There are a lot of hobbies that sound interesting until they require a dedicated room, a pile of expensive tools, or a full afternoon of setup and cleanup. Lock picking is not one of them. For me, it has always been one of those rare hobbies that is easy to pick back up: a couple of small tools, a lock in hand, and suddenly I’m deep into a tiny mechanical puzzle while half-watching a movie.
I have picked locks on and off for over a decade, and this time I am getting deeper into the locksport hobby than ever before. There are a lot of reasons it is easy to come back to, and there are a lot of reasons it is a good fit at this point in my life.
Lock picking checks a lot of boxes for myself and many others. It is engaging, challenging, portable, quiet, and doesn’t require a huge start up cost. The locksport community is also one of the best around for help, questions, and suggestions no matter your skill. It can also be a DIY tool gateway, which we will talk about later.
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What Lock Sport Actually Is
From the outside, lock picking can seem like a weird and questionable hobby. Once you start thinking of locks as tiny mechanical puzzles you can’t see, it starts to make more sense.
It is important to note that locksport usually refers to opening a lock by single pin picking it (SPP), and doesn’t usually consider other methods a locksmith may use to open locks. Raking open a Masterlock #3 in a few seconds is a cool party trick, but doesn’t take the same skill picking it one pin at a time does.
There are some basics you need to know if you decide to try picking some locks yourself.
- Lock picking as a hobby is also called locksport.
- Why locksport? There are clubs and conventions that have competitions around lock picking. Companies and individuals also sponsor challenges with specific requirements, and if you complete them, sometimes you will get a certificate, patch, sticker, poker chip, or other small token to mark your accomplishments.
- Only pick locks you own or have permission to pick, and are not in use
- This is a big one. The locksport community does not condone or encourage picking locks in use at all, and especially those that aren’t yours. This is serious enough that most groups will delete posts talking about or showing someone picking a lock in use. As a side note, it is not recommended to pick a lock in use even if you own it. You could damage, or “brick” it, and the lock could become unusable.
- Check local laws.
- Owning lock picking tools itself is not a crime in most states. The crime happens when you pick a lock without permission, or you commit another crime while having the tools with you.
For example, where I live lock picks are legal to own and have with you as long as there is no intent to commit a crime. However, bump keys are called out specifically in the law and automatically show intent to commit a felony for some reason.
- Owning lock picking tools itself is not a crime in most states. The crime happens when you pick a lock without permission, or you commit another crime while having the tools with you.
Most would probably agree that Lock Pickers United, or LPU for short, is the best example of locksport as a whole. They developed a belt system mirrored after karate belts that you can progress through. Locks are categorized by difficulty with belt colors.
While it is not required, and not everyone actively submits the required documentation (photo/video/etc) to earn their “belt”, it is still worth being aware of. The difficulty of a particular lock is often described by the belt color assigned to it among most online communities. You will even come across reference to the belt system on manufacturer and supplier’s websites.
Lock Pickers United also hosts a challenge lock database (we will discuss challenge locks later), a subreddit, and Discord server. The subreddit and Discord server, in my experience, are the most active and helpful communities online.
The Challenge Is the Whole Point
Picking locks is largely done by feel since you can’t see what is going on inside the lock. When you pick your first lock, you won’t know what things are supposed to feel like, how much tension needs to be put on a lock, and how high a pin needs to be lifted to be set correctly. You also won’t know the order in which the pins need to be set.
It sounds like a lot to figure out, but one of the best things about locksport is the immediate feedback and noticable skill progression.
At a minimum, there are at least 2 puzzles within one lock when single pin picking: How high a pin needs to be lifted, and the order in which each pin needs to be lifted.
In addition, there are numerous ways manufacturers make locks more secure and resistant to picking:
- If everything else stayed the same, more pins makes a lock more difficult. If there are 4 pins in a lock, it would take less time to figure out the pin heights and order then 6 pins.
- Security pins can be added. There are a lot of different security pins that change the feel of a lock or trick you into thinking one is set when it isn’t.
- Tighter keyways are usually more difficult. You have less room for tools inside the lock, you might need pick that is shaped differently, or one made from thinner, more flexible materials.
- Tighter tolerances makes a lock more difficult to pick. With less variation, there is less “wiggle room” from one pin to the next.
Security features in locks could have it’s own post as well, but each one is another challenge that builds on what you already know.
Until this point we have only been really touching pin/tumbler locks which are the most common. There different types of lock mechanisms that present their own challenges. You can also get into decoding combination locks and safes if you want to.
