Well, fast-forward 10 years to when your toddler locked you out of the house and wouldn't let you back in. Moral of the story: You never know when being able to pick a lock can come in handy.

(That’s the L-shaped tool on the bottom.) This will let you turn the cylinder slightly and apply some torque to the lock. Then you dive in with your pick and feel out the pins.

The guide also functions as a very good beginner tutorial on lock-picking, covering the types of simple locks one is likely to encounter, and the various shortcomings of their construction that ...

Sometimes, no matter what you do, the lock just won’t budge. In that event, it’s time to remove the entire assembly. Slide a butter knife under the collar where the doorknob meets the door and ...

The art of picking locks may seem like a skill more suited for an action-movie hero than the average person. However, with perseverance, an understanding of locks, and the right tools, anyone can ...