@@lockpickinglawyer it's darn crazy how little protection a lock grants when it's in your hands, I swear, how much skill points did you spend in lockpicking?
This is simply awesome. "binding", "click", "set" and "nothing" finally visualized. Perhaps it would be possible to do this on a disc detainer lock, too?
Was just about to type out same comment. Never understood the terms and how’s they’d feel through the pick, but can see when the pins are binding in this video
I've never really understood what you meant when you'd pick a lock and say, "nothing on 1, nothing on 2, click on 3, ... etc". Now I saw and heard it. Fantastic video. Makes much more sense now.
Its even more interesting to learn why the pins bind: its because the manufacturing is imperfect and all pins are off the inline, and therefore when we turn with the tension wrench, instead of all the pins blocking your rotation, one pin tries to to block you at a time. So that pin which is blocking faces a lot of friction from rubbing against the plug (the keyhole's cylinder). And even better, once you spot this binding pin, and lift if up to the correct height, it "clicks" and sets into position because the plug gives away to rotating until it runs into the next binding pin. If the lock was made without any imperfections in manufacturing, and the dimensions were exactly as the 3d model used in designing it, then all pins would bind at once and you would hear any "click" from the pins. And thus picking them this way would be impossible
It's cool that he picked up on that and showed us in real time what he means as it's happening. I had an idea in my head similar, but now I have the correct picture in my head
I would love to see more of this. Specifically targeting terms like "false set", "counter rotation" , "over set", etc. Seeing whats going on internally is incredibly helpful. BTW, is this cutaway cylinder available on Covertinstruments?
Those usually come into play with various types of security pins. Counter rotation is basically just letting off tension, usually dropping a few pins, but releasing others if they're binding too tightly. (Like a partial re-set). I believe over set is when the bottom pin comes above the sheer line and sticks there. False set I think is when it feels set, but it's in a groove in a security pin, rather than the actual sheer line between pins
Absolutely. This helped to better visualize concepts that I was PRETTY SURE I knew already, but now I'm totally confident. Being able to connect the visuals makes a huge difference. I don't mean to pitch for a possible competitor, but Sparrows sells a cutaway lock, which is what I use.
For counter rotation you can see it clearly in one of LPL's video testing/demoing the Lishi tool in a lock with a spool pin. The core will rotate significantly more than normal when the groove of the spool pin get to the sheer line. Continue pushing up on the pin will cause the core to rotate in the opposite direction hence counter rotation. Over set is when you push the key pin up above the sheer line, blocking the lock from being opened.
Yes, it's a really helpful video. I picked my first lock the other day thanks to guides from this channel, it's a great feeling when you finally manage to do it for the first time. Thanks LPL!
Indeed, eg: Binding = good Whoda thunk? I'd be almost like: dang that binding pin, could a bit of oil fix dat? but: "nothing on x..." . OK, so, no problem with x... No, that's a problem..
@@-danR Due to manufacturing tolerances, one pin will get pinched by the tensioned keyway. This one is "binding", you feel (through the picking tool) how it resists movement a bit. You manipulate that biding pin until it "sets" into the correct position. Then you continue to find the next "binding" pin. A pin which is not (yet) pinched by the tensioning will give you no resistance (except for the spring). Springness but no resistance = "nothing". It's like manually decoding a cheap combination lock. You try to pull it open (tension it), then you find they dial/disc which moves hardest and try to find the gate where it sets.
More of these cutaway cylinder pickings, demonstrating more complex locks and lockpicking techniques, please! This is a *fantastically* illustrative sort of video, and it absolutely deserves a series if you're willing to do so. Outstanding work, LPL.
I think this probably did more to solidify in people's minds what's going on during pin-picking than anything... notably the fact that "nothing on pin #" does *not* mean that pin isn't set.
This does make me wonder if it's susceptible to combing, feels like all pins could fit on the upper part (forgot the name where the springs go), so even more taken from the family
This also shows the weakness of bottom-of-keyway tension in some keyways; pin 1 was set by the "back" of the pick while picking deeper pins. If it had been a deep cut, it would have overset.
This is what I love about the Oblivion modding community. Even after several years they're still updating the graphics and game play. Even on the lock picking mini-game
Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated? I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else. Gets me frustrated. Just admit that you love the videos I make, my dear rob
I was having so much trouble with my covert instruments lockpick and practice lock set. Bent my lockpicks too. Immediately After seeing this video, I'm picking my practice lock up to three pins now. Thanks so much!! Watching this one gave me my AHA!! moment! Total lightbulb over my head! Thank you so much, Sir LPL!
It sounds like you are using way too much tension. You just need enough tension for the pins to touch the sides of their chambers, no more. Turn the core gently until it stops turning, then add just a tiny bit more tension and you've probably got enough.
That is what "we" (Honest Subscribers) needed to see. As many of your videos I have watched I now know what you mean when you say "Nothing on 1" and "binding" on other pins. As has been said since the beginning of time. Pictures are often better than words. Thank you.
Was really educational to see what click, set and binding looked like, it gives a far better insight now, only picked a few locks in my entire life, my bicycle lock using the old bic pen tube trick, handcuffs (only to see if I could, was pretty easy and my neighbours letterbox, husband working away realised he had taken the keys and they were expecting very important Mail that couldn’t wait til he got home (I used a couple of layers of a coke can, cut with Swiss Army knife, something between a bump key/wavy rake, I must have got lucky because I couldn’t repeat the feat again.
I’ve watched so many of your videos while having no idea what “binding”, “click”, “set”, and other things meant. This has helped so much. I would love to see more
After watching you for years, I finally had an opportunity to try what I've learned from your videos lol. My mom had a lockbox with some family heirlooms in it that she lost the key to, so I whipped out my pick kit and bam - heirlooms retrieved!
I love seeing this. Coming from a tech background, the wave rake really looks to me like a random password generator very quickly trying to guess a password through brute force. I can see why security pins and false sets can help stop raking now, just like account timeouts and account lockouts after so many failed attempts stops most brute force attacks.
As someone who’s never picked a lock but loves watching and learning from LPL, this might be my new favorite video 😎👍🏻 Definitely want more videos like this!
