Practical Lock Picking, 2nd Edition

Book Preface

I feel somewhat like an old man remarking in this fashion, but this book is a great example of the wonderful time in which you currently find yourself. To be alive and learning right now… when there are accessible resources such as this about lockpicking, with beautiful illustrations and lessons written with passion visible on every page, that is truly something.

I reflect back and compare the state of things now with how they were when I was young. I dreamed of being able to open locks. I knew it could be done, but I did not know how. In the 1980s, when my hunger for this knowledge was getting quite powerful, the state of educational materials was very different. Through ads in magazines I found a small publisher in the United States offering a book called The Complete Guide to Lockpicking by Eddie the Wire. This book was an inspiration, both for paying close attention during my English lessons in school (all the better to understand Eddie’s every word) and for obtaining pick tools (which could only be found at an expensive spy shop for the equivalent of $200 at the time).

It was with great excitement that I sat down at home with my first proper tool set, my book, and some locks from the store. However, it took an entire long and frustrating day before the first padlock clicked open. You know (or your will soon find out!) how it feels your first time… you will always remember that moment! The rush was amazing and addictive. From then on I was hooked and tried to pick any lock I could (legally!) get my hands on.