Why pick a lock?
Lock picking is a great hobby and also could be a great way to make a living, though I know some very experienced locksmiths that never picked a lock in their life. The internet is a great factor in spreading this hobby – there are many great LP forums that usually support a LP shop. Most of the lock pickers are not even locksmiths but have a different day job, however when you get hooked you will find it to be a very satisfying sport.
Actually, it is very easy to get started and it is not very expensive either, but once you get better at it, you would basically want to put your hands on any locks you can get and increase your lock picking tools.
I still read sad comments about how noneducational hobby it is, but I doubt it if robbers are using bumping and LP methods. For a start, I would say that I never heard of any tool that can guarantee you a 100% success on a lock and since time is a factor I don’t think lock picking suits any given thief. However, lock picking takes a skill (and I’m not suggesting that thieves don’t have skills) but it’s not very likely that NDE methods are used.
Lock companies don’t like lock pickers! And a good reason might be that the video clips and demonstrations one can find on YouTube might damage the companies’ reputation. If a lock has many videos on YouTube, it means that the company needs to come up with a better lock and a better lock means that some more LP would want to pick it, and probably some will do, so this circle is not likely to stop.
Some more cynical people would say that posting blogs like this one and making videos on You Tube are all about ego.
Well, I personally think it’s more about taking a pride of your LP skills (as well as maybe some ego), but I do not think that there is something wrong with that.
So whether you are a beginner or an experienced LP, we need to take pride and joy of our sport!
Raf's lockpicking world 