Locksmiths have over the years defined lock picking as the manipulation of a lock’s components to open a lock without a key. This is an art that is practiced as a career for both locksmiths and security professionals, as well as criminal entities.

My good friend Jack over at The Survival Podcast called me up the other day and asked if I’d come over and pick a lock for him. Definitely not the kind of request you get everyday from a friend!Jack had misplaced the keys to a very sturdy trailer hitch lock and needed to remove it to hook up a trailer. Rather than spend the money and time to call a Locksmith, I was more than happy to accept his cup of coffee bribe and help him out.

Lock picking is often regarded as a malicious activity, performed only by those with criminal intent. But this, in all actuality, couldn’t be further from the truth.Not every lock picker is a criminal. The vast majority of those who practice this skill are generally enthusiasts who, like chess-players, enjoy the puzzle and challenge it provides.Very few develop lock picking skills with malicious or criminal intent as those who generally fall towards thievery are usually too indolent as to spend the time required to develop this skill when simpler, more aggressive means of entry could be utilized.

To understand the basics of lockpicking, you must first understand the mechanics of a lock itself. While there are countless types of locks to examine, most standard pin tumblers -- the most common lock style in use -- have the same basic elements. These include:

    A cylinder, otherwise known as the housing or body of a lock.
    A plug, which rotates to open the lock when all the other components are in place.
    The shear line, or gap between the plug and pins which must be clear for the lock to open.
    Pins, the mechanisms of varying lengths that make up the "cuts" of the key.
    Springs, which hold the components together until a key is inserted.

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