Just Want To Say Hello To Everyone
I have been a locksmith since 1978 so I have seen a lot of locks, key, and safes. I have been on LP101 for a while and was invited to come here. I think I am going to like it better here for many reasons I'm sure you know what a few might be.
There is always something new to learn. Locks have come a long way since I started. Technology has exploded in this industry so it's great to have so many people from all over the world to bring together new stuff and experiences. Just when you think you have seen it all you find out how wrong you are.
I have been picking locks from the young age of 8 years old. Made my first lock pick from the spring steel in a windshield wiper blade. Made a stainless steel handle for it and riveted together. I seen one from a distance someone was showing to my dad. He seen me looking hard and tried to hide it but it was too late!
So I went home and made that pick as best as I could remember it looking. Worked perfect on all the Master and Yale padlocks I tried it on even the cylinder on the back of the Master combo school locks I was thrilled! My dad had commercial looking Weiser padlocks on the garage there was 3 different ones. I figured it was useless to try but was able to open them just as easy. I would run to the garage in front of my dad and have it open by the time he got there. He would smile but knew he was thinking this cannot be good! hahaha
So locks have always been something I fell in love with early and comes natural to me for some reason. I was into magic then and still am too so the two came together with doing escapes tricks. Picked Smith & Wesson Handcuffs with a small safety pin not a bobbie pin and could do it behind my back with them in double locked mode. This really got my dads attention. He just had to know how I was doing that.
I hope to be able to help others that need help and am just as excited to learn new stuff. I have already seen some things I have never seen before in the short time checking out the posts. Some very knowledgeable people here especially ones that craft their own picks very cool stuff.
So that is my story and I'm sticking to it!
Richard