Question about lockpicking.

[2HF]

Is my wife right, is it weird to want to buy a lock picking kit/learn to pick locks just as a hobby?

When I was about 17 or so I was working in a shoe store that was more warehouse than anything. Not a lot of work involved, I mostly read books. We had an old cash box laying around that wasn't good for anything (key had been lost ages ago) and so one day I took a couple of paper clips to the lock and after some time and effort I managed to get the lock to turn. I got to the point where I could get it to turn regularly so my manager pulled out an old gumball machine the previous business owners had left behind. This was also missing a key but we figured if I could get the lock turning we could make a little pocket change. Sure enough, I was able to make that lock bend to my will and we did in fact make some pocket change. I've also picked the lock on an old arcade machine in my uncle's garage (he's a mechanic) and the occasional filing cabinet.

I want to buy an actual kit and learn to pick the locks on my doors. Bedrooms and the like first, maybe a deadbolt later on. Not for any kind of criminal activity but purely as a brain stimulating hobby. It's like a puzzle you can't see. My wife hates this idea for unspecified reasons. Probably stemming from the idea that the only real practical use is an illegal one, my assertions that I'd commit no crimes does nothing to dissuade this notion.

I don't know if my interest came about because of my love of Thief 2 (though looking back I realize that I started playing that around the time I was 16) and the satisfactory clunk of picking locks in that game but it's something I carry with me to this day.

Is that weird?

 

[DefunctTheory]

Not overly. There are actually a lot of lockpicking clubs throughout the United States. They're mostly made up of engineers and professional lock makers/installers, but there's plenty of amateur enthusiast who just appreciate the skill, dexterity, and accuracy required, along with the clever engineering behind a lot of locks.

If you live in or near a large enough town/city, I bet you could find a club without too much trouble.

 

[DoPo]

*shrug* I've got a lockpick set. It's OK. It's an interesting sort of puzzle - it's a bit like a Rubick's cube but I can actually solve it. I've yet to practice on any locks I don't own.

If your wife doesn't like it...I can't really help with that. There really isn't much practical application to gain from lockpicking aside from....well, more lockpicking. No transferable skills and such, aside from, maybe, patience. So, I doubt you can try to pass it off as "has loads of other uses".

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I imagine lockpicking carries more hypthetical usefulness (like besting a Jigsaw trap) than practicality (wherein crime ensues).

 

[DrownedAmmet]

Is my wife right, is it weird to want to buy a lock picking kit/learn to pick locks just as a hobby?

When I was about 17 or so I was working in a shoe store that was more warehouse than anything. Not a lot of work involved, I mostly read books. We had an old cash box laying around that wasn't good for anything (key had been lost ages ago) and so one day I took a couple of paper clips to the lock and after some time and effort I managed to get the lock to turn. I got to the point where I could get it to turn regularly so my manager pulled out an old gumball machine the previous business owners had left behind. This was also missing a key but we figured if I could get the lock turning we could make a little pocket change. Sure enough, I was able to make that lock bend to my will and we did in fact make some pocket change. I've also picked the lock on an old arcade machine in my uncle's garage (he's a mechanic) and the occasional filing cabinet.

I want to buy an actual kit and learn to pick the locks on my doors. Bedrooms and the like first, maybe a deadbolt later on. Not for any kind of criminal activity but purely as a brain stimulating hobby. It's like a puzzle you can't see. My wife hates this idea for unspecified reasons. Probably stemming from the idea that the only real practical use is an illegal one, my assertions that I'd commit no crimes does nothing to dissuade this notion.

I don't know if my interest came about because of my love of Thief 2 (though looking back I realize that I started playing that around the time I was 16) and the satisfactory clunk of picking locks in that game but it's something I carry with me to this day.

Is that weird?

Its not weird, but you need to convince her of that. Hire a few friends to approach you guys when you're walking down the street to say "excuse me, do either of you happen to know how to pick locks? I locked myself out of my car/house and I'm late for work/Pilates/birth of my first child!"
Then you could say "I would, but my wife thought it was a stupid hobby"
She'll feel so guilty she'll practically beg you to buy a lockpicking kit

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

I taught myself after many, many hours to pick simple locks with paper clips. Despite what movies tell you, it's a lot harder than you think. I would kill for a lock-picking kit.

I've locked myself out of so many things it's not funny so I've had to acquire certain skills. I miss the days when you could open a car door lock with some packing tape or a notched metal ruler.

 

[Kae]

I used to that too, mind you I was an actual thief, I still enjoy doing to my doors just for fun every now and then just to not lose my skills completely, it's proven useful since I'm easily distracted and often forget my keys and on occasions when my neighbours have gotten locked out of their houses they are often very thankful, that they didn't have to call the locksmith, do I think it's weird?
No, it's a fun and useful skill to have, you know it's an actual useful hobby.

 

[EHKOS]

My mom was irritated for the same reason. I got the idea from watching Elementary. It's not weird, a lot of people take it up as a hobby.

 

[EvilRoy]

Most lockpick beginner sets feature a firmly OK set of picks and a few cut-away practice locks. It can be fun, but if you need to convince your wife that it isn't weird just show her the locks you buy to practice on. Beginner level locks are shittier than the type you find built into the lockers at a pool. They look like old fashioned cabinet locks - practicing on them is generally pretty harmless looking once people actually see what you work on.

It takes a little while to work up to real door bolts and the like, and as long as you keep cut away practice locks around rather than buying door bolts just like your neighbors to practice on it typically looks like the male version of knitting to keep your hand joints loose.

 

[DoPo]

I would kill for a lock-picking kit.

I got mine from Amazon and it was around ?15-20 or so. It's pretty cheap overall, especially considering that was one of the more expensive sets available. I bought it before I knew what tools would I need, so I picked the one with a lot of them...and it turns out I didn't even need most. You can easily go for something like 4-6 piece set which were probably around a third the price of mine.

 

[FalloutJack]

It's just a hobby. Just remember to swear by that statement if anyone in authority asks.

 

[SweetShark]

Just learn open doors with your credit card. My cousin doing this all the time with his house door, cause he is so lazy caring his keys...
Yes, just tell her it would be useful to open a door if you are locked out from your house.

 

[Zen Bard]

There's nothing wrong with it. Seems like something in which you have a genuine interest and some decent talent.

It might be worthwhile to find out why your wife objects. Odds are once you understand her issue, you can talk her through it.

By the same token, I've been reading up on hacking (the structure of worms and rootkits and such). My wife also thinks I'm weird, but she also like how I like to learn new thing.

In any case, lock picking will be a useful skill to have after the Zombie Apocalypse occurs...

 

[2HF]

Just learn open doors with your credit card. My cousin doing this all the time with his house door, cause he is so lazy caring his keys...
Yes, just tell her it would be useful to open a door if you are locked out from your house.

A butter knife works much better. It can be kept in one's glove box or of course in the house if the door you're trying to open is inside.