I have been following your videos for a year or two, and watched BB and some others too… and today it all fell into place - no longer binding, one might say! Thank you!
Very instructional. I have a "see through" lock that I learned on, but; seeing what you refer to as "binding, little click, seems set" really makes all your other videos make sense. Very nicely done!
Problem with the transparent plastic locks, is that they're sloppily made and will often give in without much of a fight. It's nice to get positive results as reassurance but it maybe isn't teaching you 100% Still, there are plenty of locks in the world. Might be that someone who can pick a "practice" lock easily, will be OK at doing a real padlock and maybe other stuff in time.
@@greenaum I paid more for a good quality transparent lock, it comes with all kinds of security pins too so you can configure it randomly every time. It's a great educational tool, but a lot different from doing it 'blind'. I managed to pick my first real padlock recently, I think it was partly a fluke but I impressed myself, lol!
Yes, exactly this, completely changed my understanding of what was going on in there. It's like each other video made one small neural connection then this video made like a hundred connections and tied them all together. My brain's filled with all these visuals now that were all darkness.
I finally understand what the "nothing on x", " x is binding" , "maybe a little something on x" etc. means. Can't wait to see the next one with spool and serrated pins. You do assume a pretty sophisticated viewer that understands locks, keys, and mechanics. I am often wanting to see close up of some of the keys, parts and internals (like the spools, etc) and how they impact the difficulty.
For a skilled picker the spools are actually an aid. They "talk" a lot. Standard pins in a lock of ultra high manufacturing tolerances can be a real bitch because you get almost no feedback and it is really hard to feel an overset. It's pretty frustrating to pick like an idiot for 10 minutes thinking you haven't even gotten the first pin set yet, only to hear a loud "thunk" when you let go of the tension.... "shit... I overset the first pin it tested... :-/"
It actually was how I had been picturing it working when you pick a lock, once I saw him take a lock apart I had that moment where I was like "oh wow, it ACTUALLY works like it did in oblivion doesn't it?" 🤣
For his upcoming 13th bday, I gifted my son his first kit with practice locks. He's watched a number of LPL videos and wished there were more instructional. What great timing! Thanks, as always.
Check out Bosnian Bill's video's as well as Lock Noob, very instructional and Bosnian Bill might be retired but he has so many video's and helped found locksport. Good luck!
Exceptional video. Probably your best so far. I'm a visual learner and this method really helps understand whats going on. Would like to see you change out the pins to more secure pins so we could see them work.
there's actually no evidence whatsoever for "visual learning" or other learning styles being a thing at all. in this case visualisation just helps everyone understand easier
I like seeing this better than those transparent locks that you can buy in lock-picking practice kits. Wow the raking method really works fast on a simple pin type lock.
Not all simple pin type locks can be raked. It is very dependent on the pinning. The flatter the bitting, the more likely you are to rake it. The more high-low bitting, the less likely it is possible to rake it. Although many videos depict Rakes as being faster and superior to SPP, their use is limited. I believe better quality locks, "blacklist" certain bitting, like 3-3-4-3-3 and 1-2-1-1-2, or even 1-2-1-2-1. The pins all being off by 1, is next to zero security. A bitting like 5-2-1-2-5 would likely be impossible to rake, just due to having both a 5 pin and a 1 pin. Based on youtubers, I used to think Raking was a very difficult skill that locksmiths acquired over the years, but I have learned on my own, Raking is basically just trying to get lucky with bad odds. In the field, most locks can't be raked open. It's worth a try at first, but you don't want to spend 30 hours trying to Rake a lock that can't be raked (no matter what the shape of the rake is). If anyone disagrees with me, please explain in detail why I am wrong and please do not base it on assumptions, base it on experience. . I also used to think that CZcams lockpickers were being unfair to manufacturers and specifically picking locks with flat-bitting. However, my conclusion is that even if they are, the fact remains that the manufacturer saw the bitting and said "yeah, that seems fine, ship it". High Security locks are more strict, but I suggest always looking at the key, before you buy a lock, whether it is for practice or use.
With the two transparent locks I got, the tolerances are so bad that they are way too easy to pick. You barely have to touch anything to get them to open. Not helpful.
@@FusionDeveloper I have to agree. I haven't been picking long but I can't even rake the clear practice lock I have because one pin over-sets every time I try to rake it.
The transparent locks seem to be there to give you a false sense of "Wow, this lockpicking kit is great, I can pick locks effortlessly already!" They seem to be manufactured so badly on purpose.
Recent searches: "Is it illegal to own lockpicking tools in California?" "Covert Instruments" "Is LockPickingLawyer a lawyer?" "why does Master Lock suck so much?"
- No - Haven't tried his products - Yes, but not practicing at this point - The market doesn't demand/know to demand any better AND/OR most in-the-field locks are defeated by brute force rather than skill. It doesn't matter how pick-resistant your core is if a typical attacker will just cut the shackle
@@DrewLevitt Facts I work in a shipping yard, and if a trucker leaves a lock on a trailer it gets cut off because its very quick. If a business isn't going to take extra time to do things a certain way, most criminals won't either -- unless it is a necessity
I ask a locksmith for some Tumblr for a Honda so I can fix an ignition lock cylinder for a customer I am a mechanic he told me it was illegal for me to work on the lock and gave me some tumblers anyhow
"Like having X-Ray specs" - We all wanted those as kids! I've been doing some CROSS-SECTION videos on my channel, like a cut-away but on the other axis, so I cut the front of the lock off and you see the pins head-on rather than sideways.
For the novice, this is your best one yet. It goes well beyond the clear padlock in illustrating the inner workings of a cylinder. I've installed so many locksets and had so many padlocks over the years that I've either lost the keys to or the combination to that I can't keep up with the number. Then, of course, there are the times that we lock ourselves out of our home or car that this skill sure comes in handy. Speaking of which, can you apply this to some car cylinders too? Anyway, I find your videos far superior to the rest. Thanks
Absolutely enlightening! Adding your usual commentary whilst picking to an actual visual of what's actually going on inside was very educational.. Please do more like this and thanks for all of your videos.
I’ve used the clear locks but they are so easy to open that literally yelling at it will scare it open. Seeing you use a better quality cutaway lock finally put things in perspective for me. Excellent video!
