I know my voice sounds a bit strange… I’ve been sick, but have been trying to keep up on my posting schedule. I hope it’s not too distracting. As usual, all the tools you see me use in this video are available on covertinstruments.com
I was thinking the exact same thing. This really give you a in depth of what you should be feeling for. It also make you think I could do this. I a firm believer that confidence in something is important. This would give me the confidence to try it knowing that I can see in my mind what is happening so it can happen with practice of course
That goes back to the concept of the purpose of a lock being to keep honest people honest. If a thief wants something that's secured by a lock, the fastest way to get it is by cutting the lock or chain or breaking a door or window. But these attacks are often noisy, and even when they're quiet - like cutting a chain/lock with bolt cutters - it still looks suspicious. But picking a lock one pin at a time also looks suspicious, while raking a lock can be made to look like someone is having trouble with their key. The moral is, anything you can do to make a prospective thief decide your possessions aren't worth the risk of being caught will make you less likely to be robbed. Sometimes this means buying high quality (expensive) locks, but a Master lock can achieve the same effect by being left right out in the open where anyone trying to open it without a key will have to do their work in full view of anybody passing by. TL:DR Privacy is a thief's best friend. Denying them privacy is often the same as denying them access.
@@halahmilksheikh It adds a lot to the manufacturing cost. With standard pins you just buy a rod of correct diameter and cut it to correct lengths. With serrated you then have to take all those pins, and spend 3 times more time on cutting out the serrations
Note: Comment above is an educated guess for pins made on a small ledge by hand. While not exactly my area of expertise, I work in as a technologist for the making of Induction Furnaces Pretty sure they would have an automatic mass production system for those, but in that case it still adds the extra step, which would require purchase of extra machines, extra space, and later recalibration of the machines to fit the new rhythm.
@@oicmorez4129 pretty sure they'd just make the on a screw machine/swiss turn which is most likely where both regular and spool pins are made. 100% gonna be more expensive b/c of the additional cutting tools required but when you're making a million of these things on a screw machine we're talking fractions of a fraction of a cent. Still likely a part of the equation but I'm thinking other things okay a much larger larger role, like materials, tolerance & quality of other parts, durability, etc.
I found this the most informative of the "Inside Perspective" series - showing why a click isn't always enough and what to look for instead (the post-click ability to bounce the pin a little)
In theory, yes it's that simple. You ever actually tried picking security pins tho? This guy is one of the best in the world, so obviously he makes it look easy
Not just the ability for the pin to move up and down freely, it has to be under spring tension. You can see how the security pins keep the spring under tension but allow the key pin to slide around freely. Really good visual to show what you're looking for, little bit freedom of movement but you should also feel the resistance from the spring when it's set right...
@@kevinalfaro6531 LPL mentions it a lot in other videos "I think pin X must be serrated, and feels like a few spools", so with enough skill, yes. For novices? Well probably if the pin next to it is regular you'll notice it sticking a lot more like his where he often had it stick multiple times before getting fully into position. I've noticed this on one of the locks I haven't yet been patient enough to pick, and now I think I know why... Because its acting exactly like this, especially the part he said about raking because other locks weren't sticking in incorrect positions like that one was after raking. So if that's the case then yes even novices can probably feel the difference, but its honestly hard knowing what it is until you've got a good video explanation like this plus hands on a lock with known serrated pins to feel what its like to look out for in the future.
@@kevinalfaro6531 You can't tell just from the way it feels against the pick per se; however, if after a 'click' it's still binding, or if it's binding again when you come back to it later, then it's a security pin of some sort. Just keep checking each pin each pass, since you won't know which are and aren't security pins (or how many serrations there are)
For me this is on of the most helpful of all your videos. I'm a handyman and am often asked to open locks. Not long ago a client's son had followed his dad into a dangerous electrical room (the dad didn't know the son had followed him in and the door closed with the key in the room). The employees were literally tearing the door out of the block wall when I arrived. The techniques learned from the LPL and from his tool room covertinstruments the door was opened. The kid and the block wall survived. Thank you
I notice in this series that it can be hard to see when the locking pins are at the shear line. Perhaps you might draw a second line along the length of the visible barrel to help us visualize it?
The shear line is the place where the rotating and the static part of the core meet. For the core to turn, the gaps between all driver and key pins must line up with the shear line
Watch closely at 3:51. The moving part has holes in it. That's the place where the ends of the pins should align - then they're not in the way and the lock can be opened.
Based on this video it seems like serrated pins should be way more common. It took LPL a couple of minutes to open this lock, so if it was a real commercial lock I'd feel pretty secure with it.
Given how even a 100-year-old screw machine could spit out such pins, it is odd. I've found them in one lock that I own! When I replaced the cylinders to the dozens of locks in our house, I modded them just enough to make picking slow.
@@marwanfakhradin2543 it also prevents raking which is pretty much the easiest/lowest skill non destructive method of opening a lock. Opportunists would likely be prevented more frequently
@@marwanfakhradin2543 But we had the alternatives where he was much faster while educating. With the other pins he did not have to return to a pin for multiple times. given these samples it looks like seraded pins compared to spools or straight pins significantly slow down a lawyer trying to get into your back door.
The black box effect is when something has internal workings obscured from its users. In these instances users have the input and output values but don't know the mechanism of how the output was arrived at. With a lot of locks, the security exists ONLY in the black box effect. As you learn how the mechanism works, or how poorly its made, you remove the black box effect- its not lacking a key keeping people out, its the general public not knowing the lock is a piece of sht 😂. The entire locksmith trade used to be a REALLY secretive guild. Seeing is YUGE with picking isn't it?
