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aDeLtRiTuS
  
location:
south australia
Gender: Male
 |  | lockpick guns
< on 9/19/2005 9:03 AM >
|  | | | i was thinking about buying a lockpick gun, and was wonderin if anyone has used one and are they worth investing in? do they work as easily as they say?
there is no such thing as death,life is just a dream reflected in the eyes of someone that is truley aware of time |
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Blargo
     
location:
Guelph, ON
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 1 on 9/19/2005 10:22 AM >
| | | | They do work, but you'll still need some practice with it before you're consistent.
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wooble
location:
Surrey, UK
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 2 on 9/19/2005 12:07 PM >
| | | | Also from what I've heard, they make a whole assload of noise, and you can damage the lock. It's pretty much cheaper and more reliable to buy a set of manual picks and practice, practice, practice.
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this_guy
location:
Chicago suburbs
Gender: Male
| | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 3 on 9/19/2005 2:50 PM >
| | | | Posted by wooble
Also from what I've heard, they make a whole assload of noise, and you can damage the lock. It's pretty much cheaper and more reliable to buy a set of manual picks and practice, practice, practice.
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I agree. I was never very good at lock picking, but my brother can open your average 4 to 6 pin non-security lock in 10-20sec.
"Every sound shall end in silence, but the silence never dies." - from Samuel Miller Hagemen, found written on the wall of an abandoned building |
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Echo
location:
Marquette, MI
Gender: Male
| | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 4 on 9/19/2005 3:10 PM >
|  | | | Having used both the gun and manual picks I'd recommend going with picks. The gun requires that you have some good control over your tension wrench, and if you have that you should be able to use picks just as easily. Picks are also smaller, less conspicous and cheaper as well.
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dR. gReEnThUmB
| | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 5 on 9/19/2005 3:15 PM >
| | | | lock pick guns are not worth it @ all! i am a practicing locksmith and i have used many different types of tools my advice is to just pick yourself up a moderate set of manual picks from a flea market or tooling shop, there is no need to spend lots of money as the only difference is usually additional picks or grades of metal. a basic set will get you into almost any lock other the non pin sequencial locks and then you like everyone else has said trial and error
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grit1
location:
University Campus - Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male
Got Shear Line?
| |  | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 6 on 9/19/2005 3:55 PM >
| | | | They are loud, expensive, conspicuous and difficult to carry/conceal. They also have quite the learning curve - I've heard from a few that once mastered the concept works well, but if you run into locks that are positioned oddly [I.E. every padlock ever] they are more trouble then they're worth. Look into a manual set. ~Grit.
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aDeLtRiTuS
location:
south australia
Gender: Male
| | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 7 on 9/19/2005 8:52 PM >
| | | | cool picks it is then,i dont want anything that makes a shit load of noise thats not cool,and i kinda like the idea of being able pick a lock.
another question....
are padlock shims worth investing in
has anyone used them succesfuly????
there is no such thing as death,life is just a dream reflected in the eyes of someone that is truley aware of time |
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Mutt
Moderator
location:
Bunbury, Western Australia
Support your local Funeral Director ----- Drop Dead!
| | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 8 on 9/19/2005 10:44 PM >
| | | | Shims are only good on smaller shackles. The larger the lock, the less responsive to shims they are.
Check into http://www.southord.com/index.htm They ship world wide and have an excellent selection.
Get the ACE pickset, raid all the soda pop machines in town then you will have enough money for the rest of the picks. (just kidding)
Avoid pick guns and learn to really pick locks, not slap them silly with a pick gun or to rake the pins. You will have a far better success rate.
Learn the type of locks that can and cant be picked with the equipment you have so as to not waste your time. One can spend hours futile working a MEDECO lock without knowing the internals and how they work.
Another thing, dont use them to gain entry to anything you dont own. That would be illegal. Also don't carry them with you while you are out exploring around, most places would view them as Break and Enter tools.
