In this almanac of locks and lock-picking, Schuyler Towne - mechanical security researcher and competitive lockpicker - takes you through every facet of locks, including their complex mechanical, cultural, and emotional aspects.

In this almanac of locks and lock picking, Schuyler Towne - mechanical security researcher and competitive lockpicker - takes you through every facet of locks, including their complex mechanical, cultural, and emotional aspects. You'll learn how locks evolved, how each innovation was refined and then ultimately defeated, and how they came to be the thing we depend on to protect our homes and ourselves. Along the way, Towne shares stories about people in history who created - and defeated - the locks featured in the book: everyone from Louis XVI and his master locksmith, Gamain, to Charles and Oscar Kroekel, to the deaf-mute lock-picking brothers from Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. You'll also learn about major locksport organizations as well as people currently involved in modern lock design. This is a definitive guide on the subject - a book that makers and hobbyists won't want to miss. Get an in-depth look at everything, starting with a basic pin tumbler lock, followed by incremental improvements including additional rows of pins, secondary locking mechanisms, and methods of master keying Learn about wafer tumbler locks, lever locks, disc locks, slider locks, magnetic locks, and a few noteworthy safes Look into lock-picking tools - everything from the most basic hook pick to digital safecracking aids - with in-depth explanations of how to use each one Fashion your own lockpicking tools, such as bump keys and other DIY devices Delve into tool-independent attacks such as impressioning and overlifting