How to Start Learning Lock Picking on Lock Picking 101 Forum

Start in the Lock Picking 101 – FAQs, Tutorials, and General Information board. It is explicitly described as "THE starting place for new members," and it holds the forum's FAQ, lock picking instructions, product reviews, vendor links, and rules. Read that board before posting anything, then use Got Questions? – Ask Beginner Hobby Lockpicking Questions Here for anything the FAQ does not answer. Move to Pick-Fu [Intermediate Skill Level] only once you have worked through the easy locks.

The starting path, in order

1. Read the forum rules. The rules page is linked in the site's main navigation, and the FAQ board is where new members are told to begin. Lock picking content on the forum is framed as "the fun and ethical hobby of lock picking," so the ethical and legal framing is part of the required reading, not an optional extra.
2. Work through the FAQ, tutorials, and general information board. This board is where the site concentrates its how-to material: instructions on how to pick a lock, product reviews, links to related sites, and tool vendor lists. It is the single highest-value stop for a beginner.
3. Ask beginner questions in "Got Questions?" This board exists specifically for "general lock picking questions" from people who have read the FAQs and still need more. It is the busiest visible section of the forum, so a clear, specific question is likely to get a response.
4. Practice, then move up to Pick-Fu. The intermediate board is aimed at people who have "picked all the easy locks" and want to exchange techniques, videos, lessons, and pro tips. Treat it as a second stage, not a starting point.

What each board is for

Beyond the beginner stage

The forum is much larger than its beginner boards, and knowing what exists helps you decide where to go next rather than guessing:

• Hardware and tools: Locks, Lock Patents, Lock Picks, Lock Bumping, Lock Impressioning, Lock Pick Guns/Snappers, European Locks & Picks, The Machine Shop, The Open Source Lock, Handcuffs.
• Locksmith-side topics: Locksmith Business Info, Training & Licensing, Running a Business, Keyways & Key Blanks, Key Machines, Master Keyed Systems, Closers and Crash Bars, Life Safety Compliance, Electronic Locks & Access, Locksmith Supplies.
• Advanced topics (special access required): High Security Locks, Vending Locks, Advanced Lock Pick Tools, Bypass Techniques, Safes & Safe Locks, Automotive Entry & Tools, Advanced Buy/Sell/Trade.
• Community: Member Introductions, Member Lock Collections, Member Social Media, Locksport Groups and local chapters, plus off-topic and puzzle sections.

Note that the advanced boards are gated behind membership levels — the site lists them under "Special Access Required," so you cannot read them immediately after registering.

Practical notes before you post

• Search first. The forum has a search function plus "View New Posts," "View Active Topics," and "View Unanswered Posts" links. Beginner questions repeat often, and the FAQ board already covers the most common ones.
• Live chat exists. The site lists Discord and Reddit chat options (LP101 Forum Chat, Keypicking Forum Chat, r/lockpicking Chat) alongside the forum itself, which can be faster for quick questions.
• The forum is active. Visible post dates run into 2026, so answers are not coming from an abandoned archive.
• Check local law yourself. The forum's framing is ethical hobbyist lock picking, but it does not replace your own check on what is legal where you live and what you are permitted to pick (your own locks, or locks you have explicit permission to work on).

If your goal is simply to learn the basics, steps 1–3 above are enough to get started today. If your goal is to go deep — high-security locks, safes, automotive — plan on spending time in the beginner and intermediate boards first, since the advanced sections require access you will not have on day one.