@@weswheel4834 it means he feels (sometimes hears) the lock clicking as the barrel turns a miniscule amount when one of the pins aligns, though not always in the proper position. When picking I find it best to find a binding pin and then move it until it stops binding, when it stops binding is when it clicks
@@weswheel4834 because it was perfect tolerances the whole lock would likely seize, few thing are perfectly smooth and without friction. Picking works because the the a shear force imparted due to tensioning which enables the picker to feel where the interface is and there is a tilt on the pin, which is freed once the level is reached. Also with most lock that interface is a hole thorough curved surfaces not so relative dimensions cross sections will change and the pins being able to rotate don't have the curved interlocking cut, You won't find many square pin for that reason. Very difficult to design the tolerances and have a smooth action that wont seize. Not all lock work rotation basis, but those the exceptions. Purely linear locks are rare, and if there is a way to open the shackle that isn't internally driven it can be tensioned. Security pin create false gate or seize up the lock when manipulated in that way, but it is marginal.
I think I will be coming back to this video again and again, it is very refreshing to see how exactly the internals work when picking. I never knew that I needed this video, thank you very much Mr. LPL
I miss the Oblivion and Morrowind style lockpicking. The new style is just so boring, yes it's more "realistic", but it just doesn't give me that same sense of fascination as the old style.
I hate the modern video game style lockpicking minigame so much, you just roll around guessing where to turn... It's nothing more than a time waster, really! I wish I could just have a set time that it takes for the lock to open, depending on its in-game difficulty, and no minigame at all.
This is really cool. Conceptually, I feel like I already had a grasp on basic lock picking, but this made it really clear. I'd love to see more videos like this for all different types of locks and techniques.
This is so helpful! I've followed you for a couple years now. I even bought one of those super cheap locking sets with the clear locks. I never fully understood the mechanics of what was happening, but this made all thenpieves fall into place. Thanks for making a video like this, LPL! I hope you do more in the future.
Wave rake is amazingly useful and powerful argument. And any lock, that doesn't stand rake, cannot claim anything but 2 out of 10 security (1 means you need at least the turning tool).
This is a tremendous help for understanding how to pick a lock without ever attempting it yourself. I'd love to see a disk design that you can watch being picked, but I imagine it's not easily possible to produce one.
For a demonstration such as this, one could probably be constructed using clear materials (plastic, acrylic, etc). Even if it has to be overly large, it could still enable us to visualize the process in a real lock.
I'm pretty sure Bosnian Bill produced a video that goes in depth with a cut-away disk detainer lock, his channel is also a gold mine for educational material
Wow. Been watching your videos and just sitting back impressed and not having a clue what's actually going on for years. This is complete game changer. I bet people will learn SO much faster now just from being able to see this.
I LOVED finally getting to see some of what you’ve been saying over the years in action. Plus, makes me think of all the lock picking mini games that show up in video games. Again, it’s fantastic to finally see it in action.
Yes, this video is super cool. It's great to see this working on the inside. Is it possible to do this with disc detainer locks? I still don't understand those ones very well. I want to see "the pick that Bosnian Bill and I made" on the INSIDE. Thanks!
I got myself a cutaway cylinder together with my picking set. However, I'd wish to have one with security pins, to understand better how to "feel" false gates.
Nothing means that the pins moves easily all the way up and down, and you feel nothing as a result. Binding means that the pin does not want to move, and that you must use more force to get it to move (you might also need to relax the tension a bit). Set means that the pin moves easily up to a certain point, then becomes a little springy, and then encounters resistance. Note that he might say "nothing" when the pin is really set. By this he means that there is no additional action; when you use the Lishi tool, you can tell the difference between true nothing and set based on how high the probe goes. A set pin won't go much higher than the shear line, while on true nothing it goes all the way up. Usually when you move a binding pin to the shear line, it clicks, stops binding, and becomes set. At that point, a pin that was previously nothing becomes the new binding pin, and therefore the next candidate for being set. Some pins may become set before they become really binding. The main thing to avoid is over-setting a pin, which is pushing it past the shear line and having the key pin bind instead of the driver pin.
This is absolutely fascinating, I bought a set of picks and a trio of see through locks to practice on thanks to watching so many of your videos. I still don't consider myself very good, but being able to see the process like this is great
@@mekaerwin7187 so the comb is actually exploiting a flaw where on some locks there is too much room in the area with the spring. It's not making the pins line up, it's pushing both halves of the pin completely above the line, letting the lock turn. A cutaway of a comb attack would be super neat to see
@@mekaerwin7187 The comb lifts both keypins and driver pins "upstairs". It really is that simple. If they make the spring chambers too long there is room for both a compressed spring, the driver pin and the key pin up there. So you insert the comb and press upwards while rotating. Since the "fingers" of the comb are equally long all the stuff is pushed out of the core at the same time. So you're metaphorically "rekeying the lock to an all-zero-cut key" :P
@@mikeh2909 Can't say I've ever had that happen.... But then again, I don't force the issue when testing for "overlift compliance". Sure, on some locks you can probably *make* the springs compress more than what we normally associate with "full compression", but then we're talking a destructive attack rather than a bypass.
LOVE to see more like it. Most of time I am visualizing the whole 20 seconds you spend picking the lock… wondering what’s going on inside….this is cool and allows us to see. Would like to see one with security pins and spools to better understand what is going on.
maybe stupid question but can you also demonstrate what security pins do or tapered pins. and maybe a disc retainer lock.
Před 2 lety+6
I think doing it with disc detainer / disc tumbler lock would be very hard if not impossible (you cannot cut away half of all disks), but you could do it with a wafer lock.
Interesting that the sequence of binding is different between the single picking and the lishi tool. This video also shows me how bad I am with the wave rake. I've never been able to make one work.
Also note during the single pin pick, he said nothing on 4 yet it set. Also shallower pins were being exercised while deeper ones were being probed allowing them to get set unintentionally (especially 1). Where the lishi only worked on 1 pin at a time so there were no accidental sets. Really interesting to watch.
The trick to wave rakes is to *gradually* increase the tension. If you just clamp down on it like a motherfucker right from the get-go you'll overset something. You also need to have some sort of idea how high up you need to lift the rake. If you start up so high that the lowest points on the rake are still oversetting the longest keypins you're SOL right out of the gate.
