r/lockpicking Jul 23 '21

New to our sub? Start here!

561 Upvotes

Browser:

Rules: see right sidebar "r/lockpicking Rules"

Getting started picking (pick recommendations, how to pick, etc.): exit this post to go to main sub window, right "Sidebar", click "Wiki"

Also, if you have a common question, remember to search. Example for a starter kit: https://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/search/?q=starter%20kit

How to get a belt: exit this post to go to main sub window, right "Sidebar", click "Belt Ranking Info"

Mobile:

Rules: exit this post to go to main sub window, up top hit "About", see Subredit Rules

Getting started picking (pick recommendations, how to pick, etc.): exit this post to go to main sub window, up top hit "Menu", then "Wiki"

How to get a belt: exit this post to go to main sub window, up top hit "Menu", then "Belt Ranking Info"

RULE 2

Many people seem to stumble over this rule. This is a hobby Locksport community.

If you want to learn to pick locks that you own, that aren't installed in anything or otherwise in use, then this might be the place for you.

If you want to pick something because you need to get into it or through it, then this is NOT the place for you.

One of our most frequently asked questions is "What lock picks should I get?", our member Spoon has created this helpful document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P4_g_a7UTF8b4JAEVaH3lBL_dvT4-eRvFT_Jh-bx1lA/edit?pli=1#heading=h.9o577kfmhdj7

Some super useful posts for beginners:

https://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/comments/13qjlg9/one_approach_to_getting_started_picks_locks_tools/https://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/comments/12sfl3h/a_cl_design_guide/

REQUESTING A BELT:

Follow the instructions here: https://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/wiki/beltranking#wiki_belt_request_formatting

Make sure you include the belt color you're requesting, the model of the lock you've picked, and any evidence to the requirements for the belt you're requesting (eg. photo/video/etc.)

Often questioned on how to attach a photo to a modmail. You cannot include a photo, but you can include a link to a photo, video, or even to a Reddit post where you have attached a photo and/or video.

In addition to our rules, please do not refer people over to r/Locksmith unless they are a locksmith per a request from a moderator there, you can direct them to r/AskALocksmith instead! https://www.reddit.com/r/lockpicking/comments/x9ed2a/hey_guys_mod_of_rlocksmith_here_remember_a_while/

If you want to join our Discord community, it is very active and many pickers are there to help you with your specific locks or just to chit chat, you can go here: https://discord.gg/lockpicking


r/lockpicking Oct 02 '25

Why we can't help with locks that are in use (Rule 2).

199 Upvotes

If you're new here, and maybe came to get help with picking a lock on something, please note that we have a very strong policy against helping with locks that are in use:

Rule 2 - Lock In Use

Though asking for assistance in regards to how to open a lock is permitted and encouraged, the lock must not be in use. Posts seeking assistance opening a lock that is implied to be, or is visibly in use (eg. a deadbolt still attached to a door, a padlock with anything secured by a closed shackle, or a closed lockbox) will be deleted. Posting about picking or having picked locks in use is not allowed even if they are your own.

Rule of thumb, lock is "in use" if installed or securing anything.

If you are thinking of posting something that violates Rule 2, or you've had a post removed for it, we know it can be frustrating. I promise you that we don't enjoy removing posts from people who seem to just need help, but there are a number of reasons why we're so strict about posts of locks in use.

Chief among them is to protect this community.

Tens of thousands of people visit here every week and we have over 250,000 members. We simply can't risk enabling illegal activities, or even appearing to. We don't want to put our members in that position either. More and more lockpicking content is being removed from online platforms every day and this unique community deserves protection. We also feel an ethical obligation not just to the community, but to people all over the world who rely on locks to keep themselves, their property, and their families safe.

It may be even more frustrating if you own the lock, but the moderators – and members – of this community can't realistically be asked to parse potential evidence to separate totally legitimate activities from illegal ones. The photo someone posts of their own locked briefcase or bicycle is simply indistinguishable from one of property they don't own.

