Visual Guide to Lock Picking (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

Mark McCloud (Author), Gonzales de Santos (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2002

This is the definitive guide for learning the art of lock picking. Inside you will discover the secrets of the trade. By reading this book, practicing, and applying the methods introduced, you can successfully master picking most modern locks. This book makes it easy and gives you the edge to quickly learn and start picking locks today. Not only does this book cover what tools and techniques are needed to pick most common locks, but it also goes through what to do step-by-step; and actually teaches how to do it. It explains what all of the tools are and for what they are used. What really sets this book apart is the vast assortment of illustrations that make everything easy to understand. This really is a visual guide containing pages filled with diagrams and drawings that will instantly show you how locks work, and exactly what to do to bypass them. You can start learning today! Inside, you will find sections about warded locks, pin tumblers, wafer tumblers, and more. These are the locks found on most residential and commercial doors, cars, padlocks, desks, filing cabinets, safes, equipment, vending machines, bike locks, etc... Each section includes an in-depth and easy to understand explanation as to how that type of lock works. This book even outlines several exercises you can perform in order to improve your lock picking skills. You'll be picking every lock in your house in no time.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book made it easy to get started, and walked me through step-by-step. That first click was amazing! -- The LCN Review

About the Author

The author has been a lock-picking enthusiast from childhood. His youthful enthusiasm for locks even inspired him to build lock sets out of LEGOs. Like many people, he disassembled the household TV and VCR as a child. Sometimes, he even managed to reassemble them. He enjoys tinkering with equipment until it finally does what he wants, not what it was intended for. Recently, he has decided to share his enjoyment and practical skill of lock picking by writing this visual guide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Standard Publications, Inc.; 2 edition (April 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970978812
• ISBN-13: 978-0970978813
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beginners Will Love It, Experts Will Reference It Everyday!, September 24, 2002

By 

Keith Kimmel "Free Thinker, Constant Reader" (OK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Visual Guide to Lock Picking (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Most lockpicking books throw around technical terms without explaining to the user what exactly they mean. Not so with "The Visual Guide to Lockpicking". Not only does the author explain what a "sheer line" is, he shows you with well-drawn illustrations and in-depth depictions.

Beginners will find this book to be an valuable, hands-on guide with plenty of information, but experts will benefit even more. The book will likely replace every reference on their desks with this slim, knowledge-packed title.

One of the very best books on lockpicking I have seen in some time. I recommend it to my customers every time they ask "What book should I buy to learn lockpicking?".

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite useful, December 8, 2001

By 

William James (AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visual Guide to Lock Picking (Paperback)

Every now and then i would become interested in lockpicking and buy a new book. Unfortunately they would all talk about some shear line and wards without really explaining what they are or where they are inside the lock. I struck gold with this book since their illustrations clearly show where everything is and how it works. For the first time i was actually able to visualize the parts of my lock move. I would actually close my eyes and think of whats going on inside the lock and feel slight movements inside it. I must complain though, this book left me yearning for more, now i can't wait for the second volume.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars NOT a stand-alone book and $20 too expensive, January 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Visual Guide to Lock Picking (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This isn't really a stand alone book. It would have been much better as part of another book such as "How To Open Locks With Improvised Tools"

The illustrations are good, but not that good and the text is lacking in depth.

It's certainly NOT worth $24.95. Get it from the library and use it as a reference while reading another book on locks.