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Lock Picking

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by Yard Dart, Feb 5, 2015.

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Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

So the SHTF and in the commotion you lost your key's to everything.... other than being smart and having a set of keys stashed elsewhere, how are you going to gain entry into that door of yours or your parents if they fail to answer... or open that chest, cabinet, what have you... and don't tell my the crowbar is the magic key... we know it is But you may not want to damage the door or whatever. So here is better way to get through that lock and the tools that you may want to have on hand. And a new skill to master that may be useful for you at some point.

Back in October I had the pleasure of attending the ITS Tactical Muster, during which I learned several awesome manly skills. My favorite tutorial was on lock picking.

Going into the lock picking session at the Muster, I assumed that it would be really hard to do and would take hours of practice to figure out. Yet within two minutes of getting a set of picks in my hand, I had successfully picked my first lock.

Since coming home from the Muster, I’ve been regularly practicing my lock picking skills, and from time to time I’ll be offering a primer on how to pick various locks. We’ll start by taking a look at the most common lock used on front doors across the world: the pin tumbler lock. But let’s begin by discussing why you might want to learn the art of lock picking in the first place, as well as the legal issues involved with this great hobby.

Why You Should Learn How to Pick Locks (Even If You’re Not a Criminal)
Some of you might be thinking, “Brett, why should I learn how to pick a lock if I don’t plan on breaking into people’s homes?”

Great question.

There are a few good reasons why law-abiding citizens should learn how to pick a lock:

Lock picking opens your eyes to the “illusion of security.” We all lock our doors to keep our loved ones safe at night and to secure our possessions during the day. After I picked my first lock within two minutes of learning how to do it, I realized that locks don’t really do much except provide the illusion of security. Locks make us feel safe, but if someone really wanted to get in your house, they could easily pick the lock on your front door. If they didn’t know how to do that, they could find another way in. You can’t just rely on a lock to keep you and your family safe. You need to utilize other tools and tactics and create multiple layers of security.

Realizing how little locks actually keep you and your stuff safe was both terrifying and surprisingly heartwarming. Terrifying because I saw that someone could easily enter my house and walk off with a crap-load of stuff without having to break a window; heartwarming because seeing how easy it is to pick a lock and yet how rarely people get burgled, made me realize that most people don’t break into homes because, well, most people are good people.

It makes you handy. If you’ve ever been locked out of your house or car, you know how annoying it is to be standing there like a chump, waiting for someone to show up with a key or a professional locksmith to arrive. Wouldn’t you love to be able to jimmy your way in yourself? Not only can this skill save you a lot of time and money, being able to solve a problem like that on your own is pretty dang satisfying. Plus, you can help out all your friends when they get locked out too.

Knowing how to pick a lock may even help you save a life one day. ITS Tactical has highlighted a few instances in which someone picked their way into an older parent’s home because they weren’t answering the phone, only to find their parent collapsed on the floor. Could they have kicked the door down or broken a window? Sure. But picking a lock just takes a few seconds and doesn’t leave any damage. So why wouldn’t you do that if you could?

It’s cool and fun! There’s simply a “cool” factor of knowing how to pick a lock. Of all the Jason Bourne-esque skills every man wishes he had, it’s one of the most attainable. The idea that I can surreptitiously enter most doors without a key makes me feel all-powerful, like some sort of super ninja-spy.

It’s also a fun little hobby and something I like to do when I’m taking breaks from work or hanging out with the kids while they do their kid thing on the carpet. If you get really into lock picking, you can actually go to events and contests to test your skills against other lock pickers.

The Legality of Lock Picking
There’s a common misconception that the only people who can legally own lock picking tools are first responders or licensed locksmiths. The reality is that in most states, as long as you’re not trying to illegally enter someone’s home with your lock pick set, you can legally own, carry, and use lock picking tools.

There are, however, some states that have laws that make owning lock picking tools prima facie evidence of criminal intent. If you’re caught with picks in these states and you want to avoid criminal charges, you have to prove that you didn’t plan on committing a crime.

Long story short: owning lock picking tools and learning how to pick locks is perfectly legal and ethical as long as you do so without nefarious intent. Just be a decent human being. For a summary of lock picking laws across the country, see here.

How to Pick a Pin Tumbler Lock
Pin tumbler locks are the most common locks found on the front doors of homes. So it makes for a good first lock to learn how to pick.

How a Pin Tumbler Lock Works
You don’t really need to understand how pin tumbler locks work to successfully pick them, but it does help.

