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Olaf
 
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
 |  |  | Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
< on 1/23/2007 10:33 AM >
|  | | | A lot of the abandoned places I have come across where I am require a little extra effort to get inside. As I am not one for tearing things up in general and certainly not when it comes to exploring I made some custom tools for getting in places without causing any damage. Years ago I worked for a locksmith and learned a lot of useful techniques on how to get in places most people can't and used those skills to fashion what you see below. Only two of the tools you see here are anything unusual, the door hooks and the bolt slide. There are only four tools on this ring, a prybar I made from D2 tool steel, the large door hook which is also D2, the small door hook which was made from a tempered bandsaw blade and the bolt slide (the curved one) which I made from a strip of spring steel and then heated and bent.
The large hook and the smaller one (the rectangular object with a pick looking tip) are used to manipulate the lock bolt of most common doors. Given that the door latch area is not warded (this is when there is a large metal plate either welded or bolted over the lock area preventing exactly what these tools were designed for) these simple tools can allow access within seconds and require virtually no skill to operate. Unlike lockpicks which do require a degree of skill to use, the correct picks for the type of lock and the right tension wrench these tools can be used one handed and are not known to be used for ...what they are used for. Lockpicks are immediately identifiable to police and most security all over the country and I would be willing to bet Canada as well. Sometimes you have a little room to work with (demonstration photos of these techniques will be provided soon) but the bolt cannot be reached by a straight tool, this is where the bolt slide comes into play (the curved one). Simply slide the tool into the exposed area, find the bolt and lever it inwards, viola!
The prybar is used to give a little extra room to work when you only need some additional clearance for whatever tool is necessary. Sometimes a lock bolt will be further into a door frame or there is some obstruction in the frame it's self preventing this tool to be used, in this case a longer tool is all that is required. I have used these tools for more than three years while exploring and aside from the warded type door locks or those that also utilize a deadbolt there have been very few I have not been able to open, most in under five seconds. You can improvise your own similar tools such as these with automotive picks or even dentistry tools if you can get your hands on them. I have found though that these tools take longer to open the same locks that my door hooks go right through. As you can see I polish my tools and keep them looking in new condition, this is for two reasons. Reason one is because they work better when they are well maintained like any other kind of tool. The second reason is once or twice I have been stopped by cops while checking a place out and of course they want to search pockets. In the beginning I got a few questions about the odd looking "stuff" on my keychain but as 3 of the 4 tools are rather difficult to determine their function they were never confiscated or associated with mischief. At the time none of them were polished, had scratches all over them and were really very ugly. I have found that clean looking anythings tend to draw less suspicion than dirty things. A perfect example is if you explore or scout out a location in decent looking clothes and are clean as opposed to mud covered and stinking like a sewer. At any rate, I have even fewer problems with cops or authority now that my tools blend in better on my keychain (these are normally connected to my daily use keys ie car, house etc). I used to carry lockpicks now and then if I thought or knew I would need them but they are just so damn troublesome if you get questioned I stopped bringing them. I have made a new set of picks out of spring steel which are smaller than commercially available sets and keep them in my wallet, to date they have never been found during a search. As my tool ring stays attached to my keys it goes with me everywhere so I always have it with me. You wouldn't believe how handy these are on spontaneous explorations. Of course they cannot do everything, just the other day I was successful in opening the back door to a three year abandoned coffee shop. No sooner than I get the door open a few inches it stops dead in it's tracks, there was a big padlock secured to the inside of the door keeping me from going any further.
The large door hook you see here (the big hook thing of course) I made for one particular location a year ago, a door with lots of clearance to work with but the bolt was rusted in place and I needed something very sturdy to pop the rust weld. So I made this hook, it worked surprisingly enough and comes in handy now and then too. Aside from that having a big hook on my keychain makes it easy to put it just about anyplace and allows me to orient where everything is on there even in the dark (lots of junk on my keys, easy to get confused without a point of reference).
