Hi from DC

[HT4]

My google searches seem to direct me here often enough that I figured that it was about time that I join up. I’m a 35 year old lawyer in Washington DC who enjoys picking locks as a hobby. I started picking several years ago, but reached a plateau, and got discouraged. I let the skills lay fallow for several years as work, marriage and family got in the way. But I started back up around a year ago, mostly encouraged by the great selection of picking videos on the internet. I refreshed my tools, and started trolling ebay for used locks. 12 months, hundreds of used locks, and many hundreds of practice hours later, I finally feel like I have confidence that I can handle most locks I encounter (limited to traditional pin tumbler locks). I’ve also learned that this is an incredibly relaxing hobby… until I have to buy a lock and I realize what a joke modern locks are (unless you spend lots of money). Right now my goal is to get a better dealing with my three dreaded obstacles: (1) heavy spring tension on the core (think American lock 747), (2) tricky keyways, and (3) radical bitting… these three things are, for me, far harder than any security pin that I’ve encountered.

In any case, I’m looking forward to becoming part of this community…

[Neilau]

Welcome aboard

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures in this hobby.

Lots of knowledgeable people here to help you out.

You're right it is relaxing ------ MOST of the time. till ----

[Mitchell s]

Welcome! Respect on the picking practice collection, that is epic
I need to get a collection thread started myself.
Looking forward to seeing you kicking around the forum. I signed up to the "other" main forum before this one, so I am more active over there

[jeffmoss26]

Welcome. That is one heck of a collection! Let me know if you want to trade for one of those wacky 3 sided safety locks!

[HT4]

Welcome. That is one heck of a collection! Let me know if you want to trade for one of those wacky 3 sided safety locks!

I'm always interested in trades... I bought those triangle locks as part of a large lot on ebay. They were covered with layers of masking tape with writing on them, which accounts for why the sides are still bright metal after all these years. If memory serves (I'm not near the locks now) they are six standard pins with a relatively open keyway. I'll have to confirm that once I'm home. Other than the strange shape, there is one unique feature of these locks -- pin #1 is very close to the opening of the keyway. There's not much room for top of the keyway (my preferred) tension.

What did you have in mind for a trade? Keep in mind that I am not looking for unique or valuable... I not really a lock collector. I'm more of a hobby picker that bargain hunts for locks by necessity -- challenging, but attainable practice locks are what I look for.

[jeffmoss26]

I'll shoot you a PM.

[Papa Gleb]

Hey mate, welcome on board. Glad to have another great out from the shadows and wonderful collection you have of locks.
Im a paralegal at a NYC law firm and worked with a couple attys in DC which covered a few of my out of state cases. Let me just say that you found the right place for your hobby. This site has pages upon pages of information, stories, trips, tricks. Let just say that anything your mind can come up with is already here somewhere lol.

[rerun12]

welcome to the forum, gald you've joined us. you'll fit right in here

[HT4]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. I appreciate it!