The basic design of the pin tumbler lock has been in use since 4000 BC. Of course, it’s gotten more complex over the millennia. The design that is used in most cylinder locks – like the one on your front door — has been around since 1861 and it hasn’t changed much. Basically most of the world is using a technology that’s been around for a century and a half to keep their most prized possessions safe and secure.

Here’s the anatomy of most run-of-the-mill pin tumbler locks:

Pin tumbler locks consist of an outer cylindrical casing (colored green) in which a plug is housed. The small gap between the outer casing and the plug is called the shear line. Remember that. It will come in handy here in a bit. The plug has an opening for the key. When the proper key is inserted into the plug, the plug can rotate, thus unlocking the lock. On top of the plug, a series of five or six holes are drilled. The holes contain key pins (colored red) of different lengths. They’re called key pins because they touch the key when you insert a key into the plug. Above each key pin is a driver pin that’s spring-loaded.

So you have an idea of how the pins look in action, here’s a gif of me inserting a pick into a see-through practice lock:

In the diagram above, there’s no key in the plug. Because of the different key pin lengths, the driver pins cross the shear line, making it impossible for the plug to rotate. If you put a wrong key into a lock, the notches on the key won’t lift up the key pins at the right height, causing them to protrude through the shear line as you can see in the diagram below:

In order for the plug to rotate, you need to lift each of the key pins and driver pins to the correct height — until the gap between the key pins and driver pins reaches the shear line. When all of the pins reach this position, the plug can rotate. That’s what happens when you put a properly cut key into a lock:

Pretty simple, huh?

When you pick a lock, all you’re doing is using tools, instead of a key, to line up the gap between the key pins and driver pins with the shear line between the outer casing and the plug. That’s it. And it’s super easy to do.

Tools Needed for Picking a Pin Tumbler Lock
There are various tools you can use to pick a lock. For this post we’re going to focus on using the most common lock picking tools: a tension wrench and pick rakes. (We’ll do a post on using bumper keys and pick guns in the future.)

Below is my wallet-sized lock pick set that I got from SEREPick while I was at the ITS Muster. The picks are made of titanium. There’s one tension wrench and several rakes with different numbers of ridges, which allow you to pick several pins at a time. There’s also a pick that allows you to pick one pin at a time. Some locks will require you to do that.

SERE is out of stock on the exact set that I have, but they do have metal cards with the tools laser cut into it. Just keep the card in your wallet and when you need to pick a lock, pop out the tools and get a pickin’.

If you’re looking for something a littler sturdier and robust, you can find lock picking sets several places online (even make your own picks from a windshield wiper.

Lock Picking Technique
Lock picking is more art than science. You definitely have to develop a “feel” for it. Each lock is different, but the same basic principles apply. The easiest way to pick a lock is to use the fast and dirty method: scrubbing.

1. Insert Tension Wrench into the Bottom of Key Hole and Apply Slight Pressure

The tension wrench is the key (no pun intended) to successfully picking a lock. Thanks to video games, people wrongfully think it’s the pick, because that is the thing that’s actually lifting the key pins to line up with the shear line.

Here’s why the tension wrench is so important: as you’re lifting the pin sets with your pick you need to apply tension on the plug. If you’re applying the right amount of torque on the plug, once the driver pin passes the shear line, the plug will rotate slightly. When you pull your pick out, the key pin will drop back down, but the driver pin will catch the edge of the plug, thus staying above the shear line. Here’s a diagram of what it looks like:

You’ll keep lifting pins with your pick and applying pressure with your tension wrench, until all the driver pins have cleared the shear line.

So far so good? Alrighty.

So take your tension wrench and place it in the bottom of the key hole. Apply slight pressure in the direction you would turn the key if you had it. And by slight I mean slight. If you apply too much pressure, you’re just going to cause the driver pins to bind below the shear line. You need to have enough give to let the driver pins rise above the shear line, but have enough torque that when they start dropping down, an edge of the drive pin catches the plug as it starts to rotate.

From the CIA Lock Picking Field Operative Training Manual

How much is too much pressure? If your tension wrench is bending a lot, then you’re probably applying too much pressure. So lean on the side of applying less pressure than more.

2. Insert Pick at Top of Lock

Pick your pick. I prefer the Bogota rake that has three ridges. This one has picked every lock that I’ve used it on very easily.

Slide the rake all the way to the back.

