Do You Know How to Pick a Lock?

Author of How to Prep When You’re Broke and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course

I’ve amassed a lot of quirky skills over the years, based on folks who I’ve met and instructors I’ve had. Some of those skills are less useful now that I’ve become disabled, but not all of them. One skill has been useful repeatedly in a variety of situations. I know how to pick a lock.

This is not just an SHTF kind of skill – it’s useful in many day-to-day situations too.

• Lost the key to your garden shed?
• Need to check for cameras or listening devices in a locked closet at an Airbnb?
• Did your child accidentally lock herself in a room and can’t figure out how to unlock the door?
• Is there a padlock that needs to be opened, but the key is long gone?
• Has your neighbor had a medical emergency and cannot get to the door to let you in?

It’s a simple skill to learn and practice, and can help you out in a variety of scenarios that don’t include cat burglary.

The legal info

I shouldn’t need to tell you this, but just in case someone decides to embark on a life of crime: the information in this article is for entertainment purposes only. Please follow your local and federal laws and regulations. Don’t steal stuff. Don’t break in and attack people. Don’t commit crimes.

SHTF lock picking

Aside from everyday purposes, there are many times during which picking locks could be useful when the SHTF. Here are a few such scenarios:

• You want to get into an abandoned building to search for resources and kicking in a door is not in your skill set.
• You need to quietly open a door, and kicking it in would draw unwanted attention.
• You are seeking shelter and want to be able to lock the door behind you once you’re inside
• You’ve been locked in someplace and are being held against your will.

I’m sure once your brain is going in this direction, you can imagine all sorts of uses for a lock pick set.

How do you get started?

This is a skill that can be acquired for a very minimal investment. I started out with an inexpensive lockpicking kit and later, when I became more proficient, I replaced it with one of higher quality.

Here’s the one I recommend for folks who are learning.

What’s great about this kit is that it comes with a set of practice locks. The practice locks are clear, which is very helpful initially, because you can see how the mechanisms work and how they respond to your tools. It has a padlock and a couple of different tubular locks. Once you become more proficient, you can use plastic sheaths to cover your practice locks and conceal the mechanisms.

It also comes with bump keys and a wide variety of picks suitable for different types of locks.

Next, you’ll need instructions.

I learned a lot from YouTube. My basic skills came from LockNoob and as I gained proficiency, I learned more advanced skills from LockPicking Lawyer. LockPicking Lawyer has videos on very specific types of locks, which can be helpful when you’re faced with a lock with which you are unfamiliar. I had a roofrack container in my storage unit that is missing the keys, and the cylinder lock wasn’t adhering to my will. I was able to find a video with the exact type of lock and finally get the darned thing open.

As a prepper, you’ll probably want a hard copy of lockpicking information. I recommend two books to keep on hand:

• Locksport: A Hacker’s Guide to Lock Picking, Impressioning, and Safe Cracking
• Visual Guide to Lock Picking

It’s easy (and legal) to practice.

When I watch TV or a movie, I like to keep my hands busy. (Maybe it’s ADHD? I don’t know.) Lockpicking is a simple practice that I can maintain while doing something more entertaining.

Initially, you’ll need to concentrate hard on what you’re doing, but as your skills improve, you’ll find that it requires far less of your attention and that you get much faster. I have a little collection of various padlocks that I’ve gotten from yard sales, friends throwing out a lock without a key, and even thrift stores. I use these for practice. If you scout around your basement or workshop, you probably have a handful of locks to practice on already.

What if you get caught with lockpicks?

In most states, it’s not illegal to possess lockpicks. What’s illegal is possessing lockpicks with “the intent to commit a crime.” However, parts of Tennessee and Washington, DC have made it illegal to have lockpicks without a locksmith’s license. Check your local laws before embarking on this hobby!

If you need to explain it away, there are actual competitions and organizations grouped under the umbrella of  “locksport.” You can really learn a lot from these groups of lockpicking enthusiasts, and meetings can be great fun, depending on the crowd.

If you want to find a group, go to Meetup.com, type in your city, and put in “locksport” for the type of event you are seeking. If there’s anything near you, you’ll probably find it here. If you go once or twice, then you can honestly say you participate in locksport if you’re ever questioned about that pouch of tools in your purse or pocket.

What about you?

I picked up this skill years ago and have used it on a variety of occasions since. I love that it’s a skill I can use despite my current level of disability, as I strive to find more ways to be useful in a crisis.

Do you know how to pick a lock? Have you ever attended a locksport event? Do you  have a lockpick set? Is it something you’d enjoy learning?

Let’s talk about it in the comments section.

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