Book of the Week: CIA Lock Picking

26 Mar 2016

This week I read the CIA Lock Picking: Field Operative Training Manual to add to my repertoire of useful skills that I hope I never need to use. Lock picking is pretty easy if you know how a lock works.

Lock Picking Pin tumbler locks work by having a pin that is split in two. When the correct key is placed in, it pushes the each pin to the correct height, where it will shear allowing the cylinder to rotate. You want to lubricate the lock before you try to pick it to avoid stuck pins. Locks are pickable due to weak tolerances in manufacturing. The more expensive locks have tighter tolerances. When you try to turn the cylinder, there is usually one pin that catches before the others when you apply tension. Then there is a second pin that catches, then a third and so forth. There are two main methods to pick a lock, single picking and raking. In single picking, you poke each pin one by one, until you get one that catches. In raking, you move the pick repeatedly in and out hitting multiple pins at a time until get all of them. To pick a lock, you need a pick to hit the pins and a tension wrench to apply turning pressure as you pick. You buy a transparent lock kit to practice. If you ever have tenants move in and out of your property, you can purchase a rekeying kit, that includes a new set of pins and keys, instead of replacing the entire lock. You just change out the existing pins to pins of different heights.