Introduction
Part I: The Basics
Chapter 1: The World of Locksport
Chapter 2: Types of Locks and Cylinders
Chapter 3: Lock Mechanics
Chapter 4: High-Security Lock Elements
Chapter 5: Lock Maintenance for Locksporters
Part II: Pin Tumbler Lockpicking
Chapter 6: Pin Tumbler Lockpicking Tools
Chapter 7: Pin Tumbler Lockpicking Step-by-Step
Chapter 8: Pin Tumbler Lockpicking Competitions
Part III: Impressioning
Chapter 9: Impressioning Tools
Chapter 10: Impressioning Step-by-Step
Chapter 11: Impressioning Competitions
Part IV: Safe Lock Manipulation
Chapter 12: Safe Lock Manipulation Tools
Chapter 13: Safe Lock Manipulation Step-by-Step
Chapter 14: Safe Lock Manipulation Competitions
Part V: Lever Lockpicking
Chapter 15: Lever Lockpicking Tools
Chapter 16: Lever Lockpicking Step-by-Step
Chapter 17: Lever Lockpicking Competitions
Part VI: Appendixes
Appendix A: Other Locksport Games
Appendix B: Where to Get Equipment
Index
The 2025 Memorial Day Sale is here!
Pick up big releases like the new editions of Automate the Boring Stuff and Linux Basics for Hackers, or grab a flashy upcoming title on vulnerability research, quantum computing, and more!
Everything is 30% OFF through Monday. Just use code MDAY2025 at checkout!
Sale ends at midnight PT on 5/27. Enjoy!
Locksport
Look Inside!
Welcome to the world of locksport, the sport of defeating locks. Whether you’re new to the challenge of lockpicking or aiming for championship gold, this book serves as your definitive guide, packed with practical advice from a team of experts.
DIVE INTO THE ESSENTIALS WITH LOCKSPORT FOUNDATIONS
- How various locks work and how to maintain and disassemble practice locks
- What makes some locks more secure than others
- The laws, competitions, and communities that make up the world of locksport
MASTER YOUR CRAFT WITH HANDS-ON TECHNIQUES
- How to pick pin tumblers and lever locks, make impressions or craft a working key from a blank, and manipulate open combination safe locks
- How to work with picks, rakes, tension wrenches, files, magnification tools, safe-lock graphs, and depth-measuring instruments
- The intricacies of security pins, wards, dimple locks, keyways, and antique locks
GAIN THE COMPETITIVE EDGE WITH COMPETITION INSIGHTS
- The ins and outs of competition setup and tools and how to host your own competitions
- Expert strategies for managing your nerves and gathering lock intel
- What it’s like to participate in timed head-to-head competitions, PicTacToe™, escape challenges, and other lockpicking contests
From mastering your first padlock to conquering a competition, Locksport will show you how to take your skills to the next level—and have endless fun doing it.
"A comprehensive overview of everything there is to know about the emerging hobby known as locksport, Locksport covers not only the mechanics and techniques for picking standard pin tumbler locks, but also more exotic lever locks, opening safes with dial manipulation, and using impressioning to make keys for locks without taking them apart. The authors do a masterful job of teaching these technical skills and guiding newcomers on how to connect with the locksport community at competitions and events. Readers will find that this book saves countless hours hunting down tips and tricks that took the experts years to acquire. Highly recommended!"
—Anthony Thompson, The Lock Sportscast
“Locksport is an amazing and varied hobby that can be enjoyed by all. As much as locksport is the pursuit and attainment of lock manipulation skills, more so, locksport is a shared passion; a community of knowledge, collaboration and celebration of achievement. This fantastic book embodies that spirit, with some of the most influential and respected people in the locksport community coming together to share a priceless wealth of information, techniques, and experience with us all.”
—Lock Noob, YouTube.com/locknoob
"How to succeed in Locksport 101. This book provides an excellent path for getting into locksport, how to get into the competition mindset, and how to run your own competitions. The authors' determination to provide information only relevant to the sport aspect of lockpicking shows. New and seasoned pickers alike will learn something new!"
—LockpickingDev
"All in all, it's a really great self-contained book for newcomers and beginners, entertaining, detailed, … and doing a tremendous job at making lockpicking competitions look cool yet accessible! It was also a nice motivation booster for me to tackle harder locks."
—Julien Voisin, Artificial Truth
"The authors, well versed and immersed in the field, did a fine job at drawing the reader into this fascinating world of lockpicking, especially by bringing the engaging competition aspect into it. I hope you will enjoy reading (absorbing?) this book as much as I did. My copy has already found its permanent space on my bookshelf."
—Sven Dietrich, IEEE Cipher
"A complete and comprehensive course in lock picking for any and all occasions and types of locks, Locksport: A Hackers Guide to Lockpicking, Impressioning, and Safe Cracking — written by five experienced lock picking experts — is a unique, special, 'user friendly,' DIY instruction guide and 'how-to' manual that will prove an unusual and enduringly popular pick."
—Wisconsin Bookwatch