Not sure who will see this, but LPL is a huge reason I actually became a locksmith. Love this channel and have watched for years, thank you for the education and anyone reading this, keep up the practice and it makes perfect.
Makes literally the best video on all of youtube showing how to pick serrated pins, ends in "sorry *that's all* I got for you today" What a humble man.
I'm not a picker, but this video shows me a lot of what you were doing in your past videos. I watch you all the time. Thank you for your time, effort, and energy, brother...
I like how these vids are showing exactly what is happening when setting one pin is allowing another to drop out of its set position. Really interesting to see all the pins acting as a cohesive whole, rather than individual contained units.
I'd be curious to see you do one of these "inside perspectives" with a mix of pins, and discuss what in the feedback is telling you how to pick a pin, or what type you think it is based on the feelings. Loving this series!
@pyropulse Everything is super simple when you know how to do it, calculus, ballistics, rocket science, etc. Not so much when you don't. Things that are psycho motor skills take time to develop.
@pyropulse easy to say when you can see it but when you're working by feel and sound alone it's not always easy to tell if it's binding or if you're pushing it to the top or even which pin you're pushing. It's not like the springs are always strong enough to give you much feedback every time. So while it may be simple, that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy
@@BryanTorok that‘s the nice thing about picking locks. The theory is super simple and understandable for everyone. But even though I know how to pick a lock, I still can‘t open all of them. Nothing is so easy and so challenging at the same time.
You've just shown me a massive mistake that's been holding me back for aaaages! I was under the assumption that if a pin is properly set, there is no 'spring force' and it's rock steady. So then I pick it more until it's rock solid. So I've been over picking more than a snot nosed little kid. Thanks LPL!
@pyropulse sounds like you're little miss perfect you should try to remember theres alot of people who don't know what the fuck they're doing or things that only make sense to someone who has experience picking locks
Maybe someone else had the same confusion as I had while watching this video: I thought that between the upper and lower pin was a spring. On the first 5 pins it looks like that. Only halfway through the video did I realize that those are not springs but the upper pins are "serrated" and that looked like a spring to me.
Multiple thumbs up to you my friend (although yt only allowed one!) I just could not understand! Was about to write an agitated comment to LPL! Oh well, only took you halfway through the video...took me watching it twice and scrolling through the comments!!
The issue there is manufacturing tolerances. With locks, there have to be working clearances so that the parts inside the lock can move, regardless of temperature, humidity, or even wear and grit ingress. Even the very highest quality locks constructed to very tight tolerances have some allowance for differences in manufacturing and the usage and wear of the lock and key. Within those tolerances it is not physically possible to make a lock so "tightly" designed that two or more pins will bind at EXACTLY the same time during the lock rotation, that's simply impossible. You could make each individual piece of the lock all the way down to the springs working on the pins designed and manufactured to qualities and tolerances that would result in a lock costing tens of thousands of dollars, and still it would be pickable using these techniques.
The tolerances would have to be almost perfect. I seem to remember one lock he picked on this channel that went back and forth a lot with dropping pins but there's too many videos to recall which one!
I really like this "inside perspective". Something I never really could conceptualize are wafer locks. I don't know if that's as practical for an "inside perspective", but it's a lock I don't fully understand as well.
This series is really cool! On a side note - Wyze just decided that making a gun safe was a good idea, so I would absolutely love to see you put them in their place in a future video.
Things are coming together so much. Now I see how pins can feel set and then not set anymore because another pin has been set higher, those are serrated. Spools have a deeper and single or dual belly inducing counter rotation, and standard pins are usually set when they feel set. I wanna get back to my covert companion now. Thanks so much for this series ! Some mentionned it already, but it would be great to have the same insights (literally) on disc detainer locks !
Love your stuff, but wanted to comment about the thumbnail. I would suggest avoiding using the red border. I scrolled past the video a couple times thinking I had already watched it because of the red line at the bottom. Glad I realized it was the full border though. Great stuff. Hugs and kisses.
"A tiny bit of movement under spring tension" is a statement I don't believe I have heard before, if so I didn't pay attention. That was the most important item of this video for me.
So happy to see you dropping set pins one after the other the way normal humans do, and then taking care of them one after the other repeatedly in order till the job she is done. Best informative on serrateds on the web. Thank you!
It's extremely helpful to see the sympathetic movements of the pins which aren't being manipulated as the picked pin travels. It explains some of the troubles I've had attempting to pick locks open (level 0 novice beginner picker).
oh my god. seeing this, i think i know what's been holding me up with this stupid Schlage residential deadbolt that's been my nemesis for a while. your explanation and demonstration of the motion to feel when a pin is actually set as opposed to a false one... my mind is blown
Seriously, these "Inside Perspective" videos encouraged me to finally give it a try. I got my first lock today, the good 'ole Masterlock 3, and after 3 15 minute sessions, I have started to get a physical feel for what you've shown on these videos, and I've already started to see constant successes. Thanks for these. Without them I am sure I would probably still be chasing that elusive first open at this point.
Really cool series LPL, it makes me want to pick it up as a hobby even more! Seeing how it looks on the inside gives me a much better understanding and appreciation for what you do!
I’ve had some issues with picking some Abus padlocks, and these inner perspective videos have been extremely helpful. I felt allot better about my skills after referencing the model to a video you posted saying it was a very advanced lock to pick (I had successfully picked it a few times , but it took a long time, and my results weren’t always repeatable) that’s when I became aware of the bypass security flaw. These videos are extremely helpful to understand more common pitfalls I was encountering but not registering. High set first pins, and how to treat serrated pins. Thanks LPL!
I’ve always had difficulty with serrated pins. I can do it, but most of the time it’s a surprise when it opens rather than me knowing where I’m at. These vids are incredibly valuable to all skill levels and now I’m excited to grab a couple of my locks and get a feel for what to, well, feel for.