Finally, I was searching for this comment. I couldn't be the only one who noticed the binding sequence was different between single pin picking and the lishi tool. What causes that? Less tension applied when single pin picking? so some of the pins were accidentally set? So it's really still the same sequence but just some pins get set accidentally or don't have an audible clicking sound? Sorry if these are stupid questions, I'm totally new to this and trying to educate myself.
![[1432] Inside Perspective: Picking Serrated Pins](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/muPJjTBuYHY/mqdefault.jpg)
![[1432] Inside Perspective: Picking Serrated Pins](/img/tr.png)
![[527] Pickproof your Kwikset For Less Than $1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7JlgKCUqzA0/mqdefault.jpg)
![[188] My Approach to Lock Picking Tension](/img/n.gif)
That looks amazing! I'd like to see the same setup but with various security pins
It’s coming next week. 👍
@@lockpickinglawyer NOICE
@@lockpickinglawyer it's darn crazy how little protection a lock grants when it's in your hands, I swear, how much skill points did you spend in lockpicking?
@@lockpickinglawyer Great, cant wait!
@@lockpickinglawyer Is next week now?
This is simply awesome. "binding", "click", "set" and "nothing" finally visualized. Perhaps it would be possible to do this on a disc detainer lock, too?
i want to see it with security pins ect.
This video is a great way to learn and understand all those terms
I second this
Up vote
Was just about to type out same comment.
Never understood the terms and how’s they’d feel through the pick, but can see when the pins are binding in this video
I've never really understood what you meant when you'd pick a lock and say, "nothing on 1, nothing on 2, click on 3, ... etc". Now I saw and heard it. Fantastic video. Makes much more sense now.
Exactly!!
Me either. Great approach
For real. I had a basic understanding and have practiced a bit myself but this really puts into perspective exactly what he means
Absolutely spot on. I've watched many of your videos but never really understood what the terms meant. Now it's obvious! Thanks.
Its even more interesting to learn why the pins bind: its because the manufacturing is imperfect and all pins are off the inline, and therefore when we turn with the tension wrench, instead of all the pins blocking your rotation, one pin tries to to block you at a time. So that pin which is blocking faces a lot of friction from rubbing against the plug (the keyhole's cylinder). And even better, once you spot this binding pin, and lift if up to the correct height, it "clicks" and sets into position because the plug gives away to rotating until it runs into the next binding pin. If the lock was made without any imperfections in manufacturing, and the dimensions were exactly as the 3d model used in designing it, then all pins would bind at once and you would hear any "click" from the pins. And thus picking them this way would be impossible
It's cool that he picked up on that and showed us in real time what he means as it's happening. I had an idea in my head similar, but now I have the correct picture in my head
This is like when Penn and Teller do their clear cups and ball trick, where the audience can see everything, and yet I still feel fooled.
Except LPL didn't fool you.
PO-TATO!
I would love to see more of this. Specifically targeting terms like "false set", "counter rotation" , "over set", etc. Seeing whats going on internally is incredibly helpful. BTW, is this cutaway cylinder available on Covertinstruments?
Those usually come into play with various types of security pins. Counter rotation is basically just letting off tension, usually dropping a few pins, but releasing others if they're binding too tightly. (Like a partial re-set). I believe over set is when the bottom pin comes above the sheer line and sticks there. False set I think is when it feels set, but it's in a groove in a security pin, rather than the actual sheer line between pins
I second this
Yes please!
Absolutely. This helped to better visualize concepts that I was PRETTY SURE I knew already, but now I'm totally confident. Being able to connect the visuals makes a huge difference.
I don't mean to pitch for a possible competitor, but Sparrows sells a cutaway lock, which is what I use.
For counter rotation you can see it clearly in one of LPL's video testing/demoing the Lishi tool in a lock with a spool pin. The core will rotate significantly more than normal when the groove of the spool pin get to the sheer line. Continue pushing up on the pin will cause the core to rotate in the opposite direction hence counter rotation.
Over set is when you push the key pin up above the sheer line, blocking the lock from being opened.
Now I get what LPL means when he says: "nothing on 1, 2 , 3 is binding".
Seeing it helped me understand it a lot :) This was awesome :D
Yes, it's a really helpful video. I picked my first lock the other day thanks to guides from this channel, it's a great feeling when you finally manage to do it for the first time.
Thanks LPL!
yea i never knew wtf he was talking about
Indeed, eg:
Binding = good
Whoda thunk?
I'd be almost like: dang that binding pin, could a bit of oil fix dat?
but:
"nothing on x..." . OK, so, no problem with x...
No, that's a problem..
I knew that he was talking about the pins, but not how it looked, so it was helpful.
@@-danR Due to manufacturing tolerances, one pin will get pinched by the tensioned keyway. This one is "binding", you feel (through the picking tool) how it resists movement a bit. You manipulate that biding pin until it "sets" into the correct position. Then you continue to find the next "binding" pin.
A pin which is not (yet) pinched by the tensioning will give you no resistance (except for the spring). Springness but no resistance = "nothing".
It's like manually decoding a cheap combination lock. You try to pull it open (tension it), then you find they dial/disc which moves hardest and try to find the gate where it sets.
More of these cutaway cylinder pickings, demonstrating more complex locks and lockpicking techniques, please! This is a *fantastically* illustrative sort of video, and it absolutely deserves a series if you're willing to do so. Outstanding work, LPL.
Extraordinary. This was a masterclass, just given freely. Dude, you rule.
his whole channel is
I think this probably did more to solidify in people's minds what's going on during pin-picking than anything... notably the fact that "nothing on pin #" does *not* mean that pin isn't set.
I always thought that meant there was holes without pins, I feel dumb lol
@@miglespigles2025 oh my, i laughed out loud! thank you :)
Yes! Love that I finally understand what he means, it's like night and day for understanding the narration. So interesting!
double negative!
The rake actually was very informative for me on how I was screwing that up when I was trying to use it.
That cutaway lock is Masterlock's newest model for 2022. Despite its looks, it is slightly more pick resistant than their current product line.
