Locksmithing FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Locksmithing.
This FAQ about Locksmithing was compiled and written by by Joe
"Spike" Ilacqua spike@indra.com and Henry Schaffer hes@ncsu.edu, major
data collection effort by Scott Anguish sanguish@digifix.com
with numerous contributions by others.
Credit and Thanks
The alt.locksmithing FAQ was put together from postings by
[161]spike@indra.com spike@indra.com (Joe "Spike" Ilacqua), and
hes@ncsu.edu (Henry Schaffer), with a major data collection effort by
sanguish@digifix.com (Scott Anguish). Edited by hes. Translated to
English by eliz@world.std.com (Elizabeth Lear). Send comments,
criticisms, and compliments to "alt-locksmithing-faq@indra.com".
The following have contributed to this FAQ:
Scott Anguish sanguish@digifix.com
J. James (Jim) Belonis II manager@dirac.phys.washington.edu
Stephen J Berch sberch@world.std.com
John F. Bousquet bousquet@crl.com
Chris Boyd clb@oc.com
Robert Bruce Findler rf27+@andrew.cmu.edu
Hobbit hobbit@>(looking for current address)
Marcus Jenkins marcus@marcusjenkins.com
Larry Margolis margoli@watson.ibm.com
Andy McFadden fadden@uts.amdahl.com
William A Moyes wmoyes@cs.byu.edu
Stan Schwarz stan@cosmo.pasadena.ca.us
Thomas E Zerucha zerucha@shell.portal.com
Daniel Hagan dhagan@vt.edu
Joe Kesselman keshlam@alum.mit.edu
Roger Weitzenkamp roger@blackhawk7.com
Jay Hennigan jay@west.net
Billy B. Edwards Jr. BMP1@concentric.net
aa-2@deltanet.com
Robert Stahr Robert.Stahr@sophia.inria.fr
Marc Goldberg natllock@aol.com
Tom Pettigrew gnx@pacbell.net
Robinson rc@crusoe.org
Andru Luvisi luvisi@andru.sonoma.edu
Thanks to:
Indra's Net -- Internet Access with an Attitude
Email: info@indra.com URL: http://www.indra.com
Modem: (303) 786-7405 Voice: (303) 546-9151
for providing host facilities.
01 Will people on this newsgroup give me information about picking locks, etc.?- Yes and No. These is a serious debate, based on ...
02 Where can I get a lock pick set?- Try a locksmith supply house. Look under Locksmiths' Equipment &...
03 How can I make my own picks and tension wrenches?- You can file or (more easily) grind picks out of spring steel. ...
04 Is it legal to carry lock picks?- This depends on where you are. In the U.S. the common case ...
05 Where can I get the "MIT Guide to Picking Locks"?- The author of the MIT Guide to Picking Locks, Ted ...
06 What books can I get on locksmithing?- Bill Phillips has written a number of locksmithing books. For ...
07 What are "pick guns" or "automatic pickers" and do they work?- A pick gun is a manual or powered device that uses a ...
08 How do I open a Kryptonite lock?
09 Can the Club be picked? Is the Club any good?
10 How can I get keys stamped "DO NOT DUPLICATE" duplicated?- Some locksmiths will take the Nike approach and Just Do It. ...
11 Do Skeleton Keys Exists?
12 Should I bother with high security ("pick proof") locks and other security enhancements for my home?
13 Locksmithing: What should I do after I read a book?
14 How do I continue learning about locksmithing?- There are several things you can do to continue learning more ...
15 How do I learn the locksmithing trade?- Joe Kesselman posted this advice:...
16 How do I learn more about Master Keying?- Here are some references:...
17 How do Simplex pushbutton locks work?- Hobbit has written an excellent discussion on workings ...
18 Is there a formula that can find the combination of a Master Lock?- Not as far as anyone knows. I.e., the combination is not ...
19 Can the combination of a Master Lock be found though manipulation?- Recently a method of finding the combination of a Master Lock has ...
20 Locksmithing: What is the "shear line"?- Visualize a door lock - there is a fixed block (the lock body ...
21 Locksmithing: What is "impressioning"?- Impressioning is a technique for opening a lock by making a key out ...
22 Locksmithing: What is a code? What is a codebook?- Ever see a lock on a desk, filling cabinet, or a key with a ...
23 How do I open a car door with a Slim Jim?- Besides picking the lock, one can open a car door with a wire ...
24 Locksmithing: What is a jiggler key?- A thin piece of metal cut in the general shape of a key, the ...
25 Is there an ethical dimension to locksmithing?- Yes. Locksmithing is an old craft, and there is a strong tradition ...
26 I have a safe without the combination - how do I open it?- Either throw the safe away, or pay a safe expert to open it, ...
27 How do I change the combination of a safe?- The better safe locks can be changed to a new combination....
28 How do I disassemble a Kwikset key-in-knob entry set?- 0) Open the door. (If you can't, call a locksmith!)...
29 alt.locksmithing: Why are posts of binaries (pictures) against the consensus rules of this news.group?- This has been discussed a number of times in the past. The consensus ...
30 Locksmithing: Should my business be a shop or a mobile unit (truck)?- When you reach the point of opening your own locksmith business (after you ...
31 Other online locksmithing related resources:- + Graham Pulford's Catalogue of High Security ...
32 Locksmith fora- + Clearstar Security Network By subscription only,...
33 Locksmithing: Glossary- There is also a Dictionary ...
34 Locksmithing: Appendix- Here are some of the things collected about locations ...
35 Locksmithing: Appendix p2
36 Locksmithing: Appendix p3- #52044 PERSONAL PICKS (VHS TAPE - 72min) by Eddie the Wire, 1988....
37 Locksmithing related books in their catalog- COMPLETE GUIDE TO LOCK PICKING by Eddie the ...
38 Locksmithing: Workshop Contents- In no particular order (the first person in some items is from ...