This video really hi lights my biggest challenge as a new picker, the ability to actually feel the spring tension. I'm guessing it just takes thousands of hours of practice.
perfect presentation, friend! I had to open a lock at work recently, and a coworker was fascinated by the process. I had took my time and talked it through as I went (just like you do) and she decided she wants to get into locksport. 😁 She's doing pretty well for a beginner, but the few actual locks we have a work are full of security pins. (we work at a major hotel in our area). The problem I've been having is trying to help her visualize what she feels with her fingers... THIS will be so much more helpful than any words I could use! Again, thank you, friend! 😁😻👍
I remember when I ran into these the first time. Used to pick locks in high school, never actually went in anywhere though. Had no idea why this one lock to a Janitor's closet was so difficult to pick, took me a good ten minutes to get open. That gummy click feeling was so weird.
I've always had a fascination with lock picking and have been glued to your videos for a while. I feel like I have a good understanding on the mechanics of lock picking, all thanks to your outstanding videos. Just purchased the Genesis set from your website and am looking forward to starting my journey. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
As a newcomer to the Locksport this video is a great training tool. My Covert Companion, CI Practice Lock, Bump Key Set and Cutaway lock are in transit. I'll watch this a few more times while I await delivery. Thanks for the great content.
No distraction at all, thank you for pushing thru your sickness and keeping up with the posting!...Love the series, really helps me understand the internal 'Picture' that you can visualize so thoroughly. This type of instruction is truly constructive and helps me to improve my skills....Thanks so much for your time and efforts you clearly put into your channel
Wow! It was neat to be able to SEE the difference in picking those types of pins versus the others! Thanks again for taking your time, especially when not feeling well, to do this video!
funny how this demonstration lock you threw together from random pins you had lying around was tougher to pick than the majority of locks you feature on this channel.
Something that I really enjoy with this serie of video is how well we can see you ajust the tension on your left hand tool. It's mainly thanks to the close up, but here we can really enjoy the small move of the left hand. Even though it is a little bit out of the frame.
Great presentation of serrated pins and understanding what spring tension is. Loved to use with the different three tools. Will have to get to covert instruments and purchase the Yoshi pick ( hope I spelled that correctly 🤣) Edit the last tool spelled Lishi 😂 ya
And when they are like three doors deep all the doors behind them close and have even more difficult locks on the inside. Then the speakers in the corner of the room blare with "I want to play a game..." and the room starts filling with water.
This has been the most descriptive and understandable series for someone like me, who gets the basic idea behind picking, but never really grasped the specifics. Thank you for these in-depth videos--it's always a treat to see you break a lock's heart in 20 seconds, but these make picking look remarkably easy... with practice, of course.
I must say the visual information that these videos has provided in association with your standard vocal commentary has actually taught me way more than I would have ever realized at first, thank you for this insightful content it has really boosted my picking skills to a higher level over the last little while
These would be amazing to sell and use as training aides. I have a clear standard lock and it's nice but I really struggle with the real locks that have security pins; I never know if it's serrated or spooled, and I don't have that experienced "feel" from successful picks. It's confusing and frustrating to learn on real locks when your developing that feel and not knowing if your even doing it right because you can't see what your doing to confirm it. These were greats videos and I actually learned something from it. Thank you so much.
Really really enjoying these Inside Perspective videos, I started watching when you would do disassembly so I'm fascinated with the engineering. A great perspective and its wonderful to SEE what we see you FEEL.
Well, first you apply a little tool force. If it doesn't click you release a bit of pressure. You will mix both. If you watched the Spool video you saw that you can have counter-rotation, so you have to give a little less pressure to let the lock move. Also, you can overset a pin, where you push the bottom pin to the top way and lock it there, happened to me a lot when I started; this can also be solved with a little release and counter-rotation. I started with a very cheap chinese tool set, no shame in that, but you should get a sandpaper and clean the tools to make it easier.
This series is absolute genius ! After watching hundreds of your videos, these are the ones that bring it all home with your terminology, tools, techniques, etc. Thank you so much for making it all…make sense ! The quality of the videos are epic. You are literally putting us inside the lock while you pick it….Genius !
This by far an amazing video. Ive been watching your videos on and off for a long time. To actually be able to see what you are feeling for gives us viewers a whole new perspective! Great content!!
He is putting tension on the cylinder. This causes the pins to bind as they receive a sheer force between the core and housing. Sorry if I got any terms wrong.
Each pin stack is sitting in a "tunnel" that has a sheer (i.e. separation) line at the switch from cylinder to housing. By putting rotational tension on the cylinder, the tunnel wants to sheer apart at that interface line. Unless the pin stack is in exactly the right position one of the pins in the stack will get lodged and "bind" against the walls of the tunnel.
I love this "insider series". Thank you Question: Why don't they put serrated pins in every lock in the market? I don't believe doing so would make locks a lot more expensive. What holds back the industry not to do so?
Its not the cost of the materials, it is the cost of operating the machinery and labor required to make them. Only way security pins will become more common is if competitors start introducing them and the consumers start buying them in preference to the normal locks.
@@krutoyinfo -- Security pins usually require single pin picking. A lock with just standard pins can often be raked, so LPL usually doesn't even pick them.
