Picking Old Locks

[Xanatos]

Does anyone have any experience picking 'traditional' locks like this? Standard lockpicks don't seem to do the trick.

[Psychlonic]

The vast majority of these use a simple rod inside that is turned by a patternless stub on the skeleton key, no different than a pair of handcuffs. Any piece of metal that will fit inside and is bent so that it can be turned inside while catching said rod will unlock it.

Some are meant to be a little more high security, and you'll see the skeleton keys usually have elaborate patterns on them. These patterns facilitate the key's ability to turn and throw the rods that'll release the lock. In both cases, the lock is basically a deadbolt with a heavier duty but more simplistic locking mechanism.

I've never gone about picking them before as the need to do so has never arisen, however I imagine you'd want a pick that resembles an F that can be adjusted to open the vast majority of them. It just so happens that I have a collection of these kinds of locks (the whole door mechanism actually) along with a bunch of skeleton keys. I've torn them apart before but never really bothered to concoct a pick for them, instead I just clean them and make sure they operate smoothly. I'll open a few apart to see if I can come up with an idea for a universal skeleton pick.

Edit - And actually, a warded lock pick set should work too.

[Ghost]

If you can find a blank that would fit, you could try a technique called impressioning.

Essentially you find a blank that fits and set it up so that when you insert it and try to turn it the obstructions will scratch it or leave marks on the key. It usually helps if you coat the key with something that will help you to see where it's binding, like paint, or carbon. Then you remove it and file down those areas. Put it back in and try to turn it again. When you try to turn it, you probably want to rock it back and forth a little, or pull it back and forth a very small amount - things that increase the visibility of the marks on the blank key. remove it and file down the marked areas. Eventually you will have a key that clears all the obstructions and actuates the unlocking mechanism.

Lockwiki has a pretty good article on the subject, i'd highly suggest a read.

http://www.lockwiki.com/index.php/Impre ... ressioning

Good luck, and please keep us updated on progress.

[Urgon]

AVE...

I'd recommend using wax for that. Still you need blank. BTW, my grandmother had safe with warded lock, to open it one had not only put and rotate key, but also pull it after half of the turn. It was a bit odd...