Central Intelligence Agency - The CIA Lockpicking Manual

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

Skyhorse Publishing

Copyright 2011 by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or info@skyhorsepublishing.com.

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

www.skyhorsepublishing.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. ISBN: 978-1-61608-232-1

Printed in China

T here has been much opinion and little fact written on the subject of lock picking. It will be my purpose to clarify the facts about this process and at the same time train you in proper procedure so that before you leave this class today, you will at least have picked one lock. Please note that to become truly proficient you must devote much time and patience in the future.

In this volume we will discuss not only the fundamental theories of lock picking but proper terminology, the importance of tool design (using the right tool for the right job), the effects of tolerances, and finally the techniques most commonly used by locksmiths to successfully pick the vast majority of standard pin and wafer tumbler locks.

F irst of all, lock picking must be divided into two categories which are commonly confused:

The first category is picking (the act of carefully manipulating one pin at a time for the expressed purpose of duplicating the action of the proper cut key in a given cylinder, by something other than the proper cut key itself).

The second category is raking (the less specific act of taking a raking instrument for the expressed purpose of gliding the tool across tumblers of approximately the same depth in a general yet sequential fashion).

Either of these techniques is intended to be a method of convenience for opening locks in emergency type situations. Obviously, the method for making keys referred to as impressioning would be far more desirable since both processes take about the same time and only one yields both an open lock and a working key. However, there are times when picking is the most logical method to use (i.e. when someone is locked out of a house or car and the keys are inside). Both methods are predicated on their efficiency and, should either take an undue amount of time, it is questionable how worthwhile they are when a method such as drilling is so quick and sure, though more expensive.

In order to understand how to compromise a lock there are certain steps which are essential to laying a proper foundation. They are: A thorough working knowledge of the lock mechanism, how it functions, and the ability to recognize these factors so that you are able to overcome them.

H ave you ever thought, Just what is it that actually allows us to pick a lock? It is the inability of the manufacturer of any product to machine parts to an almost flawless level of tolerance. Even if they could reasonably approach their goals, the expense alone would be astronomical.

Therefore, we, as locksmiths, are able to pick a lock, so to speak, due to the reality of this situation. To see specifically what is involved, we must look at a typical cylinder.

The tolerance inadequacies to which I refer can be categorized for easy reference. The first is the difference between the plug and the shell. An acceptable amount of difference is approximately .005 or about .0025 all around the plug (see ).

FIGURE 1.

The process by which the keyway is cut into the plug is called broaching. This process is easily observed when a blank or cut key is inserted in the keyway and play is felt due to a significant tolerance differential.

Probably the most significant problem of this sort is the drilling of the chambers. This takes three forms: Plug diameter differential (Fig. ), off-center chambers (Fig. ), and concentricity (Fig. ). This is caused by the cost effective but necessarily imperfect process used to manufacture these cylinders, namely gang drillinga process by which you drill all the chambers at onceand sequential drilling where you drill one chamber after the other. (See illustrations.) In either case, both methods are imperfect because the drill bit itself changes a microscopic amount each time it is used to drill a chamber. It is no surprise then, that after a hundred or a thousand holes the diameter and the centering functions based on its original diameter are no longer accurate. However, in deference to the manufacturer, he could not possibly stay in business and change the bit for each hole of set of holes. We are therefore left with a necessary evil, but one which we can use to great advantage.

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

When turning tension is applied to the core (without the proper key inserted) again tolerance plays a large role in the next operation Not all of the pins will bind at the same time. Locate those pins, lift them to the correct position (shear line). Follow by doing the same to the next pins to reach the cylinder housing. The only objects which keep the lock from opening are the pins.