I really injoy your channel. When I was in my mid teen years (1970s) I had an occasional interest in lock picking. I made my picks out of finishing nails that I hammered flat and shaped with a file. What I called a "torque bar" out of an old spoon. I picked all the locks at home, I never tried vehicle locks as I had seen those doors opened with a wire clothes hanger. (I even made a few keys (for pad locks that opened when the key is turned ether way) by filing off all the teeth but the end) I got the idea for the picks from an advertisement in the back of a magazine for a locksmithing course. It had a picture of few picks lying next to a key making machine. Now in my 60s you have renewed my interest in the "sport! " and plan to dabble again. If I can find my pick set! Lol
I actually have an old American brand lock. It was my biggest challenge for a long time. I finally have been able to open it regularly and when I took it apart I found it had a spool and several serrated key and driver pins. This is helpful for me so I can learn how to pick it easier. Wish the shackle hadn't been cut by attempted thieves. They gave up when it still didn't open.
![[1428] Inside Perspective: Picking Spool Pins](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Cqd9DPrgi3g/mqdefault.jpg)
![[1428] Inside Perspective: Picking Spool Pins](/img/tr.png)
![[636] Bowley Lock Analysis and Update](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qV8QKZNFxLw/mqdefault.jpg)
![[631] Master Lock 875/975 Decoded WITHOUT ANY TOOLS !](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfDPtt-bnAI/mqdefault.jpg)
![[480] The Top Ten Nastiest Keyways (In My Collection)](/img/n.gif)
I know my voice sounds a bit strange… I’ve been sick, but have been trying to keep up on my posting schedule. I hope it’s not too distracting.
As usual, all the tools you see me use in this video are available on covertinstruments.com
you sound as good as ever
💪 not distracting ;)
@@inigopatch420 yes i agree
You sound fine to me. Hope you feel better!
Don't lie, you had a few good men moment in court haha but for real, your health is most important so feel better!
The “Inside Perspective” series is really helping me understand how you do what you do.
Understand, yes. Replicate? Hardy-ha-haw, no.
These are some of my favorite videos on the channel so far!
@@ethelryan257 yes but a better understanding could lead to future replication
I was thinking the exact same thing. This really give you a in depth of what you should be feeling for. It also make you think I could do this. I a firm believer that confidence in something is important. This would give me the confidence to try it knowing that I can see in my mind what is happening so it can happen with practice of course
Cant wait for the Ramset view
Lesson learnt: Serrated pins add resistance to simple rake attacks, and will definitely slow the picker down. Might even stop some novices entirely.
That goes back to the concept of the purpose of a lock being to keep honest people honest. If a thief wants something that's secured by a lock, the fastest way to get it is by cutting the lock or chain or breaking a door or window. But these attacks are often noisy, and even when they're quiet - like cutting a chain/lock with bolt cutters - it still looks suspicious. But picking a lock one pin at a time also looks suspicious, while raking a lock can be made to look like someone is having trouble with their key. The moral is, anything you can do to make a prospective thief decide your possessions aren't worth the risk of being caught will make you less likely to be robbed. Sometimes this means buying high quality (expensive) locks, but a Master lock can achieve the same effect by being left right out in the open where anyone trying to open it without a key will have to do their work in full view of anybody passing by.
TL:DR Privacy is a thief's best friend. Denying them privacy is often the same as denying them access.
Why don't lock manufacturers just use serrated pins on everything to prevent rake attacks? It seems straightforward to do
@@halahmilksheikh It adds a lot to the manufacturing cost.
With standard pins you just buy a rod of correct diameter and cut it to correct lengths.
With serrated you then have to take all those pins, and spend 3 times more time on cutting out the serrations
Note: Comment above is an educated guess for pins made on a small ledge by hand.
While not exactly my area of expertise, I work in as a technologist for the making of Induction Furnaces
Pretty sure they would have an automatic mass production system for those, but in that case it still adds the extra step, which would require purchase of extra machines, extra space, and later recalibration of the machines to fit the new rhythm.
@@oicmorez4129 pretty sure they'd just make the on a screw machine/swiss turn which is most likely where both regular and spool pins are made.
100% gonna be more expensive b/c of the additional cutting tools required but when you're making a million of these things on a screw machine we're talking fractions of a fraction of a cent.
Still likely a part of the equation but I'm thinking other things okay a much larger larger role, like materials, tolerance & quality of other parts, durability, etc.
I found this the most informative of the "Inside Perspective" series - showing why a click isn't always enough and what to look for instead (the post-click ability to bounce the pin a little)
Hey bud, great name.
THE CLONES ARE HERE
@@Aditya-wg3lp this is getting out of hand, now there are 2 of them!
In theory, yes it's that simple. You ever actually tried picking security pins tho? This guy is one of the best in the world, so obviously he makes it look easy
Not just the ability for the pin to move up and down freely, it has to be under spring tension. You can see how the security pins keep the spring under tension but allow the key pin to slide around freely. Really good visual to show what you're looking for, little bit freedom of movement but you should also feel the resistance from the spring when it's set right...
LPL: "6 is binding..."
Me : "Tightly."
LPL: "Firmly."
Me : "Now hold up, that's not in the script!"
I'm glad I wasn't the only one thrown off by the firmly
Those are different types of binding, but firmly binding is really rare
i'm outraged! unsubscribed!
(obvisouly jking) xD
Haha threw me off too! He lulled us into a false set before
He did also say it again to make sure it was _not_ a fluke
This “Inside Perspective “ series is definitely the cream of the crop.
Somewhere The Macho Man Randy Savage is rotating in his crave!
GREAM OF THE GROP!!!
I like that he showed that the binding order can change depending on the direction of tension.
That is a great observation.
Would you happen to know if you can feel the serrated pins, when single picking?