3. While Applying Slight Torque to Your Wrench, Scrub Your Pick Back and Forth in the Key Hole

Keep applying that slight pressure on your tension wrench. I use my left hand for that. With your right hand, scrub or rake the inside of the plug with your pick. As you pull the pick back, simultaneously lift up in order to apply pressure on the pins. It looks sort of like this motion:

4. Repeat Until All the Pins Set

Keep applying torque on your wrench and scrubbing the pins until they all set. You may need to apply more torque and pressure on the pins with your pick as you get near the last one or two pins that need to set. If you’re not making any progress, you probably applied too much torque with the wrench. Relax, let the pins reset, and start over again, focusing on not using too much pressure.

That’s it! Really. That’s all there is to it. You can successfully pick most pin and tumbler locks using this scrubbing method.

You may run across locks that require a little bit more finesse by picking each pin set one at a time. In these trickier locks, you may need to get more methodical by looking for the pin stack that resists the most and picking it first and then repeating the process until all the pins are successfully picked.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Like I said above, lock picking is more art than science. The best way to learn how to do it is to simply pick locks as much as possible. Buy yourself different pin and tumbler locks at the hardware store and keep them on your desk or by your couch. When you’re taking a break from work or while you’re watching TV, practice picking. I’ve got three or four locks in my drawer that I’ll bust out during the day for practice sessions.

You also might consider purchasing a training lock. The plug is housed in clear plastic, so you can actually see the pin stacks move in relation to the shear line as you’re picking. ITS Tactical has them for sale in their store. I bought one from them and it has helped me tremendously.

You’re one step closer to becoming Jason Bourne. Remember, use this knowledge for fun or for legal entries. If you’re going to burgle, only burgle hamburgers. Robble, robble.
Click to expand...

How to Pick a Lock | The Art of Manliness

"Freedom isn't free" --Colonel Walter Hitchcock
“The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears.” General 'Mad Dog' James Mattis
non semper erit aestas- It will not always be summer (be prepared for hard times)!!

Yard Dart, Feb 5, 2015

#1

wnn, UncleMorgan, Marck and 6 others like this.
Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

For Padlocks...

For Dead Bolts and Conventional Mechanical Door locks... My foot and about a three foot head start...

I will die on my feet before I will live on my knees.
"Socialism is like a nude beach, it all sounds great until you get there." Dennis Miller

Dunerunner, Feb 5, 2015

#2

MiMan43, Marck and tulianr like this.
azrancher Monkey +++

Locks and keys have always fascinated me, I made a Grand Master key to my high school when I was 16, as you may or may not know schools are keyed such as every classroom has a key (for the teacher), groups of classrooms many have a Master key which a department head may use to access every classroom and the hallway doors that lead to those classrooms, and the principal/assnt prince may have a Grand Master Key which opens everything. Very easy to get a key blank and a dead bolt cylinder from an outside bathroom.

Having Master, and Grand Master keying on all the doors makes them incredibly easy to pick since there are separate wafers added to make the Master keys work.

I locked myself out of the new house that I had built and had not stored spare key outside somewhere. I had access to my garage/shop, so 5 minutes hammering a 16 penny nail flat on the end, bending it and grinding off the point, and I had my "crank" I keep dental picks in my took box, so it took less than a minute using the crank and dental pick to rake the tumblers and open the lock. Most burglars, will just smash a window and crawl thru, but you say I have ADT... well do you have your phone demarcation box locked, or can I just disconnect you from the world, and you know it takes ADT 15 minutes before they report it to the police, and another 10 for the police to respond?

And as the Sheriff said to a neighbor, they know where women hide their jewelry and they typically just steal a pillow case and dump the loot in that, in and out in less than 5 minutes. Luckily they missed the bedroom closet where this guy, a hunter/guide, keeps his guns/ammo.

Arizona High Desert

azrancher, Feb 5, 2015

#3

Marck, BTPost, Mountainman and 2 others like this.
Airtime Monkey+++

azrancher said: ↑

Locks and keys have always fascinated me, I made a Grand Master key to my high school when I was 16, as you may or may not know schools are keyed such as every classroom has a key (for the teacher), groups of classrooms many have a Master key which a department head may use to access every classroom and the hallway doors that lead to those classrooms, and the principal/assnt prince may have a Grand Master Key which opens everything. Very easy to get a key blank and a dead bolt cylinder from an outdoor bathroom.
Click to expand...

Hahaha! I did nearly the same thing in high school! I was 15. I made master keys to the hallway lockers, the combination locks issued for the gym lockers, even the lights! Oh golly, what a hoot some of the pranks those afforded. I knew there was a reason I liked you!

