What Topics and Sections Are Covered on Lock Picking 101 Forum?

Lock Picking 101 Forum is a community forum for the "fun and ethical hobby of lock picking," and its board list covers four broad areas: learning lock picking, specific lock and tool categories, locksmithing as a trade, and community/trading sections. The exact board names below come from the forum's own index page, so you can use them to decide where a question belongs before you post.

Learning and beginner sections

These are the boards a new member should read first.

• Lock Picking 101 – FAQs, Tutorials, and General Information — described as "THE starting place for new members," with FAQs, instructions on how to pick a lock, product reviews, links to related sites, forum rules, and tool vendor information.
• Got Questions? – Ask Beginner Hobby Lockpicking Questions Here — for general lock picking questions after you have read the FAQs.
• Pick-Fu [Intermediate Skill Level] — for members who have "picked all the easy locks" and want to develop techniques, exchange tips, videos, and lessons.
• Ask A Locksmith – Questions from the Public — a place for non-locksmiths to ask trade professionals.

The index shows these boards are heavily used: the beginner question board alone lists over 9,000 topics and more than 91,000 posts, and the FAQ/tutorial board over 300 topics and 11,000 posts. That volume is useful context — beginner questions are normal here, not an imposition.

Lock, tool, and technique boards

Beyond general questions, the forum splits discussion by hardware and method:

• Hardware — general lock hardware discussion.
• Locks, Lock Patents, Lock Picks, Lock Bumping, Lock Impressioning, Lock Pick Guns, Snappers.
• European Locks & Picks, The Machine Shop, The Open Source Lock, Handcuffs.
• What Lock Should I Buy? — purchase advice for locks to practice on.
• This Old Lock and This Old Safe — repair and installation help.

If your question is about a specific tool or technique rather than a general skill, one of these is usually the better fit than the beginner board.

Locksmithing, business, and licensing

A separate cluster serves people working in or entering the trade:

• 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, Locksmith Lounge.

Note that licensing and training rules vary by country and state; the forum is a discussion space, not an authority, so verify requirements with your local regulator.

Trading, advanced access, and community

• Buy – Sell – Trade and It came from Ebay! for member transactions.
• Advanced Topics and Special Access Required boards covering high security locks, vending locks, advanced pick tools, bypass techniques, safes and safe locks, and automotive entry and tools. These require membership status the forum grants separately.
• Locksport Groups, Locksport Local Chapter, President's Office, and Locksport Board Room for organized sport picking.
• Member Spotlight, Member Introductions, Member Lock Collections, Member Social Media, and Off Topic / General Chatter for community life.
• Live chat is hosted off-site via Discord, with separate LP101 and Keypicking channels plus a Reddit r/lockpicking chat.

How to choose a board

One practical note: the forum's own guidance is to read the FAQ and rules before posting, and the index provides View unanswered posts and View active topics links for finding current threads. The forum also states it is dedicated to ethical hobby picking — check the rules board before discussing anything that falls outside that scope.