Rots o' Ruck
[last edit 9/19/2005 10:46 PM by Mutt - edited 1 times]
All men are cremated equal. |
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Pravus
location:
Chicago Area
Gender: Male
Now the two key words for tonight - "caution" and "flammable"...
| |  | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 9 on 9/20/2005 2:49 AM >
| | | | I'd also just go with picks, the guns are suppose to be very loud and all they do is rake the lock, which is fun and all but you can do that with picks and sometimes you need to do more then that
Live to Serve, Serve to Live.. |
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grit1
location:
University Campus - Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male
Got Shear Line?
| | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 10 on 9/20/2005 2:55 AM >
| | | | The shims don't work real well - only on the cheapest of padlocks. Just learn to pick tumbler locks - and if you're lucky, maybe you will come across a warded padlock - the picks for these aren't so much picks as just master/bypass keys. Those are quick/fun. ~Grit.
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inventor
Gender: Male
| | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 11 on 9/20/2005 3:55 AM >
| | | | I am reminded of a discussion I had with a few technically-minded friends about lockpicking devices. We couldn't agree, but that was probably because we'd all had a few beers and none of us were experts. After a few more beers we decided on a winner, but none of us ever bought it. There's one of them on eBay at the moment:
http://tinyurl.com/a6rbx
If you aren't bothered about noise or damage, and you want the biggest pick gun in town, that baby is the one for you <grin>!
Chris
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grit1
location:
University Campus - Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male
Got Shear Line?
| | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 12 on 9/20/2005 4:19 AM >
| | | | Since this thread has degraded into that ... how about this...
http://media.armad...1/2003-11-01_b.jpg
A plasma cutter! That'll get you through the most hardened of padlocks!
Posted by inventor
I am reminded of a discussion I had with a few technically-minded friends about lockpicking devices. We couldn't agree, but that was probably because we'd all had a few beers and none of us were experts. After a few more beers we decided on a winner, but none of us ever bought it. There's one of them on eBay at the moment:
http://tinyurl.com/a6rbx
If you aren't bothered about noise or damage, and you want the biggest pick gun in town, that baby is the one for you <grin>!
Chris
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inventor
Gender: Male
| | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 13 on 9/20/2005 4:39 AM >
| | | | Alright, I shouldn't have lowered the tone of your thread  . After a few beers the similarity between a jackhammer and a pick gun is pretty funny...
I do have two serious points to add, though. First, as several people have mentioned, shims are useless unless your padlock is extremely poorly made. I've never found a padlock on which shims will work. You'd be better off trying to open a padlock by making a tension wrench out of a keyring and "stroking" the pins with a needle or opened paperclip. I've opened several brass padlocks by this method on which the tolerances were far too tight to use shims. Stroking just takes a bit of patience - a lot of cheap padlocks will open within a few minutes.
"Carding" doors is another matter - this can work really well. I find the best thing to use for carding is actually an aerosol lid. Take off the plastic lid, cut up the side with scissors, then cut around the top. You then have a scroll of plastic which goes around corners nicely and will pop open night latches.
My second point is that it's easy to make your own picks. There are several sites around showing common pick profiles. Check out http://www.lockpicking101.com for advice.
Now for more degradation. Grit, a plasma cutter is nothing compared to a thermic lance. This thing will melt through brick walls:
http://www.krl.com.au/whatisalance.htm
Pretty easy to make, too. Sometime I might try it.
Chris
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grit1
location:
University Campus - Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male
Got Shear Line?
| | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 14 on 9/20/2005 4:46 AM >
| | | | Hehe I searched for a picture of a thermal lance in operation before I thought of plasma arc cutting, but couldn't find a picture cool looking enough - but you're right, nothing is any match for a thermal lance...good call! ~Grit.
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inventor
Gender: Male
| | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 15 on 9/20/2005 4:51 AM >
| | | | It's a while since I watched it, but I think the video on that site is pretty cool, too.