AT

Airtime, Feb 5, 2015

#4

Marck and tedrow42 like this.
kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

That master key business is called a hierarchy, and is set up all at one time. (We do this). It means repinning locks to work with several different keys. Each key uses a different lifter pin arrangement so that the sheer line is straight regardless of which key is used. The higher the security level, the fewer lifter pins.
As to the map of states, that is misleading for Ohio. I carry picks everyday as just another tool in my bag. It can not be called "burglar tools" unless it is used for that purpose. Just as a hammer and crowbar are just tools, unless you force entry with them.
What I do, is keep people out of places they do not belong.

“Man’s mind is his basic tool of survival. Life is given to him, survival is not. His body is given to him, its sustenance is not. His mind is given to him, its content is not. To remain alive, he must act, and before he can act he must know the nature and purpose of his action. He cannot obtain his food without a knowledge of food and of the way to obtain it. He cannot dig a ditch-or build a cyclotron-without a knowledge of his aim and of the means to achieve it. To remain alive, he must think." John Galt (Ayn Rand)

Patents are not evil, profit is not a dirty word, providing for your family's future is not a sin, and what is mine is not your's just because you want it. Kellory.
I have received NO secret government orders.(Watch for this notice to be removed)

kellory, Feb 5, 2015

#5

Yard Dart likes this.
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

I have the "Dyno Kwick Pick" and it works really well. The best part is, it looks just like a pen and can be clipped into your pocket. Easy to use, very reliable. I picked a deadbolt in about 15 seconds and I am not too adept at lock picking.

This is a great video on lockpicking -it's an introduction for beginners and has some helpful information I found useful.

Last edited: Feb 6, 2015

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

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Brokor, Feb 6, 2015

#6

UncleMorgan, Motomom34, azrancher and 2 others like this.
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

Another helpful video on the inside detailed workings of a lock:

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

"Without Prejudice" [UCC 1-308, 1-103] All Rights Reserved and Explicitly Claimed.

Brokor, Feb 9, 2015

#7

Yard Dart likes this.
Lone Gunman Draw Varmint!

I worked in the home security field for a number of years. Mechanical lock picking is only going to get an intruder so far. It's all the electronic gizmos - Some of which I've, yet, to see in a Hollywood movie - that really need to be defeated in order to gain unrestricted access to a home, or office building. Today, with CCTV as sophisticated and prevalent as it is, this is getting harder and harder to do.

“I think; therefore, I am.” (René Descartes) “No! You are; therefore, you think!” (Contemporary Internet Smart-Ass) However, the truth is that: “You and I exist for one, and only one reason: God—the Creative And Creating Father Who is incapable of being successfully contradicted—thinks!”

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways My ways, saith The Lord God Almighty. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Lone Gunman, Feb 9, 2015

#8
kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

I think lock picking is a skill to have, for whatever happens. Just a word of caution. If you travel through TN, and you have a lock picking set, you MUST be a licensed lock smith, otherwise it's a felony. Yes, the mere possession of a set of tools will get you busted in TN

Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

kckndrgn, Feb 9, 2015

#9

Motomom34 likes this.
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member
Lock Picking Resources - Where To Buy

Peterson Manufacturing Locksmith Tools
Peterson has a great selection of lock picks, lock pick sets and other handy tools. The quality is top notch, but you will pay a slightly higher price for quality. They also ship very quickly and are highly reputable. Outstanding company.

www.sparrowslockpicks.com
Sparrows is really interesting, and has a few things you can't get elsewhere, mostly offering a "cool" look to some of their kit. The quality is excellent, and some of the pricing is decent for what they offer. The only downside to Sparrow is the fact that they are in Canada, and shipping to the U.S. can often take a very long time.

SouthOrd Lock Pick Sets - The Best American-Made Lock Picks
The South Ord lock picks are decent, and recommended for a beginner who doesn't want to invest much money. I haven't had much experience with their tools.

You could buy a cheap $20 beginners lock pick set from Ebay or Amazon, and some people are fine with that, but chances are you will eventually break tools or just become frustrated.
Start with a beginner set, or a simple tension wrench, hook and bogie rake to start. You can buy the individual tools or entire kits on the websites I listed above.

You could also make your own. Some people use the thin steel from windshield wipers, piano wire, and small reciprocating saw blades. You can obtain a stencil online (or download the .pdf attachment I will include with this post), print out the pages and trace the stencils onto your own material. Keep in mind, a good thickness for a starter set of lock pick tools is generally around 0.020" to 0.025", and more experienced pickers may choose to go with the 0.015 specialty picks, but will often times use many of the same tools available in beginner kits.

