I've recently taken up the hobby of lockpicking. I've ordered a set yesterday, so they should arrive in the next couple weeks. I'm sure these will be much easier than a paperclip and a screwdriver. Here's a mini guide who those curious one.

Anyway, I found that either two paperclips or a paperclip + flathead screwdriver work as a makeshift lockpick set. Bend the paper clip straight out, but leaving one end bend to have some kind of leverage. Bend the tip of the paperclip to a 20-35 degree angle. That's the pick.

I've also made a rake, by bending a paperclip in a mountain-valley formation.

As for a tension wrench, a flathead screw driver or another paperclip works. Simply bend the paperclip at a 90 degree angle so you have an L shape. It also depends on the size of the key hole and how much room you have to work with. There are numerous ways to bend a paperclip to work as a tool (in this fashion), so use what works for you.

Now, to pick it.

[pin tumbler lock]

^{via wikipedia.org}
(I'm not that experienced, so any expert locksmith opinions would be great). Insert the tension (or torsion) wrench into the lock, to the right. If the door's hinge is on the right, pull clockwise; and vice versa. Insert your pick into the lock, apply little tension and begin to push the pins up but still keeping tension on the wrench (not too much). Depending on the lock, it might have 6 or 4 seperate pins.You want to get all the pins to the shear line.

From what I understand, by applying tension on the wrench, you want the pins to bind on the shelf between the layers. Then you can go ahead and move the other pins up.

[wafer lock]

^{via ebbo.org}

Also, from what I understand, a wafer lock is just like a pin tumbler lock (most common) but has wafers instead of pins and is one piece.

Yes, it is that easy. I'd suggest buying a seperate lock to play around with though.

Check out Lock Picking 101 for more info on lockpicking, they have a lot of content.

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated ;)