@@kevinalfaro6531 LPL mentions it a lot in other videos "I think pin X must be serrated, and feels like a few spools", so with enough skill, yes. For novices? Well probably if the pin next to it is regular you'll notice it sticking a lot more like his where he often had it stick multiple times before getting fully into position. I've noticed this on one of the locks I haven't yet been patient enough to pick, and now I think I know why... Because its acting exactly like this, especially the part he said about raking because other locks weren't sticking in incorrect positions like that one was after raking. So if that's the case then yes even novices can probably feel the difference, but its honestly hard knowing what it is until you've got a good video explanation like this plus hands on a lock with known serrated pins to feel what its like to look out for in the future.
@@kevinalfaro6531 You can't tell just from the way it feels against the pick per se; however, if after a 'click' it's still binding, or if it's binding again when you come back to it later, then it's a security pin of some sort. Just keep checking each pin each pass, since you won't know which are and aren't security pins (or how many serrations there are)
@pyropulse No need for this. Everyone was a beginner once.
For me this is on of the most helpful of all your videos. I'm a handyman and am often asked to open locks. Not long ago a client's son had followed his dad into a dangerous electrical room (the dad didn't know the son had followed him in and the door closed with the key in the room). The employees were literally tearing the door out of the block wall when I arrived. The techniques learned from the LPL and from his tool room covertinstruments the door was opened. The kid and the block wall survived.
Thank you
Wow, you are also a legend to do this in an extremely intense scenario like that.
I notice in this series that it can be hard to see when the locking pins are at the shear line. Perhaps you might draw a second line along the length of the visible barrel to help us visualize it?
Using Machinists Tool Dye (Purple) one could stain either the Core or the Housing to provide a better Visual Differentiation.
@pyropulse
I don't even know _what_ a sheerline is.
The shear line is the place where the rotating and the static part of the core meet. For the core to turn, the gaps between all driver and key pins must line up with the shear line
@pyropulse correction, _you_ can easily tell where the sheer line is. Not everyone can
Watch closely at 3:51. The moving part has holes in it. That's the place where the ends of the pins should align - then they're not in the way and the lock can be opened.
Based on this video it seems like serrated pins should be way more common. It took LPL a couple of minutes to open this lock, so if it was a real commercial lock I'd feel pretty secure with it.
It took him minutes because of education
Else he will click the shit out of that in seconds
Given how even a 100-year-old screw machine could spit out such pins, it is odd. I've found them in one lock that I own! When I replaced the cylinders to the dozens of locks in our house, I modded them just enough to make picking slow.
@@marwanfakhradin2543 it also prevents raking which is pretty much the easiest/lowest skill non destructive method of opening a lock.
Opportunists would likely be prevented more frequently
@@marwanfakhradin2543 But we had the alternatives where he was much faster while educating. With the other pins he did not have to return to a pin for multiple times. given these samples it looks like seraded pins compared to spools or straight pins significantly slow down a lawyer trying to get into your back door.
I was thinking just the same. I'm definitely getting some of those serrated things.
Man it makes everything so much easier to understand when you can see it from the side! Awesome video dude!
Agreed! This is the best LPL videos that I have seen, and I have watched many (most) of them.
The black box effect is when something has internal workings obscured from its users. In these instances users have the input and output values but don't know the mechanism of how the output was arrived at. With a lot of locks, the security exists ONLY in the black box effect. As you learn how the mechanism works, or how poorly its made, you remove the black box effect- its not lacking a key keeping people out, its the general public not knowing the lock is a piece of sht 😂. The entire locksmith trade used to be a REALLY secretive guild. Seeing is YUGE with picking isn't it?
Not sure who will see this, but LPL is a huge reason I actually became a locksmith. Love this channel and have watched for years, thank you for the education and anyone reading this, keep up the practice and it makes perfect.
Makes literally the best video on all of youtube showing how to pick serrated pins, ends in "sorry *that's all* I got for you today" What a humble man.
Go check out the keynote he gave for a digital security conference.
I'm not a picker, but this video shows me a lot of what you were doing in your past videos. I watch you all the time. Thank you for your time, effort, and energy, brother...
I like how these vids are showing exactly what is happening when setting one pin is allowing another to drop out of its set position. Really interesting to see all the pins acting as a cohesive whole, rather than individual contained units.
I'd be curious to see you do one of these "inside perspectives" with a mix of pins, and discuss what in the feedback is telling you how to pick a pin, or what type you think it is based on the feelings. Loving this series!
I’d like to see that as well. I can pick spools. I can pick serrations. I have trouble with spool & serrated combo.
Maybe also serrated spools?
@pyropulse Everything is super simple when you know how to do it, calculus, ballistics, rocket science, etc. Not so much when you don't. Things that are psycho motor skills take time to develop.
@pyropulse easy to say when you can see it but when you're working by feel and sound alone it's not always easy to tell if it's binding or if you're pushing it to the top or even which pin you're pushing. It's not like the springs are always strong enough to give you much feedback every time. So while it may be simple, that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy
@@BryanTorok that‘s the nice thing about picking locks. The theory is super simple and understandable for everyone. But even though I know how to pick a lock, I still can‘t open all of them. Nothing is so easy and so challenging at the same time.
You've just shown me a massive mistake that's been holding me back for aaaages! I was under the assumption that if a pin is properly set, there is no 'spring force' and it's rock steady. So then I pick it more until it's rock solid. So I've been over picking more than a snot nosed little kid. Thanks LPL!
Same I"ve been oversetting pins badly :(
@pyropulse Wow, you're so smart and cool 🤓
@pyropulse sounds like you're little miss perfect you should try to remember theres alot of people who don't know what the fuck they're doing or things that only make sense to someone who has experience picking locks
Maybe someone else had the same confusion as I had while watching this video:
I thought that between the upper and lower pin was a spring.
On the first 5 pins it looks like that. Only halfway through the video did I realize that those are not springs but the upper pins are "serrated" and that looked like a spring to me.
