This is the second of a four-part article about the security of mechanical locks and how they can be easily compromised, often in seconds, with simple to sophisticated tools that are readily available ...

Ever seen a lock with a round key and thought what wizardry it is? That’s a tubular lock, although some folks call it an Ace, ...

Picking a lock requires the manual genius of a Houdini. You have to have the kind of sensitivity that allows your hand to “see” inside the device’s tiny machinery. Most locks involve a system of pins, ...

The art of picking locks may seem like a skill more suited for an action-movie hero than the average person. However, with perseverance, an understanding of locks, and the right tools, anyone can ...

Locks are designed to keep honest people out. (Dishonest people can always break a window.) But that doesn't mean that honest people can't enjoy picking them. I've been an amateur lock picker for four ...

This story first appeared in WIRED 13.02 published in February, 2005. For a lock picker, the world is a different place. Take, for example, a typical suburban house, with a bicycle in the front yard ...