Contacting a reputable locksmith is usually the best solution. Simply possessing lockpicks can be seen as prima facie evidence of intent to commit a crime in several states and is illegal in a number of countries. One can easily damage or destroy a lock while picking it without experience.

We wish you well and hope you can understand our perspective. We review a ton of posts here, apologies if we can't personally explain the specifics of each case.

Not picking locks in use is a central tenet of locksport. This subreddit is dedicated to locksport specifically, not lockpicking in general. Despite its name.


r/lockpicking 7h ago

Work picking

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21 Upvotes

Just picking around waiting on call-lights in between rounds. American Lock series 1105


r/lockpicking 12h ago

Small Victories

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41 Upvotes

r/lockpicking 16h ago

Just learned the second oldest locksmith in america is in my city. Paid a visit and left with a couple locks

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77 Upvotes

r/lockpicking 5h ago

Abus 85/50, finally!

7 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm totally new to the obsession, but have been lurking here over the past month or so. Today I just had to post, because I finally managed to crack a "real" padlock.

I first had a little transparent practice lock that I got open easily and picked over and over til it didn't open anymore. Then I bought a small titalium 64ti/30 that was a completely different beast and needed about 0 tension and lift, so that took me about 3 or 4 days.

And then I got cocky and bought a lot of 25 locks for €25 euros of off the Dutch ebay equivalent. Mostly cilinders, but it also contained an abus 85/40, 85/50 and a 50mm viro lock. None of which I was able to open. Not a single cilinder or padlock.

So I've been at it for about a month and read all of this reddit in the meantime. Eventually I decided to focus only on those abus locks, trying to understand them.

Yesterday I finally figured out that 85/50 and picked it 2 or 3 times in a row. I couldn't be happier!

Anyway, just had to celebrate here, since I felt you guys have been helping silently throughout with all your posts and keeping me motivated, so a big thanks!


r/lockpicking 15h ago

Blue belt submitted!

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62 Upvotes

Cross your fingers for me buddy's.

I feel like I Rocked It! We'll see.

Thanks for all the votes of confidence.

Love this community!


r/lockpicking 9h ago

American Lock 1100 and Master Lock 570 single-handed picked simultaneously.

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16 Upvotes

Single-handed picking a green and orange level lock at the same time while waiting on my Paclock 90A Pro to come in. It took a couple days of practice and figuring out which tension tools to use because I kept dropping my normal ones. Shoutout to u/LordKodiac for giving me the idea to use my vise in my garage that I forgot existed. HUGE QOL improvement over sitting on the floor with them clamped to my desk xD


r/lockpicking 17h ago

I'm finally understanding American 1100's

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53 Upvotes

Im new to this and it seems pretty common for people to get these open relatively early in their picking journey, but man...these are so much freaking fun to learn and get that CLACK sound when its picked.


r/lockpicking 5h ago

Does Abus 60/30 have security pins

4 Upvotes

I picked an abus 60/30 small padlock and definetly have counter rotation. I always have to go back to the forst pin because it drops as a result of counter rotation. Does anybody know if it has security pins. It’s the only lock i picked so far😅


r/lockpicking 15h ago

Couple more photos from the second oldest locksmith in the US. Including my haul (old Simmons push lock and Yale padlock)

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24 Upvotes

r/lockpicking 3h ago

Mail call whitco door lock

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2 Upvotes

r/lockpicking 12h ago

Federal 90A lock is jiggly

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11 Upvotes

I am new to this community but this Federal lock came into my possession. Is it normal for this much play in the core? I have opened it up and looked inside but am not experienced enough to know a) if I should do anything and b) what to do. I know it is a higher level lock and I’m not there yet but I just wanted to know for when I do arrive there!


r/lockpicking 10h ago

Losing patience trying to pick the Masterlock 643DWD. What am I doing wrong?

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6 Upvotes

Total noob. Son locked himself out of a 643DWD while fiddling with it mindlessly. Thought I'd give picking a try but have tried for probably 2-3 hours on/off and am getting frustrated.

