Have you ever cracked a safe or picked a lock?

[Amelia G]

When I was in school, it was a matter of pride amongst a lot of my friends to be able to break into stuff. Not necessarily to take anything or break anything, just for the fun and challenge of doing it. Some of us could crack combinations, some could pick locks, some could card doors, etc. Have you ever cracked a safe or picked a lock? If so, what methodology did you use?

[Mindgames]

I lost the key to my luggage years ago, so always open it with a paperclip. Haven't had course to try and open a safe yet, but there's a set of lock picks and master keys in my truck (lots of padlocked gates to contend with).

I've never found a door that (a) I needed to get into and (b) had a frame which allowed carding.

[ForrestBlack]

Yes, but nothing terribly serious. Pad locks, regular doors, candy-ass safes, standard handcuffs, etc. It's been a while though. Standard street level stuff so I feel like methods don't really matter, generally not super tricky mechanical challenges. I've never stolen anything from behind a locked door or from a locked case though.

Well, probably not since like High school anyway, that I can think of.

[VoltaireBlue]

nothing serious except breaking into my house when I locked my keys inside. other than that, just carding doors inside my house that locked behind me or a guest. ecept I never used a card. I find knives or even metal spatulas work much better.

[OliX]

I've had a chance to see a really neat multykey work in life. It's a device that can try over million combinations within a minute and it has many modules that you can attach so it opens literally everything that uses a key. Even those fancy locks with holes on the sides. Just get the right module. It's high frequency tryes every posible combination of the key. It size and looks is like a bigger flashlight and how it shakes I bet it can be used as a vibrator as well

And now to note that there was no illegal activities involved and that I actually gave idea about how to prevent use of it because friend that showed it to me was working on developing system that would prevent use of this.

They came up with a very simple and easy solution. At first it was el. circle powered and controled but since they realised that it can be easy shut down with a small handhold EMP device that you can build from a one use camera. So they came with a genious fully mechanical and cheap to build system that locks the door automaticaly as soon as it detects high frequencies.

As for safe, it's never as you see it in the movies. It's almost allways done with liquid nitrogen. Freezing to as closest posibble to absolute zero and brute force. That way you prevent paint from spreading on to paper.
Usualy, criminals never hit the safe that can't be taken with or used nitrogen on the place.

Maybe I should work as a security guy.

[Bondage Clown]

I have just broken in to cars when i was in "The Business"!

[Head Wreck]

Yes. a Royal Mail fireproof safe i had in my 2nd plot when i moved in and was lacking keys.

took me 1 hr with a totally fooked battery drill. if i had my current one at the time a darent say how much quicker.

it was eempty anyway, so i just use it as a cubourd now (its built into the structure of the house).

we were fortunate to have the keys for the various other safes located around both properties, so no need to.

[keiko]

I got really good at picking your basic door handle lock with a book mark and a hair pin, because the way i had to grab the handle often left me locked INTO my room a alot. (the handle was turned around because my mother threw a fit after i accidentally locked her out of my room on a school night.) Basic combinations used to be a trade for me in high school. too many morons in my school would accidentally put their locker locks on upside down or forget their combinations, lose their keys, and i would inevitably be employed to break into their lockers for them. paper clips, giant safety pins, and set of very tiny screwdrivers i acquired would assist me in helping my fellow students. hours of practice went into the whole thing and prolly only opened like 12 locks my entire lock picking career but it was fun. there were the times when, baked, we'd be walking around and a giant padlock would be on a gate somewhere and Dallas, usually, would ask me if i could pick it. I oft get called upon to help people get into their cars because they locked their keys in. i guess i'm the equivalent of "that guy", you know, the one there are lots of rumours about but no one knows the facts? yeah. that's me.

~K

[Mr Karl]

yeah, quite a few..............I read how in a big book on locksmithing that I got in the high school library. But if I actually wanted to rob something I think quick destructive force is more efficient.

[jonny.illuminati]

definitely

[aXa]

yeah, used to try and pick just about any padlock or door i could find. got pretty good at it. then one day, i found an actual lockpick on the ground somewhere. that led to much mischief. alas, i let a friend try to use it one time; he broke it. i was furious but couldnt really explain why to anyone important(considering we were doing something illegal with it).

[inox]

I don't have any experience with safes, but I am reasonably skilled with picking pin & wafer tumbler locks that have low to moderate security (spool and mushroom pins, for example). High security locks like Medco, Assa, Abloy, etc. are another matter, but I am working towards those.

[soma_stardust]

this is a skill i've always wanted but never learned

[Raza]

Living in amsterdam, I know quick, no-tools-required methods of breaking down most cheap or old bike locks.

Also, I've picked up some ways to dismantle the more common locks (or entire doors) of houses from my squatter friends. More about crowbars than lockpicks, though.

[inox]

Living in amsterdam

Ever go to Café Zool?

[Toe Cutter]

there are great tutorials on youtube also how to make tools. pretty cool.

[Raza]

Ever go to Café Zool?

I'm not really a cafe-going person. They're full of normal people drinking beer and watching soccer.

[jonny.illuminati]

Living in amsterdam, I know quick, no-tools-required methods of breaking down most cheap or old bike locks.

Also, I've picked up some ways to dismantle the more common locks (or entire doors) of houses from my squatter friends. More about crowbars than lockpicks, though.

i prefer "hooligan tools" over crowbars... fast effective and noisy...

look for "key bumping" online...

[inox]

I'm not really a cafe-going person. They're full of normal people drinking beer and watching soccer.

Fair enough. I just ask because a friend of mine owns that one.

[inox]

i prefer "hooligan tools" over crowbars... fast effective and noisy...

look for "key bumping" online...

Bumping is ok, but to compromise high security cylinders, impressioning is the way to go. Some of the elite can cut down a credit card instead of using a metal blank.

[jonny.illuminati]

Bumping is ok, but to compromise high security cylinders, impressioning is the way to go. Some of the elite can cut down a credit card instead of using a metal blank.

i agree...

but again i prefer explosive entry when silence is not necessary..

[Buster Friendly]

Never learned.

Kicked in a few doors, tore off a few padlocks, smashed a few windows when I needed to get in somewhere though.

[Head Wreck]

i prefer "hooligan tools" over crowbars... fast effective and noisy...

look for "key bumping" online...

Hooligan bar is really something to use. they wouldnt let us do explosive or Hatton Round though.

[Raza]

i prefer "hooligan tools" over crowbars... fast effective and noisy...

look for "key bumping" online...

Oh ya, I think I've heard of that trick. Same friends use it sometimes, but I never learned that one.