Oh, maybe it'll take 3 minutes instead of the usual 2!
so the usual masterlock hahaha
@@Bigfootz2004 Some of the best locks take 2 minutes to pick by LPL. Master locks often take a few seconds.
@@Bigfootz2004 dear sir... you seem to have confused minutes with seconds, please rectify this error at once
This does make me wonder if it's susceptible to combing, feels like all pins could fit on the upper part (forgot the name where the springs go), so even more taken from the family
Outside of criminal purposes, lockpicking is such a cool skillset to have.
And or post apocalyptic survival skill. But you know it's not like nuclear warfare is in the air or anything.
@@sailyui Lockpick the ash that's left
@@MammalianCreature ashpicking.
Trust me, this could put up in use when you forgot your keys somewhere or you get locked outside of your house
@Miss M silence, broad.
Knowledge is more important than your feelings.
This also shows the weakness of bottom-of-keyway tension in some keyways; pin 1 was set by the "back" of the pick while picking deeper pins. If it had been a deep cut, it would have overset.
Oh, so that's why so many keys I've used had a deep cut on 1.
probably makes the key more fragile tho
Would you put the tensioner in the top of the keyway to avoid this? How do you judge when to use bottom-of-the-keyway vs top-of-the-keyway?
could you do this with security pins and other anti-picking measures to show how they work and how to adapt your picking to defeat them?
Yes - please.
yes please!
Confirmed coming next week :)
This please.
Yea I'd like to know what a False and True Gate is...
This is what I love about the Oblivion modding community. Even after several years they're still updating the graphics and game play. Even on the lock picking mini-game
I think Oblivion's lockpicking is harder that this (...is made to look by a pro)
Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated? I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else. Gets me frustrated. Just admit that you love the videos I make, my dear rob
😂😂😂😂 funniest thing I've seen today
meanwhile in other games like Fallout and Skyrim u just rotate the pick and then try to open the lock xD
@@HebuTheLoneWolf yea I think after oblivion Bethesda really started to make the gameplay towards more casual players
I was having so much trouble with my covert instruments lockpick and practice lock set. Bent my lockpicks too. Immediately After seeing this video, I'm picking my practice lock up to three pins now. Thanks so much!! Watching this one gave me my AHA!! moment! Total lightbulb over my head! Thank you so much, Sir LPL!
It sounds like you are using way too much tension. You just need enough tension for the pins to touch the sides of their chambers, no more. Turn the core gently until it stops turning, then add just a tiny bit more tension and you've probably got enough.
That is what "we" (Honest Subscribers) needed to see. As many of your videos I have watched I now know what you mean when you say "Nothing on 1" and "binding" on other pins. As has been said since the beginning of time. Pictures are often better than words. Thank you.
Was really educational to see what click, set and binding looked like, it gives a far better insight now, only picked a few locks in my entire life, my bicycle lock using the old bic pen tube trick, handcuffs (only to see if I could, was pretty easy and my neighbours letterbox, husband working away realised he had taken the keys and they were expecting very important Mail that couldn’t wait til he got home (I used a couple of layers of a coke can, cut with Swiss Army knife, something between a bump key/wavy rake, I must have got lucky because I couldn’t repeat the feat again.
a fluke???
@@zoey-oey-oeyd4020 impossible!!
Can't wait to find out what the April fools video is gonna be
Ohhhhhh man he always has some funny ones. MKNHD is also pretty good on April fool's if you want to check him out
Unpickable lock that even lpl can’t pick and gave up :D
maybe hes going to show us Master lock "pick proof" lock... ( it will be a lock that was wielded shut)
@@BlueFlash25 He had one! It was a sticker :D
I’ve watched so many of your videos while having no idea what “binding”, “click”, “set”, and other things meant. This has helped so much. I would love to see more
Reminds me of the lockpicking in TES:Oblivion, I love how (visually) accurate that it actually is, wouldn't have thought it was
In elder scrolls online too but with timer
After watching you for years, I finally had an opportunity to try what I've learned from your videos lol. My mom had a lockbox with some family heirlooms in it that she lost the key to, so I whipped out my pick kit and bam - heirlooms retrieved!
*Quest Complete*
_New Achievement Unlocked_ : Lysaght Family Heirloom
@@ArcaneMaiden had to go up to see the commenter's name 😂
@@whiteballs538 I just had to. 😆
@@ArcaneMaiden perfect comment
did you rake it? its ok you can admit if you did
I love seeing this. Coming from a tech background, the wave rake really looks to me like a random password generator very quickly trying to guess a password through brute force. I can see why security pins and false sets can help stop raking now, just like account timeouts and account lockouts after so many failed attempts stops most brute force attacks.
So the way to create a secure lock is to make a 64 pin lock, interesting.
@@BlenderRenaissance Repin your core every 30 days.
@@denniscampbell4272 Better hope you documented where you put those driver pins
@@BlenderRenaissance I think the latest standard is 512 pin.
@@BlenderRenaissance the Not-so-civil engineer has already made a tool for that :D
As someone who’s never picked a lock but loves watching and learning from LPL, this might be my new favorite video 😎👍🏻
Definitely want more videos like this!
I have been following your videos for a year or two, and watched BB and some others too… and today it all fell into place - no longer binding, one might say! Thank you!
Very instructional. I have a "see through" lock that I learned on, but; seeing what you refer to as "binding, little click, seems set" really makes all your other videos make sense. Very nicely done!
Have fun rewatching them all with your new understanding 😀
Problem with the transparent plastic locks, is that they're sloppily made and will often give in without much of a fight. It's nice to get positive results as reassurance but it maybe isn't teaching you 100% Still, there are plenty of locks in the world. Might be that someone who can pick a "practice" lock easily, will be OK at doing a real padlock and maybe other stuff in time.
@@greenaum I paid more for a good quality transparent lock, it comes with all kinds of security pins too so you can configure it randomly every time. It's a great educational tool, but a lot different from doing it 'blind'. I managed to pick my first real padlock recently, I think it was partly a fluke but I impressed myself, lol!
Yes, exactly this, completely changed my understanding of what was going on in there. It's like each other video made one small neural connection then this video made like a hundred connections and tied them all together. My brain's filled with all these visuals now that were all darkness.
