Ebook: MIT Guide to Lock Picking

The big secret of lock picking is that it's easy. Anyone can learn how to pick locks.

The theory of lock picking is the theory of exploiting mechanical defects. There are a
few basic concepts and definitions but the bulk of the material consists of tricks for opening
locks with particular defects or characteristics. The organization of this manual reflects this
structure. The first few chapters present the vocabulary and basic information about locks
and lock picking. There is no way to learn lock picking without practicing, so one chapter
presents a set of carefully chosen exercises that will help you learn the skills of lock picking.
The document ends with a catalog of the mechanical traits and defects found in locks and
the techniques used to recognize and exploit them. The first appendix describes how to make
lock picking tools. The other appendix presents some of the legal issues of lock picking.