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Why Lock Picking, or Lock Sport⚓︎


I would like to be clear, I’ve chosen up this hobby as it intrigues me, not because I have criminal intent. Security by obscurity is not security, and knowing how to pick a lock does not make you a criminal. Understanding how to secure your technology, money, toys, and family is something everyone should know more about.

In my day job, I need to understand how to secure computer networks and their attached devices. IT security is a carefully built house of cards, and while there is a lot you can do to harden a system, it doesn’t take much for it to crumble. I’ve also found that often people put more trust in their digital security practices than they should. This isn’t to say you can’t be secure, you just have to understand what it is securing you, how exactly it works, and how to properly use it.

Securing the physical things around you is no different in importance, but what is different is security by obscurity is very common. Is your gun-safe lock more secure than your gym locker? Does a lock’s size correlate to being more secure? When you buy the lock, and it says it is 10/10 on security, what does it mean? I’m intrigued to understand those obscure intricacies, and there is no better way of learning how something works than to understand how to defeat it. This ability to manipulate and non-destructively open locks and security devices is what I like focusing on.

The LockPickingLawyer did a keynote in November of 2021 where he discusses physical and digital security and touches on many of the reasons I too enjoy the sport.

Rules of Ethics⚓︎

I’m not a TOOOL member as there is no local chapter, though I think they have a great Rules of Ethics which anyone looking into the hobby should abide by.

  1. Never pick or manipulate with the aim of opening any lock that does not belong to you, unless you have been granted explicit permission by the lock’s rightful owner.
  2. Never disseminate knowledge or tools of lockpicking to individuals whom you know or whom have reason to suspect would seek to employ such skills or equipment in a criminal manner.
  3. Be mindful of the relevant laws concerning lockpicks and related equipment in any country, state, or municipality where you seek to engage in hobbyist lockpicking or recreational locksporting.