@@VoiceActorMan I like your eloquence, "visuals with darkness" describes exactly how I felt, but I didn't know how to word it.
Could you show us what it looks like when picking security pins too?
Yes, please put some different type of security spins in; serrated, spools, and some of the fancier ones!
Wait for next week's videos....
I agree with this!
This is so interesting as we finally get to see what you mean by binding or set. I would love to see even more details about this
Finally get to see, what the lock picking lawyer is doing when he's explaining his picks. Very good watch
I finally understand what the "nothing on x", " x is binding" , "maybe a little something on x" etc. means. Can't wait to see the next one with spool and serrated pins. You do assume a pretty sophisticated viewer that understands locks, keys, and mechanics. I am often wanting to see close up of some of the keys, parts and internals (like the spools, etc) and how they impact the difficulty.
For a skilled picker the spools are actually an aid. They "talk" a lot. Standard pins in a lock of ultra high manufacturing tolerances can be a real bitch because you get almost no feedback and it is really hard to feel an overset. It's pretty frustrating to pick like an idiot for 10 minutes thinking you haven't even gotten the first pin set yet, only to hear a loud "thunk" when you let go of the tension.... "shit... I overset the first pin it tested... :-/"
Bosnian Bill is the teacher. Seek out his knowledge and your wildest desires will be picked.
same lol
Turns out the Oblivion lock picking minigame is pretty accurate after all
It actually was how I had been picturing it working when you pick a lock, once I saw him take a lock apart I had that moment where I was like "oh wow, it ACTUALLY works like it did in oblivion doesn't it?" 🤣
so glad im not the only one
@@markpedersen9506 ... and then they went and oversimplified it for Fallout 3 and 4. 😠
I was looking for an Oblivion related comment :D
@@softweir
Because the majority of people complained about Oblivion's unintuitive minigames.
This is cool. Finally get to see what you are feeling when picking a lock.
This is definitely one of the best videos you've done. This helped me visually understand the process so much better than I had before.
For his upcoming 13th bday, I gifted my son his first kit with practice locks. He's watched a number of LPL videos and wished there were more instructional. What great timing! Thanks, as always.
I always thought something like that would be fun to do to learn how it works. Which kit did you get?
Check out Bosnian Bill's video's as well as Lock Noob, very instructional and Bosnian Bill might be retired but he has so many video's and helped found locksport. Good luck!
William has it right. There are channels dedicated to teaching lockpicking, LPL is amazing but doesn't specifically try to teach.
Exceptional video. Probably your best so far. I'm a visual learner and this method really helps understand whats going on. Would like to see you change out the pins to more secure pins so we could see them work.
there's actually no evidence whatsoever for "visual learning" or other learning styles being a thing at all. in this case visualisation just helps everyone understand easier
Next week he will be doing it with security pins.
@@gloverelaxis ok Karen
@@gloverelaxis ok boomer
@@jabbabbabba i'm a male revolutionary marxist
This is without a doubt the most visually stunning and instantly intuitive video on your channel. Great, great work.
These videos are gold.
I like seeing this better than those transparent locks that you can buy in lock-picking practice kits. Wow the raking method really works fast on a simple pin type lock.
Not all simple pin type locks can be raked.
It is very dependent on the pinning.
The flatter the bitting, the more likely you are to rake it.
The more high-low bitting, the less likely it is possible to rake it.
Although many videos depict Rakes as being faster and superior to SPP, their use is limited.
I believe better quality locks, "blacklist" certain bitting, like 3-3-4-3-3 and 1-2-1-1-2, or even 1-2-1-2-1. The pins all being off by 1, is next to zero security.
A bitting like 5-2-1-2-5 would likely be impossible to rake, just due to having both a 5 pin and a 1 pin.
Based on youtubers, I used to think Raking was a very difficult skill that locksmiths acquired over the years, but I have learned on my own, Raking is basically just trying to get lucky with bad odds.
In the field, most locks can't be raked open. It's worth a try at first, but you don't want to spend 30 hours trying to Rake a lock that can't be raked (no matter what the shape of the rake is).
If anyone disagrees with me, please explain in detail why I am wrong and please do not base it on assumptions, base it on experience.
.
I also used to think that CZcams lockpickers were being unfair to manufacturers and specifically picking locks with flat-bitting. However, my conclusion is that even if they are, the fact remains that the manufacturer saw the bitting and said "yeah, that seems fine, ship it". High Security locks are more strict, but I suggest always looking at the key, before you buy a lock, whether it is for practice or use.
With the two transparent locks I got, the tolerances are so bad that they are way too easy to pick. You barely have to touch anything to get them to open. Not helpful.
@@FusionDeveloper I have to agree. I haven't been picking long but I can't even rake the clear practice lock I have because one pin over-sets every time I try to rake it.
The transparent locks seem to be there to give you a false sense of "Wow, this lockpicking kit is great, I can pick locks effortlessly already!"
They seem to be manufactured so badly on purpose.
Recent searches:
"Is it illegal to own lockpicking tools in California?"
"Covert Instruments"
"Is LockPickingLawyer a lawyer?"
"why does Master Lock suck so much?"
yes
- No
- Haven't tried his products
- Yes, but not practicing at this point
- The market doesn't demand/know to demand any better AND/OR most in-the-field locks are defeated by brute force rather than skill. It doesn't matter how pick-resistant your core is if a typical attacker will just cut the shackle
@@DrewLevitt Facts
I work in a shipping yard, and if a trucker leaves a lock on a trailer it gets cut off because its very quick. If a business isn't going to take extra time to do things a certain way, most criminals won't either -- unless it is a necessity
I ask a locksmith for some Tumblr for a Honda so I can fix an ignition lock cylinder for a customer I am a mechanic he told me it was illegal for me to work on the lock and gave me some tumblers anyhow
@@sneal77777 Locksmith: "Wait, that's illegal... carry on that'll be $55.47"
This is a new favourite. Really good to see the exact action to go with your description.
A lot of things made sense from seeing this one.
I've been hoping you would do something like this for so long. Thank you very much, greatly appreciated!
"Like having X-Ray specs" - We all wanted those as kids! I've been doing some CROSS-SECTION videos on my channel, like a cut-away but on the other axis, so I cut the front of the lock off and you see the pins head-on rather than sideways.
