in the same lock at the same time, one above the other. In the coming instructions, please refer to this chart of the interior of a lock:



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, it's 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 are through, there will be a click, the screwdriver will turn freely, and the door will open. Do not get discouraged on your first try! It will probably take you about twenty to thirty minutes your first time. After that, you will quickly improve with practice.