Video - How To Make A Hasty Lockpick From a Mouse Trap -YouTube

LEGALITY: The Open Organisation Of Lockpickers :: State Laws
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"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

"Without Prejudice" [UCC 1-308, 1-103] All Rights Reserved and Explicitly Claimed.

Brokor, Feb 22, 2015

#10

UncleMorgan, Yard Dart and 3M-TA3 like this.
ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

Brokor said: ↑

Lock Picking Resources - Where To Buy
Click to expand...

Please observe the usual caveats if you choose to buy any of those tools. Some jurisdictions just don't like it if you happen to have them on you. See @kckndrgn 's post above.

Remote locations are cheap insurance.

ghrit, Feb 22, 2015

#11

Brokor likes this.
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

ghrit said: ↑

Please observe the usual caveats if you choose to buy any of those tools. Some jurisdictions just don't like it if you happen to have them on you. See @kckndrgn 's post above.
Click to expand...

FEAR THE POLICE STATE. CHECK ALL LOCAL "LAWS" (i.e. CODES, REGULATIONS and POLICIES) BEFORE EVEN TOUCHING A LOCK PICK. YOU MAY BE TAZED, SPRAYED WITH MACE, BEATEN, and ARRESTED BY THE THUGS WITH BADGES WHO WILL COME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND KICK YOUR DOOR IN. BE VERY, VERY AFRAID. OBEY, CITIZEN! OBEY!

Now that that's over...back to the topic?

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

"Without Prejudice" [UCC 1-308, 1-103] All Rights Reserved and Explicitly Claimed.

Brokor, Feb 22, 2015

#12
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

It's interesting in Pennsylvania there are no "laws" on the books concerning lock picking. I am sure in Philadelphia it's not good to have them on you. Everything is illegal in Philadelphia.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

"Without Prejudice" [UCC 1-308, 1-103] All Rights Reserved and Explicitly Claimed.

Brokor, Feb 22, 2015

#13

gunbunny likes this.
ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

Brokor said: ↑

It's interesting in Pennsylvania there are no "laws" on the books concerning lock picking. I am sure in Philadelphia it's not good to have them on you. Everything is illegal in Philadelphia.
Click to expand...

Except Philly Cheese Steak.

Remote locations are cheap insurance.

ghrit, Feb 22, 2015

#14

Tracy and Brokor like this.
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

ghrit said: ↑

Except Philly Cheese Steak.
Click to expand...

Oh. This is true. I miss 7th street subs...

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

"Without Prejudice" [UCC 1-308, 1-103] All Rights Reserved and Explicitly Claimed.

Brokor, Feb 22, 2015

#15
gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

"It's always a good sign when people feel the need to mask their faces when acting under the color of law"- DeadFred on Zerohedge.com, September 2013
"There is nothing -- and then there is nothing -- and still there is nothing and then suddenly everything is made out of knives and the world becomes completely insane." cougar_w on Zerohedge.com, June 2014
"...regulations have sometimes been well meaning but often designed specifically as a barrier to competition by special interests who helped write the rules."- Carl Popper on Zerohedge.com, November 2013

gunbunny, Feb 22, 2015

#16

Yard Dart, ghrit and Brokor like this.
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

lol, oh man! Cruel, just cruel!!!

Lemme see. Lock picking, lol. Oh yes. The infamous combination key safe locks. Here's something for you to chew on.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

"Without Prejudice" [UCC 1-308, 1-103] All Rights Reserved and Explicitly Claimed.

Brokor, Feb 22, 2015

#17
kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

And sometimes you need to try another technique... Shimming.

How to Open a Padlock with a Coke Can:

“Man’s mind is his basic tool of survival. Life is given to him, survival is not. His body is given to him, its sustenance is not. His mind is given to him, its content is not. To remain alive, he must act, and before he can act he must know the nature and purpose of his action. He cannot obtain his food without a knowledge of food and of the way to obtain it. He cannot dig a ditch-or build a cyclotron-without a knowledge of his aim and of the means to achieve it. To remain alive, he must think." John Galt (Ayn Rand)

Patents are not evil, profit is not a dirty word, providing for your family's future is not a sin, and what is mine is not your's just because you want it. Kellory.
I have received NO secret government orders.(Watch for this notice to be removed)

kellory, Feb 22, 2015

#18
The Duece Monkey

Cool videos,ive got a homemade set of picks made from an allen key and some spokes from a bike tire but would love a professional set.in my misspent youth i once had a lock gun but i lost it becore i figured out how to use it[emoji24][emoji24]
So far i can pick cheap padlocks and small locks like the type on office drawers....getting better though not sure if my picks have the proper dimensions,might have to order a professional set,thanks for the link
D

The Duece, Feb 22, 2015

#19

Brokor likes this.
Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

An excellent course with cutaway locks and step-by-step instruction to the basics:

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. " -- J. Krishnamurti
“The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it.” -- George Orwell

Consider supporting Survivalmonkey.com by becoming a Site Supporter.