Same :-)
I didn't realize this until reading your comment. Thank you!
it helps if you ever did a repinning with serrated pins :D
Multiple thumbs up to you my friend (although yt only allowed one!) I just could not understand! Was about to write an agitated comment to LPL! Oh well, only took you halfway through the video...took me watching it twice and scrolling through the comments!!
I also thought that they were springs, until I saw that the horizontal lines were indeed horizontal, and highly unlikely to be spring wire..
This series is a BANGER! I'm learning about the process more than ever
"He has a tiny bit of motion so let's leave him alone" Man he's just like me.
Imagine walking home and you just hear a guy say "Two is binding firmly".
Some pins seem to drop down under counter-rotation. Do you ever find a case where they keep dropping and you can't single-pin pick the lock?
I believe it wouldn't make it completely impossible, but you might need to pick some pins multiple times.
i was curious about that too
The issue there is manufacturing tolerances. With locks, there have to be working clearances so that the parts inside the lock can move, regardless of temperature, humidity, or even wear and grit ingress. Even the very highest quality locks constructed to very tight tolerances have some allowance for differences in manufacturing and the usage and wear of the lock and key. Within those tolerances it is not physically possible to make a lock so "tightly" designed that two or more pins will bind at EXACTLY the same time during the lock rotation, that's simply impossible. You could make each individual piece of the lock all the way down to the springs working on the pins designed and manufactured to qualities and tolerances that would result in a lock costing tens of thousands of dollars, and still it would be pickable using these techniques.
The tolerances would have to be almost perfect. I seem to remember one lock he picked on this channel that went back and forth a lot with dropping pins but there's too many videos to recall which one!
I wonder if this could be used as a feature of a challenge lock
I really like this "inside perspective". Something I never really could conceptualize are wafer locks. I don't know if that's as practical for an "inside perspective", but it's a lock I don't fully understand as well.
For the life of me, I can't recall how I ended up in this channel, but I'm grateful I did. Super interesting and entertaining.
Time to buy a master lock and a couple paper clips :)
Loving this series “Inside Perspective”
This is the view you should have in lockpicking mini games for fallout and stuff like it.
Agreed
@@UyeGaming The old Splinter Cell games had something pretty similar
@@UyeGaming -- ESO picking is kinda like this.
I just never get bored watching the inner workings of a lock. And seeing what´s going on inside while it´s beeing picked. Great series LPL👍
Reminds me of x-ray option in certain videos...wink wink
This series is really cool! On a side note - Wyze just decided that making a gun safe was a good idea, so I would absolutely love to see you put them in their place in a future video.
Just drop the 'g' and the space every time you see a Chinese made one.
@@Kineth1 wyze is an iot/consumer electronics company and we all know about how secure consumer electronics companies make their lockboxes..
Things are coming together so much. Now I see how pins can feel set and then not set anymore because another pin has been set higher, those are serrated. Spools have a deeper and single or dual belly inducing counter rotation, and standard pins are usually set when they feel set. I wanna get back to my covert companion now.
Thanks so much for this series ! Some mentionned it already, but it would be great to have the same insights (literally) on disc detainer locks !
Well, I call BS, but even if not. You literally answered to a comment saying "I learned from this video" with "I didn't". What's your point ?
LPL: "Here are a few I had laying around."
Mrs. LPL: "Would you PLEASE pickup all these locks and parts you have laying around?"
"Sorry, i'm not the LockPickUPingLawyer..."
Love your stuff, but wanted to comment about the thumbnail. I would suggest avoiding using the red border. I scrolled past the video a couple times thinking I had already watched it because of the red line at the bottom. Glad I realized it was the full border though. Great stuff. Hugs and kisses.
Thanks… I hadn’t thought of that. Changed. 👍
"A tiny bit of movement under spring tension" is a statement I don't believe I have heard before, if so I didn't pay attention. That was the most important item of this video for me.
So happy to see you dropping set pins one after the other the way normal humans do, and then taking care of them one after the other repeatedly in order till the job she is done.
Best informative on serrateds on the web.
Thank you!
It's extremely helpful to see the sympathetic movements of the pins which aren't being manipulated as the picked pin travels. It explains some of the troubles I've had attempting to pick locks open (level 0 novice beginner picker).
That's why there are picks with more or less curvature .... ;-)
I normally enjoy your content but these inside prospective picking series is extremely therapeutic to watch.
oh my god. seeing this, i think i know what's been holding me up with this stupid Schlage residential deadbolt that's been my nemesis for a while. your explanation and demonstration of the motion to feel when a pin is actually set as opposed to a false one... my mind is blown
Seriously, these "Inside Perspective" videos encouraged me to finally give it a try. I got my first lock today, the good 'ole Masterlock 3, and after 3 15 minute sessions, I have started to get a physical feel for what you've shown on these videos, and I've already started to see constant successes. Thanks for these. Without them I am sure I would probably still be chasing that elusive first open at this point.
Really cool series LPL, it makes me want to pick it up as a hobby even more!
Seeing how it looks on the inside gives me a much better understanding and appreciation for what you do!
I’ve had some issues with picking some Abus padlocks, and these inner perspective videos have been extremely helpful. I felt allot better about my skills after referencing the model to a video you posted saying it was a very advanced lock to pick (I had successfully picked it a few times , but it took a long time, and my results weren’t always repeatable) that’s when I became aware of the bypass security flaw.
These videos are extremely helpful to understand more common pitfalls I was encountering but not registering. High set first pins, and how to treat serrated pins.