Picking locks is about paying attention to very minor differences in feel and movement, precision, and logical, mechanical thinking.
A Great Fidget Hobby for Downtime
My favorite thing about lock picking is the ability to fill small pockets of time with something fun and challenging.
Compared to other hobbies, locksport is extremely portable, and it is quiet. You don’t need a large dedicated area or workbench. There is no real clean up and it can be put away instantly.
I can throw a couple tension wrenches, picks, and a padlock in my pocket and head out the door for the day. Now I have something to do while on break, waiting to pick my kids up from school, or waiting for an appointment.
I usually carry a bit more than that in my day bag because I have the space and tools are light.
My son had a soccer tournament with some large gaps between games and I had forgotten my lockpicks at home. I told my wife, and even she looked at me and said “What are you going to do? You are going to be so bored.”
I pick locks while watching tv or a movie, while grilling, or even just sitting around with friends/family. I do have ADHD, so maybe that is part of it, but I find it keeps me more engaged because I am not looking for things to fill gaps with. It keeps certain parts of my brain occupied and happy.
A Cheap Hobby That Is Easy to Start
Locksport may be one of the cheapest hobbies to pick up if you like mechanical things.
While I don’t recommend it, you could theoretically make free picks and tensioners with on hand/recycled materials, and you probably have a lock or two laying around.
Making your own tools is fun and rewarding, but it will be much easier to learn the basics with proven designs from a well known manufacturer. Fortunately there are some great beginner sets out there for around $30 that will get you well on your way.
The Genesis set from Covert Instruments
Either of these kits will keep you going for a long time, and I would steer away from large kits when starting out for a couple reasons. They include a lot of rakes usually, they have scenario specific picks not useful on most locks, and and they often have other tools like key extractors you don’t need, at least right now.
You are much better off spending additional money on locks instead. If you have some laying around, by all means try and open them. It would be worth looking them up to see how they are made and what security features they may have. Don’t set yourself up for failure with an extremely difficult lock to start with and get discouraged.
Keep in mind not all easy locks are cheap, and not all cheap locks are easy. Let’s call $15 or less cheap for a new lock of known quality. A Master Lock #3 is available around $10 and a white belt (1st level) lock. A Master Lock 410 LOTO or Abus 72/40 can be had for about $13 and are both green belt (4th level) locks. Quite a difference.
I wouldn’t spend money on a white level lock, someone you know probably has something you can borrow. I would jump to a Master Lock 140 (2nd level) and skip the white belts if you are giving locksport a serious go. You are allowed to skip belt levels if you are submitting for them.
I have actually found most of my locks at garage and estate sales. Look around for padlocks and door locks that were replaced and stashed away. If the keys are missing, be sure to bring that up when negotiating a price. A lock without a key is useless for most people, but it doesn’t matter if you are trying to open it without one.
The DIY and Custom Tool Side of the Hobby
Another aspect of locksport that I find really appealing is the DIY rabbit hole you can go down if you choose. With minimal materials and tools you can make your own lock picks, tension tools, and other helpful pieces of kit.
Lock picks can be made from a variety of materials. Steel feeler gauge sets can be found at auto parts stores or garage sales for a few dollars. The only downside is each gauge being a different thickness. You could get a handful of usable picks from the .015 – .025 thick gauges, and some tension tools from the .03 – .05 gauges. Believe it or not, the steel inserts in some wiper blades are great for tension tools. These can be found free in the garbage can outside an auto parts store, or by asking the employees to save a few old wiper blades.
To make a lock pick, you just need a way to cut or grind the rough shape out of the steel, and then some hand files and sandpaper to finish it off. A cheap Dremel type rotary tool will be more than enough for the steel we are working with. Just be careful you don’t get things too hot, you can ruin the temper and hardness of the steel.
Tension wrenches can be made with the same tools, and a set of pliers or small vise to bend the ends.
Maybe you have a pick you like but want a thicker handle on it. Some small pieces of plastic or wood can be shaped and attached to the handle to make it more comfortable.
If you have a 3D printer, there are hundreds of lock holders, tools, and organizers you can print for yourself.
It is extremely rewarding picking a challenging lock with tools you have made. It is also fun to try new pick profiles, handle shapes, and thicknesses just because you can.
Final Thoughts on Getting Back Into Lock Sport
What keeps bringing me back to lock sport is how much it offers for so little overhead. It is cheap to start, easy to carry, satisfying to improve at, and weirdly relaxing once you settle into it. For anyone who likes mechanical puzzles, tactile hobbies, or making their own tools better, it is a hobby that punches way above its size.