For the novice, this is your best one yet. It goes well beyond the clear padlock in illustrating the inner workings of a cylinder. I've installed so many locksets and had so many padlocks over the years that I've either lost the keys to or the combination to that I can't keep up with the number. Then, of course, there are the times that we lock ourselves out of our home or car that this skill sure comes in handy. Speaking of which, can you apply this to some car cylinders too? Anyway, I find your videos far superior to the rest. Thanks
I think this is the most informative of your videos that I've seen! Thank you, I'd love to see more of these.
Absolutely enlightening! Adding your usual commentary whilst picking to an actual visual of what's actually going on inside was very educational.. Please do more like this and thanks for all of your videos.
I love when you do a cutaway. It would be cool to see some of the harder locks to pick in cutaway.
He is doing one with security pins next week apparently.
I’ve used the clear locks but they are so easy to open that literally yelling at it will scare it open. Seeing you use a better quality cutaway lock finally put things in perspective for me. Excellent video!
Lmao! “Yelling at it”. That was good!🔒
"OPEN YOU STUPID LOCK" click, lol
Obviously made by MasterLock...
@@Teverell For a Master Lock there should be less intrusive ways than yelling at it.
I've been waiting for this for years. Thank you for the demonstration.
This was very relaxing to watch before bed time. Thanks LPL!
I'd love to see this done with different types of security pins and see how they align on picking
I always thought that the little-click-out-of-1 meant that it was a security pin. Why does it click otherwise?
@@weswheel4834 it means he feels (sometimes hears) the lock clicking as the barrel turns a miniscule amount when one of the pins aligns, though not always in the proper position. When picking I find it best to find a binding pin and then move it until it stops binding, when it stops binding is when it clicks
@@ouzoloves Okay thanks. That matches what he showed here and what he normally does. Makes sense, thanks.
Confirmed coming in next weeks Video!
@@weswheel4834 because it was perfect tolerances the whole lock would likely seize, few thing are perfectly smooth and without friction. Picking works because the the a shear force imparted due to tensioning which enables the picker to feel where the interface is and there is a tilt on the pin, which is freed once the level is reached.
Also with most lock that interface is a hole thorough curved surfaces not so relative dimensions cross sections will change and the pins being able to rotate don't have the curved interlocking cut, You won't find many square pin for that reason. Very difficult to design the tolerances and have a smooth action that wont seize.
Not all lock work rotation basis, but those the exceptions. Purely linear locks are rare, and if there is a way to open the shackle that isn't internally driven it can be tensioned.
Security pin create false gate or seize up the lock when manipulated in that way, but it is marginal.
i'm a visual learner, and this has finally made lockpicking *click* in my head.
Ah I get the phrase "pin head" now
The proverbial "click out of one"?
I think I will be coming back to this video again and again, it is very refreshing to see how exactly the internals work when picking. I never knew that I needed this video, thank you very much Mr. LPL
Ive been waiting for exactly this. Great demonstration. Thank you.
absolutely riveting - 10 year old me finally knows why Oblivion's lockpicking minigame looked so weird
turns out Bethesda had it right all along
well, except locpicking tools nowadays probably don't break if you sneeze too hard into them
I miss the Oblivion and Morrowind style lockpicking. The new style is just so boring, yes it's more "realistic", but it just doesn't give me that same sense of fascination as the old style.
exactly what I was thinking :D
Also Thief!
I hate the modern video game style lockpicking minigame so much, you just roll around guessing where to turn... It's nothing more than a time waster, really!
I wish I could just have a set time that it takes for the lock to open, depending on its in-game difficulty, and no minigame at all.
This is really cool. Conceptually, I feel like I already had a grasp on basic lock picking, but this made it really clear. I'd love to see more videos like this for all different types of locks and techniques.
Fascinating and really nice to see what has been going on while watching all your other videos. Thanks.
This is so helpful! I've followed you for a couple years now. I even bought one of those super cheap locking sets with the clear locks. I never fully understood the mechanics of what was happening, but this made all thenpieves fall into place. Thanks for making a video like this, LPL! I hope you do more in the future.
The wave rake is like the weakest possible argument in a discussion, yet proves how poorly thought the other side is.
Wave rake is amazingly useful and powerful argument. And any lock, that doesn't stand rake, cannot claim anything but 2 out of 10 security (1 means you need at least the turning tool).
This is a tremendous help for understanding how to pick a lock without ever attempting it yourself. I'd love to see a disk design that you can watch being picked, but I imagine it's not easily possible to produce one.
For a demonstration such as this, one could probably be constructed using clear materials (plastic, acrylic, etc). Even if it has to be overly large, it could still enable us to visualize the process in a real lock.
I'm pretty sure Bosnian Bill produced a video that goes in depth with a cut-away disk detainer lock, his channel is also a gold mine for educational material
Wow. Been watching your videos and just sitting back impressed and not having a clue what's actually going on for years. This is complete game changer. I bet people will learn SO much faster now just from being able to see this.
This is literally the type of video I've been waiting for you to make. You have one of the coolest channels period.
Fantastic video. The view is amazing.
finally, after years of watching this channel , mostly helping me fall asleep, now it all makes sense
Thank you for showing this, really helps understanding a lot better!
I LOVED finally getting to see some of what you’ve been saying over the years in action. Plus, makes me think of all the lock picking mini games that show up in video games. Again, it’s fantastic to finally see it in action.
Yes, this video is super cool. It's great to see this working on the inside. Is it possible to do this with disc detainer locks? I still don't understand those ones very well. I want to see "the pick that Bosnian Bill and I made" on the INSIDE.
Thanks!
I got myself a cutaway cylinder together with my picking set.
However, I'd wish to have one with security pins, to understand better how to "feel" false gates.
you can always re-pin it yourself.
He said in a comment that next week he’s doing a video with security pins in it.
Thank you so much! This was truly a phenomenal learning experience!
This is the educational video I've been waiting eagerly for! Fantastic, LPL.
This is the best way to explain how lock picking works. It can be hard for someone new to understand what is going on inside without seeing it.
have been waiting for this kind of video for a long while. thanks, LPL!
