The inner workings of a combination lock - video

I'm not sure how many ATS members are into locks, lock picking and safe cracking... crickets...

Ok, I'll bore you all anyway with one of my hobbies. Since childhood I've been into mechanics, clockworks, etc. I started picking locks with the classic bobby pins and paperclips. As I began to understand what was happening inside the locks, I moved on to making or modifying thingamajigs and thingamabobs to make my lock picking life easier.

In later life, I got hold of proper lock picking sets and a whole new world opened up for me. My specialty is pin tumbler and dimple locks, but nothing is off limits to try to pick. It can be very frustrating, but the feeling of popping open a lock is a blissful experience.

Combination locks were much harder to crack... for some unfathomable reason, my mother wouldn't let me keep safe door locks, so practicing was difficult. However, I got to play with them at work and my skill set has blossomed.

All this long-winded intro brings me to the video below. It came to me in my Internet wanderings and thought some of you may enjoy it and pique your interest (pun intended).



If anything, it's one of the best explanations of the inner workings of a classic combination lock - The Sargent & Greenleaf 6730 series... and the light-hearted narration shouldn't bore you stiff.



DISCLAIMER: NEVER PICK A LOCK YOU DON'T OWN OR WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE OWNER!

a reply to: Encia22

Interesting watch.
I've started watvching Devious Ollam after seeing Him on a Defcon conference video.

Devious Ollam

originally posted by: Encia22

In later life, I got hold of proper lock picking sets and a whole new world opened up for me. My specialty is pin tumbler and dimple locks, but nothing is off limits to try to pick. It can be very frustrating, but the feeling of popping open a lock is a blissful experience.

Errr Ok Dexter........

I am a joiner/carpenter myself and have had to open locks via drilling or other methods while keeping damage to a minimum, never learnt the art of lockpicking (unless you count the fallout games) but I know where to drill certin locks to cause the tumblers to drop and then use a simple bladed screwdriver to turn or the poorly designed eurobarrel lock which has such a week spot and can be exploited in seconds

have you seen this youtube channel before

LockPickingLawyer

a reply to: UpThenDown

Was literally just about to link his channel! BosnianBill also has a solid channel geared towards the same content.

a reply to: Cymru

Yes, he's great! His demonstrations really hit home how lax security is in most homes and businesses.

a reply to: RickyD

That's an efficient technique, but it brings a tear to my eyes for how destructive it is.

The Lockpicking/Locksport Community try to open locks without causing damage. Usually, we try to dismantle locks in order to understand what's going on inside. It is also an opportunity to clean and re-pin the lock, sometimes with security pins that make the lock much more secure and difficult to pick. These we call challenge locks and they get sent around the community to see who can open them.

See my next post for my take on The LockpickingLawyer.

a reply to: RickyD

The LockpickingLawyer and BonsianBill are Fantastic!

They have different styles and LPL is probably more proficient. They even teamed up for some videos. Two highlights were when they shot up some locks with different calibre guns and rifles... pretty crazy! They also got together to design and make a special type of pick for Disk Detainer Locks. They were so successful that Sparrows (a lock pick making company) actually picked up on the design and are marketing it.

Staying with LPL, he's quite a laugh. For the last four years he's made special videos for April Fool's Day. They are full of technical lockpicking terms worked into sexual innuendos. However, the videos are "clean" enough to not warrant an adult classification. Here they are for your enjoyment:

2018


2019


2020


2021


Finally, the Lockpicking/Locksport Community is very close knit and there are so many generous people all around the world. I got to know so many kind souls, but an Australian woman, who took up the sport from scratch and her willingness to learn, early mistakes notwithstanding, inspired me enough that I ended up designing a logo (my other hobby) for her YT channel. It's still a work in progress...

Her name is Pocket Women and is a very humble and sweet person. She's an example to anyone who wants to take up this hobby. She started as a newbie fairly recently and has become very good indeed.

Here's the first logo I made for her which is still evolving:


This is just an example of her videos:

a reply to: Encia22

A sad day for the Locksport Community!

BosnianBill has decided to retire his YouTube channel. Over the summer he had to look after the kids of a friend who was hospitalised with Covid. He had to prioritise and stopped making videos. Happy to say all is well now with his friend and things are back to normal, but Bill has realised that he wants to dedicate more time to other aspects of his life, hence the decision to close the channel.

He will be missed.



Here is the Lockpickinglawyer with a dedication video. He shows the picking tool they made together and one of the locks they shot up.