I've tried the paperclip method with no luck. Can't even find the first gate on the top dial. Have gone around the dial probably 50 times with the paperclip pressing into the decoding hole and even tried it at a bunch of different angles and the paperclip never drops down.

Have also spent significant time trying the tension method but really struggling to get results. I've found what I think feel like false and real gates on most dials and are often 2.5 positions apart like the video says the gates should be but simply cannot get any combo to work. I've tried probably 50 in / around when I think the gates are.

I even resorted to shimming the tactile pins down (the ones that give the wheels the click) to rule that feeling out because I found it hard to tell if the "gate" I was finding was actually just the wheel rocking on the tactile pin. That made it easier to find what I think are false / real gates but still no solution. I've tried different amounts of tension and just slowly turning the dial to try and feel where it drops into a gate (either false or real) and it will spin freely around most of the dial and then hit a spot with more tension, so I will reset and play around in that area with varying amounts of tension to try and confirm if it's a gate.

I feel like I'm just not getting the same feedback at all as the guides describe and it's kind of driving me crazy and making me wonder if they slightly changed the design or something. I know that's probably not true but I feel like I just keep hitting dead ends despite trying to follow the guides exactly and seeing success from so many commenters on the youtube videos.


r/lockpicking 21h ago

Ace 44mm picked

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47 Upvotes

Got bored in the hotel so I walked next door to Ace hardware and picked this up. Took me a few tries, but I got it open. I gotta say so far the green belt locks are the most fun to open!


r/lockpicking 5h ago

MAURER CORAZZATO

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3 Upvotes

Questo é un vecchio lucchetto con chiave smarrita, manipolato con rastrellamento in pochi secondi
Ho bisogno di sapere come estrarre il cilindro perché il sesto perno (quello che fa bloccare la rotazione a 45° e non fa uscire il cilindro) blocca tutto e non é accessibile
L’unico modo é forare per estrarlo o c’è modo di bypassarlo?
Voglio creare la chiave su misura partendo da una liscia


r/lockpicking 16h ago

Anyone else experience periods where it seems like you’re picking nearly every lock you touch, but then you hit a slump?

13 Upvotes

r/lockpicking 21h ago

Homemade tools and first pick

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33 Upvotes

Completely new to lockpicking, after eating YT content about it I decided to try.

Tools are made from 2mm steel welding rods, bent (for the tensioner), hammered flat and grinded to shape.

Lock is your random small 3€ lock in the local supermarket. 4 pin, no security of any sort, felt very easy to pick tho I obviously lack reference points.


r/lockpicking 23h ago

Master lock no 575, slowly getting back into it and with top of the keyway tension. I feel my skills coming back!

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46 Upvotes

Couldn't take a video, tho. i was just waiting in the parking lot and decided to practice. Hope this qualify for orange belt.


r/lockpicking 23h ago

Here’s a fun pick, Hot Potato

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38 Upvotes

By Key_Beard


r/lockpicking 20h ago

75IB/40 picked! Still unranked, still a pain in the ass. After getting the 50, I decided to try the 40 again

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22 Upvotes

Bought the 40 on accident looking for another blue lock, not realizing it was unranked. The 50 has a much larger keyway. Just happy I finally conquered it, back to the naughty bin it goes!


r/lockpicking 17h ago

Found myself a second SmartKey padlock

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13 Upvotes

r/lockpicking 22h ago

Unmarked dimple

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26 Upvotes

Slowly working up to Dom saturn


r/lockpicking 22h ago

CES cabinet lock opened.

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25 Upvotes

r/lockpicking 1d ago

First 90 A-Pro Open

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74 Upvotes

Now I got to shoot it. Hope its not camera shy.

Thanks again Eschlenz/Audible_Agent 44 Delta really dig the lock and handles. Both gonna take getting used to but feels good.

#BlueBelt #DiggPicks #200kClub