Locksport: A Hackers Guide to Lockpicking, Impressioning, and Safe Cracking

Learn from the champions.

Locksport is the ultimate guide to lockpicking and the competitive sport of bypassing locking systems. Written by five champion locksporters, this fully illustrated, hands-on introduction to the art of lockpicking will take you from noob to competition-ready. You’ll learn how locks work and what makes them vulnerable, get a guided tour through the tools of the trade, and follow step-by-step instructions and intricate full-color diagrams to learn to rake, pick, and crack. The book covers not just the art of lockpicking, but impressioning and safe manipulation too. You’ll understand the engineering behind various types of locks and the craft of hacking the machinery without damaging it.

You’ll first learn to pick familiar locks, like padlocks and those on your own front door, using tools like tension wrenches, hooks, and rakes. You’ll then learn about impressioning the art of creating a working key from a blank by reading and recreating the subtle marks the lock leaves in the metal. Finally you’ll crack into safe locks by systematically dialling numbers, recording your observations, and repeating your experiments.

You’ll learn:

• About innovative security techniques for locks, like abnormal pin shapes, magnetic parts, and movable components.
• The best ways to use your tools: how to hold your tension wrench, what to feel for in a lock, when to bother with a vice or flashlight, and when pen and paper are your strongest weapons.
• How to source locks, safe mechanisms, and cracking tools.
• How to find competitions for you and navigate the competition environment

When you’re ready, the authors will fully prepare you for competition with thorough guides, expert tips and tricks, and effective preparation methods.