"Without Prejudice" [UCC 1-308, 1-103] All Rights Reserved and Explicitly Claimed.

Brokor, Feb 25, 2015

#20

Yard Dart likes this.

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This is a small "fire kit" used to train the Grandkinder.... [IMG] I catch the spark on the end of the wick. [IMG] Once the fire is started,...

Thread by: DKR, Mar 10, 2019, 9 replies, in forum: General Survival and Preparedness
Thread
My Five Reasons Why Hunting is an Important Survival Skill

I saw this article and have to agree that learning how to hunt is extremely important. The way the author laid out his reasoning and how he...

Thread by: Motomom34, Feb 11, 2019, 22 replies, in forum: Turf and Surf Hunting and Fishing
Thread
Desert Brutality: Lessons re-learned (or you are not in your twenties any more)

I got back from InrangeTV's Desert Brutality 2019 on Tuesday and I'm still recovering. I participated in the 2018 and this year's match. It is...

Thread by: wideym, Feb 10, 2019, 14 replies, in forum: Firearms
Thread
Energy Permanent Magnet Generators - a Construction guide

Benjamin A. Wood submitted a new resource: Permanent Magnet Generators - a Construction guide - Step by Step construction of PMG's (Permanent...

Thread by: Benjamin A. Wood, Feb 7, 2019, 1 replies, in forum: Off Grid Living
Resource
How to build a Multimachine 2019-02-06

Very detailed instructions that walk you step by step through constructing your own Multimachine with full color pictures. From scrap...….

Posted By: Benjamin A. Wood, Feb 6, 2019 in category: Handbooks, Guides & How-to
Thread
Living the Dream?

January 21, 2019 A friend of mine made a comment in passing to me the other day. I had mentioned an upcoming building project I was going to...

Thread by: OldDude49, Jan 21, 2019, 3 replies, in forum: Off Grid Living
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Intro to using tourniquets

FEMA and other groups are pushing for more public access to and training with tourniquets because recent studies show that trained civilians can...

Thread by: The_Prepared, Dec 24, 2018, 14 replies, in forum: Survival Medicine
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Reading the Signs of Nature

This is a great article that has a good reminder to practice reading nature. These are simple skills that people should have. Reading animal...

Thread by: Motomom34, Dec 14, 2018, 15 replies, in forum: Bushcraft
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Gear Review Field knife sharpening skills + gear reviews

A little shamed to admit that I was one of those preppers who bought a decent knife (an ESEE), kept it in the factory sheath without a second...

Thread by: The_Prepared, Dec 9, 2018, 28 replies, in forum: Functional Gear & Equipment
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Another furoshiki fold

I have posted several things about Furoshiki - the Japanese 'art;' of cloth folding. Like this: [IMG] [IMG] and this [IMG] [IMG] All great...

Thread by: DKR, Aug 5, 2018, 10 replies, in forum: Back to Basics
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What should we teach the children?

Somewhere there was list from the Jeffersonian era of things a young Virginian man should know how to do. I was thinking about what things...

Thread by: Zimmy, Jul 30, 2018, 54 replies, in forum: General Survival and Preparedness
Thread
Mosby Advanced Skills

(This is a reprint of an article I first posted back in January. It is a critical point that people are still not getting. There is no point in...

Thread by: survivalmonkey, Jul 20, 2018, 1 replies, in forum: 3 Percent
Thread
Energy Build Your Own 12 VDC Engine / Generator

Asia-Off-Grid submitted a new resource: Build Your Own 12 VDC Engine/Generator - Building Your Own Generator Using An Automobile Alternator And...

Thread by: Asia-Off-Grid, Jul 19, 2018, 4 replies, in forum: Off Grid Living
Thread
Mosby Advanced Skills

My buddy, Paul Sharp, of Straight-Blast Gym—Illinois, and proprietor of Sharp Defense, posted the following on Social Media: “When people start...

Thread by: survivalmonkey, Jan 14, 2018, 0 replies, in forum: 3 Percent

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