I will take some photos tomorrow showing some of the techniques I talked about earlier and some more photos of other locations and detail the common problems I run into and how to get around them. So here are a few photos for you, I am working on improving my designs to maximize effectiveness and will shortly be coming out with all new and improved models.
Basically the same view in different light levels...
The smaller and most used tool, the all purpose door hook...
My prybar...
The big hook, you can see the bolt slide in most of these and will get more shots of it later when I show how it is used...
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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zer213
location:
north pole
| | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 1 on 1/24/2007 5:37 AM >
|  | | | Now you have me really excited to see them in action. My fiancees father used to be a locksmith and got me off to a good start, but I hate to carry around something so identifiable. That and its taking a while to get the feel of the pins. I can get 3 out of 4 on a practice lock, but the 4th is killing me.
[last edit 1/24/2007 5:40 AM by zer213 - edited 1 times]
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 2 on 1/24/2007 5:50 AM >
| | | | Sounds like you are going pin by pin, that is in my humble opinion the hardest way to go, not to mention the most time consuming. If you want to pick your average lock in a reasonable amount of time learn the rake method. The best picks to use for that are the double ball, S rake and C rake. If you want I can detail the best way to do this but I'll save that for a PM. Also don't forget how important tension on the torque wrench is, a tad too much or too little and even if your technique is perfect you'll never get a lock open. Anyway it's a perishable skill and must be practiced the right way if you want to be consistent at using it.
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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blacklines
 
location:
the red stick.
Gender: Male
| | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 3 on 1/24/2007 5:18 PM >
| | | | While actually picking a lock "pin by pin" has a much steeper learning curve than raking a lock, raking will only get you so far, and doesnt really teach you anything about locks, thus it does not help to rake a lock open in terms of understanding other locks. If you learn to feel pins in a lock, you can come to understand how that lock works, and in turn use that understanding to better interpret the responses you get from a different lock--the knowledge and experience build on themselves. That said, and im not the first here to say it im sure, picking locks for UE is a bad idea--posting about it on a public forum with your moniker doesnt help matters. im not going to get into the ethics of it, because its not my place. HOWEVER, law enforcement can QUICKLY and EASILY escalate what could have been a tresspass ticket to full scale B&E/Posession of criminal tools FELONY in no time flat. Fact of the matter is, even if youre a bonded locksmith, if youre carrying lock picks (or tools to bypass a locking mechanism of any sort) and youre caught somewhere you arent supposed to be, youre still in trouble. Cops can be understanding of a tresspasser with a tripod, camera, and headlamp. They are far less so if that list includes something of questionable legality or something that may show other criminal intent. Sorry for the lecture--I just thought id pass it on--ive been arrested, spent time in jail, and gone through felony trial proceedings--its not fun and it will seriously cramp your style for quite sometime.
blacklines
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 4 on 1/24/2007 8:18 PM >
| | | | For "not going to get into the ethics" you sure typed many words on that very subject. If you want to rant go someplace else, this is not an ethics thread, everyone here knows the risk to themselves on what they do and how they do it. You are not contributing anything, and certainly nothing original.
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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blacklines
location:
the red stick.
Gender: Male
| | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 5 on 1/24/2007 10:53 PM >
| | | | Wow, arent we a bit sensitive... Nowhere in that post did I bring up ethics--I pointed out the risks involved with carrying what police (in the US) consider burglary tools. As for "all of us knowing this", yes, apparently you and I do--however, I would be there are people who read this forum that dont, I put it there for those people... This wasnt a rant because none of what I posted about the legality of picking locks to gain unauthorized entry was opinion. I was posting factual information, I really dont see whats so wrong with that.
blacklines
PS: none of what I had previously posted was an attack on you personally--those are nice tools--you did a great job with them, I have no beef with you for carrying or using them.
[last edit 1/24/2007 10:54 PM by blacklines - edited 1 times]
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Glass
   
location:
Chicago
as one does
| |  | You bastard, burn in your own coolness!
<Reply # 6 on 1/24/2007 11:20 PM >
| | | | I think that's a kickass tool kit, though you must not have a lot of leverage on those tools.