Thanks LPL!
pick what's binding, not necessarily the high cuts
I’ve always had difficulty with serrated pins. I can do it, but most of the time it’s a surprise when it opens rather than me knowing where I’m at. These vids are incredibly valuable to all skill levels and now I’m excited to grab a couple of my locks and get a feel for what to, well, feel for.
The “Inside Perspective” was a good teaching tool for me. Thank you!
This series is amazing! Helping me to understand all the little intricacies instead of just looking for a "click" keep it up!!
This video really hi lights my biggest challenge as a new picker, the ability to actually feel the spring tension. I'm guessing it just takes thousands of hours of practice.
The difference between knowing whats happening in the lock compared to actually seeing it action is 2 so different things! This is avesome! Thanks!
perfect presentation, friend! I had to open a lock at work recently, and a coworker was fascinated by the process. I had took my time and talked it through as I went (just like you do) and she decided she wants to get into locksport. 😁
She's doing pretty well for a beginner, but the few actual locks we have a work are full of security pins. (we work at a major hotel in our area). The problem I've been having is trying to help her visualize what she feels with her fingers... THIS will be so much more helpful than any words I could use!
Again, thank you, friend! 😁😻👍
This was super educational. Really good to see the pins shifting and binding
I remember when I ran into these the first time. Used to pick locks in high school, never actually went in anywhere though. Had no idea why this one lock to a Janitor's closet was so difficult to pick, took me a good ten minutes to get open.
That gummy click feeling was so weird.
I've always had a fascination with lock picking and have been glued to your videos for a while. I feel like I have a good understanding on the mechanics of lock picking, all thanks to your outstanding videos. Just purchased the Genesis set from your website and am looking forward to starting my journey. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
As a newcomer to the Locksport this video is a great training tool. My Covert Companion, CI Practice Lock, Bump Key Set and Cutaway lock are in transit. I'll watch this a few more times while I await delivery. Thanks for the great content.
LPL: Today I will pick the gate to Heaven.
3 minutes later: LPL is in heaven
God: Gabriel! You told me that lock was unpickable!
He could pick my lock if you get what I mean.
LPL: **pulls out Ramset** "They always forget about good old glockpicking"
@@garyhost354 you'd have to have a lock first.
@@garyhost354 Weirdo.
@@garyhost354 save your horny comments for April 1st
This series is REALLY opening my eyes to everything you do in the everyday series, LOVE this!
Thank you so much for this wonderful series of videos!
Love it that a lock that you threw together with bits you had laying around takes longer to pick than most commercial locks.
That was very helpful. Now we have a visual of what you are feeling when picking a lock. Perfect demonstration. Thanks.
This inside perspective series is pure gold!
Would love to see an inside perspective of disc detainer locks!
I believe he said that was next week
No distraction at all, thank you for pushing thru your sickness and keeping up with the posting!...Love the series, really helps me understand the internal 'Picture' that you can visualize so thoroughly. This type of instruction is truly constructive and helps me to improve my skills....Thanks so much for your time and efforts you clearly put into your channel
" Ok folks, i hope you found that helpful. "
Helpful?
It was the KEY i needed to understand for this pin type.
Wow! It was neat to be able to SEE the difference in picking those types of pins versus the others! Thanks again for taking your time, especially when not feeling well, to do this video!
It’s all over boys. LPL picked his way out of Hell and he’s back to remove all the locks on Earth!
Shut up
When he dies God will lock him out of heaven but he'll just pick the gate open.
@@ThePrufessa oh dang, you right.
funny how this demonstration lock you threw together from random pins you had lying around was tougher to pick than the majority of locks you feature on this channel.
Thanks for the how-to's. It helps us who have an interest, but not the time to dedicate to practice and learning on our own.
These little demo's are getting interesting !
Thanks for all your work!
Have a great day, and hope you feel better soon.
I just love your videos, simply brilliant and always looking so easy how u pick all of the locks.
Something that I really enjoy with this serie of video is how well we can see you ajust the tension on your left hand tool.
It's mainly thanks to the close up, but here we can really enjoy the small move of the left hand. Even though it is a little bit out of the frame.
This series is really interesting! I have no interest in picking locks myself, but it's fascinating to see how it is done.
It's oodles of fun... and highly addictive...
Great presentation of serrated pins and understanding what spring tension is.
Loved to use with the different three tools.
Will have to get to covert instruments and purchase the Yoshi pick ( hope I spelled that correctly 🤣)
Edit the last tool spelled Lishi 😂 ya
These videos are so, so much better. Each one advances my understanding a month's worth of watching the old ones. Thank you LPL👍👍👍
I pretty much knew what was going on after seeing you take apart many locks but this makes it crystal clear. Thanks for the tutorial.
I like to imagine every door in his house uses a different lock, so if a robber tries to rob him, its gonna turn from a heist into a SAW puzzle
And when they are like three doors deep all the doors behind them close and have even more difficult locks on the inside. Then the speakers in the corner of the room blare with "I want to play a game..." and the room starts filling with water.
@@GiantMoth and the lock in question is a Abloy Protec2
Game over.
I'm definitely loving this series, there are so many beginners our there looking for direction and they are getting it right here, thanks LPL!
"Slight movement under spring tension" might be the single most important phrase in this video for me.
I hope that you feel better soon. This series is amazing! I love being able to hear your words match your actions!!
I love the way you did this video can you please do more inside perspective for different types of locks 🔒
This has been the most descriptive and understandable series for someone like me, who gets the basic idea behind picking, but never really grasped the specifics.
Thank you for these in-depth videos--it's always a treat to see you break a lock's heart in 20 seconds, but these make picking look remarkably easy... with practice, of course.
This beats every masterlock in existence and you can see inside it... one stop shop for pickers with this inside perspective!
