+1 to "Pick Locks" skill :)

[MMATM]

:devil: Sorry Kara... uh, I mean Officer Kara, for stealing the RPG theme. Please don't lock me up! I'll give it back!

Background:
My GF has a locked box here at school in her dorm room. She needs her social security card from said box in order to fill out her application papers for a job here at the school. Unfortunately, she has left her key at home (in Queens, New York - a four to five hour drive). She needs this key by tomorrow. (Uh, I mean today, since it's 1am...)

Background 2:
I used to have more time on my hands than I do now (frequent hospital visits under room arrest for contagion reasons). During that time I taught myself to pick locks. I own no lockpicks. I own a knockoff "Leatherman" and some paper clips.

Story:
GF asks me to pick the lock on her locked box. I have not picked a lock since 2006 before my freshman year of college started in August.
I visit her room equipped with two paper clips and "Leatherman".
Any guesses on how long it took to pick the lock? Feel free to guess and then look. An e-cookie if you get it right.

(Answer in white, between stars.)

*00:00:05 hours. Also known as 5 seconds.*

[Broomjockey]

Aww, I was so close! I guessed 5 minutes. I think your skill's close to maxed for your level if it's a cross-class skill. :p

[MMATM]

I dunno, as a level 20 "Engineer" I'd say that's pretty close to maxed out even for a class skill. I will admit that I used the phony Leatherman to bend one of the paper clips before I started timing, since that added a little time too. It was an easy lock though, basically the most beginner lock I've ever tried (even easier than the ones I taught myself on, which I've also picked in the same amount of time).

I was just happy that I still remembered how to do it.

I've tried to pick the dorm locks before (my own, not some random stranger's room). They're harder because they take loooonnng keys and have lots of pins. The paper clips I use can't stand up to long reaches so I've been thinking about investing in a set of lock picks if I ever decide to continue with the hobby. (Picks can get expensive though, and I only really need a torsion wrench, hook and straight picks. No highly specialized stuff. So a set seems unnecessary.)

[Rahmota]

hehehe congratulations. Rahmota uses the barbarian's lockpicks aka a 10 pound lump hammer......:lol:

[MMATM]

Whatever gets the job done, I suppose. :lol:

However, that wasn't an option as I don't have a 10 pound hammer and my GF wanted to continue using the box to store things so they won't get stolen.

[tollbaby]

oooh I get a cookie! :D

[MMATM]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Chocolate_chip_cookies.jpg/800px-Chocolate_chip_cookies.jpg
(Of course this cookie retains its license from Wikipedia. Share and share alike.)

Enjoy!

[ArcticChicken]

I don't think I'd want to keep my stuff in a box w/ a lock that easy.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I guessed 30 seconds. At least I was closer than Broomjockey... :D

[Rahmota]

GF wanted to continue using the box to store things so they won't get stolen.

Ahh well that could be a problem. Kinda counter productive in that case. :p

And as for not having a hammer anythign can be a hammer if you look at it the right way.......

[Jester]

HAMMER TIME!

[gunsage]

Well, when you say "box," do you mean that it's a secure, personal safe that has it's own lock (I would assume not a combination lock since there was the ordeal of not having a key) or do you mean a heavy box that simply had a padlock on it? Padlocks are easily hackable...most of them, anyway. (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/419912/watch_me_pick_a_high_security_lock_with_a_bobby_pi n/) Otherwise, I commend you on being so fast...it's not that easy for me. :p

Here's (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/816958/how_to_make_professional_lock_picks/) another (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/867678/how_to_do_lock_pick/) few (http://home.howstuffworks.com/lock-picking1.htm) linkies if you guys are interested. :D

[MMATM]

It's a safe. Metal box with built-in key lock. Sort of the "fire-proof box for important documents" variety. The only problem is that if one really wants to get in, one could simply smash the box with a hammer, a la Rahmota.

To look at it seems fairly secure, and since lock picking is hardly a common hobby in Universities around here (at least as far as I'm aware), it serves its intended purpose well enough.

And as for not having a hammer anythign can be a hammer if you look at it the right way.......

Such as GF! Why didn't I think of that?

Answer: For the same reason my testicles are still attached to my body.

[Rahmota]

Such as GF! Why didn't I think of that?

Answer: For the same reason my testicles are still attached to my body.
Today 08:41 AM


Well I wasnt going to suggest that for that very reason. :)

yeah I had one of those before we got the real safe and lost the key to the box. A few seconds work with the hammer and a screwdriver and the lock was gone.

[gunsage]

It's a safe. Metal box with built-in key lock.
Awesome! Good job, then. Despite my knowledge of locks, I'm not very good at picking them.

[It shouldn't]

Hey good for you.

My daughter used to go on after hours service calls with me (locksmithing) so she picked up the rudimentary skills of lock picking. Her senior year of high school, after the finals were over, they had like 1 week of school where they just sat around in their home room looking bored. Someone brought in VCR movies, but the teacher was too comfortable to go get the key for the media cabinet. My daughter made a dare with said teacher, if she could get it open without damaging the lock, could they then watch the movies. She then proceeded to collect paper clips and hair pins from her classmates.

Next day I get a call with a request for a conference with the teacher. Went there between service calls in my work uniform. Seems said teacher was really concerned with daughters 'extraorinary skills, which could be used for not so legal enterprises'.

Halloooo *pointing at shirt* where do you think she picked it up??? Don't worry, we've had the discussion (bodily harm threatened) if she ever used her knowledge for illegal actions.

[coldcupofjoe]

I pick locks at work. But I have special tools that make it really easy. Sometimes I pick locks with a computer, thats fun too.