I mean, uh, bad Olaf! BAD!
[last edit 1/25/2007 4:29 PM by Glass - edited 2 times]
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 7 on 1/24/2007 11:44 PM >
| | | | Yeah, I'm all kinds of evil
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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kjohnnytarr
location:
Columbia, Missouri
Gender: Male
Team Asbestos: CoMO
| |  | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 8 on 1/25/2007 12:22 AM >
| | | | Great post, as always! Somebody make this guy a Full Member!
It seemed like a good idea at the time... |
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 9 on 1/25/2007 12:34 AM >
| | | | Thanks, I try to make my threads useful.
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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blackhawk
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
location:
Mission Control
UER newbie
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 10 on 1/25/2007 4:40 AM >
| | | | Posted by kjohnnytarr
Great post, as always! Somebody make this guy a Full Member!
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Your feverish again?
A specialty tool for stopping this type of infiltration explorer. 100% effective.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 11 on 1/25/2007 4:52 AM >
| | | | This goes for anyone who comes in here, stay on the thread topic or please do not post.
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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blackhawk
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
location:
Mission Control
UER newbie
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 12 on 1/25/2007 6:06 AM >
| | | | Posted by Olaf
This goes for anyone who comes in here, stay on the thread topic or please do not post.
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Meh? I'm sorry, did I stray off topic?
Since your showing the tools used for forced entry and advocating using it on other people's property, there are other tools you'll need. Kevlar vests won't help in the case of a head shot, but may save your life otherwise.
At least in this thread your not reconing another FCC transmitter site....yet.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 13 on 1/25/2007 7:31 AM >
| | | | Originally I replied with something rather rude and disrespectful so I am amending this. Instead I will say if you don't like how I do things you don't have to be here, the risks I take are mine and I don't infiltrate homes or anyplace that people reside.
[last edit 1/25/2007 7:42 AM by Olaf - edited 2 times]
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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zer213
location:
north pole
| | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 14 on 1/25/2007 4:50 PM >
| | | | And now for something completely different. Laws, ethics, who does what where and when aside can we go back to talking tools?
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Glass
location:
Chicago
as one does
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 15 on 1/25/2007 5:09 PM >
| | | | Posted by zer213
And now for something completely different. Laws, ethics, who does what where and when aside can we go back to talking tools?
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Yay! Words!
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Geo
| | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 16 on 1/25/2007 5:18 PM >
| | | | Olaf,
I'm curious why you chose D2? And did you HT it?
GV
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 17 on 1/25/2007 8:30 PM >
| | | | I used D2 because it is a tool steel and has a great blend of toughness, wear resistance, strength and hardenability. Yes I had them heat treated and tempered, the prybar and the large hook are 59-60 HRc as they were both treated at the same time. The bolt pick (what I was calling the small door hook, changing the name because it fits better, after all it is used on the lock bolt) was originally a bandsaw blade and is remarkably tough and resilient for being such a slim piece of metal. I was so happy with it as it was I never looked into exactly what the blade was made of or retreating it. The bolt slide is spring steel stock which was heat treated to remove some of the spring from it, it is more rigid now but still retains structural flexibility.
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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Geo
| | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 18 on 1/25/2007 9:06 PM >
| | | | Yeah, i work with D2 often. I was asking only because of the fact that its in contact with skin oils and is going to rust. Strictly a personal preference, I would've carved them from 316L.(perhaps not the prybar-I may have used 410 for that) I'm a fan of SS, for my made tools i'll use it if I don't need max spring.
That way i can neglect them for years with little corrosion, and quickly repair them with a little TIG work. While i can repair the D2, i dont like waiting for the drunks on the furnace to do my govt job.
nice work on the tools
GV
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Olaf
location:
Wilmingon, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Specailty tools for infiltration exploring
<Reply # 19 on 1/25/2007 9:16 PM >
| | | | Well they are well polished so it really takes minimal effort to keep them looking good.
"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum"
http://i22.photobu...er_zpsdbf6a059.gif |
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