This is the most instructive video I've seen on picking technique in a long time, very nicely done. Thank you.
I must say the visual information that these videos has provided in association with your standard vocal commentary has actually taught me way more than I would have ever realized at first, thank you for this insightful content it has really boosted my picking skills to a higher level over the last little while
These would be amazing to sell and use as training aides. I have a clear standard lock and it's nice but I really struggle with the real locks that have security pins; I never know if it's serrated or spooled, and I don't have that experienced "feel" from successful picks. It's confusing and frustrating to learn on real locks when your developing that feel and not knowing if your even doing it right because you can't see what your doing to confirm it. These were greats videos and I actually learned something from it. Thank you so much.
These are the kinds of videos I was very frustrated to not see on your channel for a long time. It's good to see that changing.
Really really enjoying these Inside Perspective videos, I started watching when you would do disassembly so I'm fascinated with the engineering. A great perspective and its wonderful to SEE what we see you FEEL.
Are you planning on doing every type of lock you have? I’m curious to see disc detainers as well as dimple locks in the future
Quick question, when something is "binding", do you release pressure a little bit or maintain pressure? Never pick a lock before so got curious
Well, first you apply a little tool force. If it doesn't click you release a bit of pressure. You will mix both. If you watched the Spool video you saw that you can have counter-rotation, so you have to give a little less pressure to let the lock move. Also, you can overset a pin, where you push the bottom pin to the top way and lock it there, happened to me a lot when I started; this can also be solved with a little release and counter-rotation. I started with a very cheap chinese tool set, no shame in that, but you should get a sandpaper and clean the tools to make it easier.
Thanks for this video, makes it easier to relate to your general good work and comments for us that are new to the art.
Loving these "Inside Perspective" videos, giving me such a better understanding.
Excellent video! Are there any disadvantages to putting serrated pins in a lock? If you were putting custom pins into a lock, what would you use?
Cost and laziness
gin or barrel spools and the corresponding core milling
An entire industry refusing to innovate.
I wonder if somewhere in CZcams, there’s a channel for a locksmith who gives quality legal advice.
This is the LawyeringProfessionalLocksmith, and what I have for you today is advice for resolving a property line dispute with your abutting neighbor.
This series is absolute genius ! After watching hundreds of your videos, these are the ones that bring it all home with your terminology, tools, techniques, etc. Thank you so much for making it all…make sense ! The quality of the videos are epic.
You are literally putting us inside the lock while you pick it….Genius !
I want to see a competition where LPL and other established pickers have a gauntlet of locks of all kinds to get through. At the end would be a prize.
There is such competition, I think LPL mentioned somewhere that he won one.
He didn't record it, but he came in first place in the first one he entered
Longest video LPL are you feeling ok 😂💪
Brilliant! Thank you, that is very revealing. I can almost feel it from here.
This by far an amazing video. Ive been watching your videos on and off for a long time. To actually be able to see what you are feeling for gives us viewers a whole new perspective! Great content!!
What are the pins “binding” against? This is very interesting to see. Please keep them coming.
He is putting tension on the cylinder. This causes the pins to bind as they receive a sheer force between the core and housing.
Sorry if I got any terms wrong.
They are binding against the walls of the pin chambers, at the shear line, as you are applying rotation.
Each pin stack is sitting in a "tunnel" that has a sheer (i.e. separation) line at the switch from cylinder to housing. By putting rotational tension on the cylinder, the tunnel wants to sheer apart at that interface line. Unless the pin stack is in exactly the right position one of the pins in the stack will get lodged and "bind" against the walls of the tunnel.
He's twisting the core toward the camera at the top, so the metal just behind the pins (from our perspective) is what's binding
the side of the pin chambers
I love this "insider series". Thank you
Question: Why don't they put serrated pins in every lock in the market?
I don't believe doing so would make locks a lot more expensive.
What holds back the industry not to do so?
Its not the cost of the materials, it is the cost of operating the machinery and labor required to make them. Only way security pins will become more common is if competitors start introducing them and the consumers start buying them in preference to the normal locks.
@@sonicmastersword8080 Why for? LPL opens them as usual pins ))))
@@krutoyinfo -- Security pins usually require single pin picking. A lock with just standard pins can often be raked, so LPL usually doesn't even pick them.
This series of videos is pure gold for beginners. Thank you so much.
Love this inside view !! Explains so much more than listening to the other videos please more please !!!
It would be very helpful if you could draw a line where the cylinder turns (where the pins are sit).
with all these "inside" videos I can only imagine what the 1 april video will be this year
x-ray henti
I really injoy your channel. When I was in my mid teen years (1970s) I had an occasional interest in lock picking. I made my picks out of finishing nails that I hammered flat and shaped with a file. What I called a "torque bar" out of an old spoon. I picked all the locks at home, I never tried vehicle locks as I had seen those doors opened with a wire clothes hanger. (I even made a few keys (for pad locks that opened when the key is turned ether way) by filing off all the teeth but the end) I got the idea for the picks from an advertisement in the back of a magazine for a locksmithing course. It had a picture of few picks lying next to a key making machine. Now in my 60s you have renewed my interest in the "sport! " and plan to dabble again. If I can find my pick set! Lol
I'm loving this series. Being able to see what's happening inside the lock REALLY helps me to understand the process. LPL ROCKS!
I actually have an old American brand lock. It was my biggest challenge for a long time. I finally have been able to open it regularly and when I took it apart I found it had a spool and several serrated key and driver pins. This is helpful for me so I can learn how to pick it easier. Wish the shackle hadn't been cut by attempted thieves. They gave up when it still didn't open.
This was the best one of this series so far,so satisfying watching each pin click and seeing only one left as you’re about to open the 🔒,thank you.