It's a good plasma cutting pic. I can't believe the guy is wearing his canvas shoes and shorts! It's almost as bad as that picture floating around which shows one forklift lifting another because the first couldn't lift a pallet high enough.
Chris
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Pravus
location:
Chicago Area
Gender: Male
Now the two key words for tonight - "caution" and "flammable"...
| | | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 16 on 9/20/2005 7:31 AM >
| | | | well sure if you wanna go that route just use a 12 Guage Breaching round, loud but you'll be through the door in no time flat..
In all seriousness either buy a set of lockpicks (only buy the smaller 4-5 pick sets the large ones are worthless and a waste of cash you'll only ever use 4 of them) or make your lockpicks from the bristles of a street cleaner, use sandpaper to make them pretty, then grind the shape into them.. I'd recommend the diamond pick the most.. and of course you'll need a torque wrench.. good luck and it's a fun project
BTW, not only does the Thermic lance have a bad ass name.. that thing is cool as hell....
[last edit 9/20/2005 7:50 AM by Pravus - edited 1 times]
Live to Serve, Serve to Live.. |
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kjones
location:
Providence, RI
Gender: Male
Ninja? Or frightened little boy?
| | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 17 on 9/20/2005 10:58 AM >
| | | | I would generally agree with the general sentiment about lockpick guns... though I would add that they don't require as much skill to use as a set of picks, having tried out both at a friend's house.
That being said, most of you recommend buying a simple set of picks. What's the best place to get them? A locksmith? A hardware store? I really have no idea... All I can find online is specialty lockpicking stores (and I prefer brick-and-mortar to online shopping).
Forbidden fruit a flavor has
That lawful orchards mocks;
How luscious lies the pea within
The pod that Duty locks!
-Emily Dickinson on UE |
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grit1
location:
University Campus - Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male
Got Shear Line?
| | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 18 on 9/20/2005 2:27 PM >
| | | | Unless you have a friend who's a locksmith, you'll never be able to buy picks from a locksmith - they are usually pretty protective of their tools of the trade. Look around online - you'll find plenty of places that ship all over the place - I think someone mentioned SouthOrd. The best place "brick-and-mortar" is going to be swap meets/gun shows etc., and even these are hit-or-miss. You can also try making your own - putz around the forums some more and I'm sure somebody has listed suggested materials. Good luck ~Grit.
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Pravus
location:
Chicago Area
Gender: Male
Now the two key words for tonight - "caution" and "flammable"...
| | | | Re: lockpick guns
<Reply # 19 on 9/20/2005 2:35 PM >
| | | | http://www.lockpicks.com/ sells them I would HIGHLY recommend either of the two following:
http://www.lockpic...VIEWPROD&ProdID=19
http://www.outinst...ockPicks/LAWPXSO5L
ShinKen got the 5 piece set with the book (Those 4 picks are the only 4 you will ever need, plus the wrench).. the book helped a lil and is good for getting the basics across, but I would suggest getting the crappiest padlock try on that, then keep getting better ones as you learn untill you are bustin open master locks (masterlocks are suppose to be 'extremely' hard).. other then that the top one is what I carry everyday, I love the thing (I have the plastic model, which I shattered when I took a spill rollerblading around, so I'd personally recommend the metal one) also looks like a small pocket knife, so IF you get searched more often then not the cop will see it and think it's a small pocket knife and disregard it
Other then Online it HIGHLY depends on what state you live in.. I've been told that in some states it is illegal to have picks and not a locksmith license so you would not be able to 'go to the store' for a set (I think parts of Cali of do this, If someone knows for sure please correct me if I am wrong) generally I am not sure where you would get a set in an actual store.. 'maybe' a locksmith may have sets for sale, I don't know
IF you are not down with the idea for buying picks online and you enjoy projects there is the option of making picks from scratch (which IS NOT hard at all).. If you are interested in idea of making them PM me and I'll tell you more about it, but the best thing to use is Street Cleaner bristles
[last edit 9/20/2005 2:36 PM by Pravus - edited 1 times]
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