This was awesome because we could see what was happening on top of your call outs. It shows your process better. Kudos
Awesome video, thank you for taking the time, also thanks for colouring the pins to give extra visual
explaining the difference between "binding", "set", and "nothing" would be nice
how do they feel and how the mechanics of the lock work
But what about the mystery of not knowing what the heck is going on but still feeling compelled to keep watching.
Nothing means that the pins moves easily all the way up and down, and you feel nothing as a result. Binding means that the pin does not want to move, and that you must use more force to get it to move (you might also need to relax the tension a bit). Set means that the pin moves easily up to a certain point, then becomes a little springy, and then encounters resistance. Note that he might say "nothing" when the pin is really set. By this he means that there is no additional action; when you use the Lishi tool, you can tell the difference between true nothing and set based on how high the probe goes. A set pin won't go much higher than the shear line, while on true nothing it goes all the way up.
Usually when you move a binding pin to the shear line, it clicks, stops binding, and becomes set. At that point, a pin that was previously nothing becomes the new binding pin, and therefore the next candidate for being set. Some pins may become set before they become really binding. The main thing to avoid is over-setting a pin, which is pushing it past the shear line and having the key pin bind instead of the driver pin.
@@Mueller3D thx for the great explanation. Could almost feel it, thats how illustrative this was.
i expected this comment under any of his videos, but this one..
@@Mueller3D damn good post
Your calm, friendly voice is like what if Mr Rogers was a locksmith.
Watching this was incredibly helpful. Being able to visually see what we usually just hear is so much fun!
Fantastic demonstration! Thank you for doing this!
This is absolutely fascinating, I bought a set of picks and a trio of see through locks to practice on thanks to watching so many of your videos. I still don't consider myself very good, but being able to see the process like this is great
This gives a much better perspective and helps me understand some more of the terms you routinely use. Thank you so much!
Thank You!!! Finally!!!
Your words make so much more sense now!👏🏼.
Plus you have a great voice to listen to.
Outstanding vid! Thank you so much!
Definetely would like to see more videos like this, where you pick and we see what's inside.
Excellent. Now if the pins were a little shorter, LPL could have mounted a comb attack as well.
I just wish I understood how the comb is working. The wave and the pick I think I get, but how is the comb making them line up?
@@mekaerwin7187 so the comb is actually exploiting a flaw where on some locks there is too much room in the area with the spring. It's not making the pins line up, it's pushing both halves of the pin completely above the line, letting the lock turn. A cutaway of a comb attack would be super neat to see
@@mekaerwin7187 The comb lifts both keypins and driver pins "upstairs". It really is that simple. If they make the spring chambers too long there is room for both a compressed spring, the driver pin and the key pin up there. So you insert the comb and press upwards while rotating. Since the "fingers" of the comb are equally long all the stuff is pushed out of the core at the same time. So you're metaphorically "rekeying the lock to an all-zero-cut key" :P
@@andersjjensen True. Unfortunately a comb attach can really compress the springs and jam the lock up. Not that an intruder cares.....
@@mikeh2909 Can't say I've ever had that happen.... But then again, I don't force the issue when testing for "overlift compliance". Sure, on some locks you can probably *make* the springs compress more than what we normally associate with "full compression", but then we're talking a destructive attack rather than a bypass.
Fantastic content. So helpful for me to see what’s going on.
I have been hoping for a video like this from you. Awesome work.
LOVE to see more like it. Most of time I am visualizing the whole 20 seconds you spend picking the lock… wondering what’s going on inside….this is cool and allows us to see. Would like to see one with security pins and spools to better understand what is going on.
Ya i didn't understand why a pin would bind for example 🤔
maybe stupid question but can you also demonstrate what security pins do or tapered pins. and maybe a disc retainer lock.
I think doing it with disc detainer / disc tumbler lock would be very hard if not impossible (you cannot cut away half of all disks), but you could do it with a wafer lock.
YES! this type of perspective with security pins would be really interesting to see
Confirmed coming in next weeks Video!
Can't wait for the video showing you picking spools and security pins. Amazing view, really gives you a whole other perspective.
This really helped my understanding of how locks work and picking specifically. Thsnk you for the instructional video and have a good one!
This actually helped me understand a lot more what to expect when I practice picking
What a cool idea
Best video ever... Thanks an image is more powerful than words, thanks a lot!!!!
I knew how to pick door locks but never knew the details and I appreciate that you help me understand better!
So cool, thanks for showing this. Side note: Seeing the cutaway reminded me of Bill, hope he's doing well!
I am sure that I am not alone in saying that I really miss Bill. Hope things are working out for him.
Interesting that the sequence of binding is different between the single picking and the lishi tool.
This video also shows me how bad I am with the wave rake. I've never been able to make one work.
Also note during the single pin pick, he said nothing on 4 yet it set. Also shallower pins were being exercised while deeper ones were being probed allowing them to get set unintentionally (especially 1). Where the lishi only worked on 1 pin at a time so there were no accidental sets. Really interesting to watch.
@@Sembazuru "accidentaly sets pin" sounds like you do not know what are you doing but you still gets the best performance in the whole team :D
The trick to wave rakes is to *gradually* increase the tension. If you just clamp down on it like a motherfucker right from the get-go you'll overset something. You also need to have some sort of idea how high up you need to lift the rake. If you start up so high that the lowest points on the rake are still oversetting the longest keypins you're SOL right out of the gate.
Finally, I was searching for this comment. I couldn't be the only one who noticed the binding sequence was different between single pin picking and the lishi tool. What causes that? Less tension applied when single pin picking? so some of the pins were accidentally set? So it's really still the same sequence but just some pins get set accidentally or don't have an audible clicking sound?
Sorry if these are stupid questions, I'm totally new to this and trying to educate myself.
This is the video I've always wanted. I'm a visual learner and this helps out tremendously! Love your videos thanks for all you do!
This is one of your best videos. Thank you!
This was awesome, I can finally somewhat understand what LPL is doing inside that lock.
Far more instructional than even the best animations out there. Showing three different methods - no less!
That cut-away view put the image of the pins and springs in their cylinders into my forebrain. I gotcha now. Thanks. 👍
I loved this. It gives me so much more insight into what the terms all mean
thanks