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[pisskop]

lockpicking is a hobby ive considered.  maybe ill pick up a set online now?

[King Zultan]

I've also thought about getting dome lockpicks and learning how, so how long does it take to learn how to do it?

[JoshuaFH]

I'm doing it as a hobby, and a potentially useful skill, but not planning any crimes yet. Most lockpicks are made here, but not sold here as much. With some searching I was able to find a set I like and we'll see how good it is when it arrives.

Car theft is an issue in China, especially around here - just because there is a demand around the world for parts coming from here, so you can flip a whole car for decent returns (basically not worth it in the US, as I understand it, so theft is mostly for joyriding or one-time use). So the car-entry stuff is almost certainly for theft rather than locksmiths. Just silly to see the tools for the trade so eagerly on sale.

Security is a goofy thing. Almost all apartment buildings have invested in security (generally retired people who just sit there and read) and digital locks. But since there are so many people in the buildings here, you can just walk in with confidence, slip through a door behind someone, or find one that has been propped open (almost always at least one door is like this) to bypass all that. But you guys are right that most of the time locks are just to prevent accidental entry and security is usually just a marketing point. Digital locks especially feel high tech but are often easier to bypass than an analog lock.

I assume you already know, but I watch a guy called Lockpickinglawyer on youtube, and he's just a delightful personality while also being very informative. From the little bit about picking I've learned from him, Chinese locks are of a higher quality than locks you'd find from other countries, either from a sense of pragmatism that permeates China or simply necessity from more common and brazen thieves.

[Reelya]

I doubt that China specifically has the most brazen thieves such that they'd invest in higher quality locks.

I'll put a theory out that it's because China is the center of manufacturing for that sort of thing, so it's down to economies of scale, and getting good locks is just cost effective there, whereas in other countries you have the shitty shit they sell as export quality. China makes cheap plastic stuff so they can corner the market in that stuff overseas, that doesn't actually imply that everything Chinese people use themselves is shitty cheap plastic versions.

[Mathel]

I am not sure why there would be a lock that can be forced open with a credit card. The way any door lock I saw works, it is a ~5mm thick steel plate that slides into a slot in the door frame.

With the ones in this house, I guess you could dismantle it while it is locked, but only if you are on the inside. I would not bet on that being true in places with higher security than a family house though.
Or, of course, pick the lock, break the slot out of the door frame (would require significant force applied against the lock from the outside), or smash the door.

[Reelya]

I am not sure why there would be a lock that can be forced open with a credit card. The way any door lock I saw works, it is a ~5mm thick steel plate that slides into a slot in the door frame.

Those locks do exist, they're ones with a triangular bolt (cylindrical but with a cut out making a triangular silouhette), and it's only lightly springed so you can push something up the inside and push the bolt in. Usually, you only see those on interior doors, but if they were on an exterior door it would likely be the back door into a kitchen or something.

This sort of one:



Notice how the bolt isn't straight, but there's a curve. The inner side of the bolt is flush with the door, so you pull the card up and at an angle and you can push the bolt in that way. These things make sense for example for a bathroom door, however if they've been used on an exterior door someone did something very wrong.

[Rose]

Notice that smaller nub on the side of the bolt? When the door is closed, that is pressed in, and locks the larger bolt in place and prevents it from opening without action from the handle, unless the hole that it slots into is badly enough aligned that it doesn't get pressed in.

[Reelya]

Not all of them have the smaller nub, and note that the credit card to unlock doors trope is pretty old. At some point, that nub was added to prevent that very problem with the basic design. I'm looking at my bedroom door right now, and it's an older house and the credit card trick would totally work in this door.

[Rose]

Yeah, point being bedroom door, yeah. Not having that on an outside door is pretty terrible.

My apartment just has a separate bolt that locks.

[Ghills]

One has the advisory in the corner! DUH!

I like the idea of a parent looking at this and being like: "Nah, my kids can't listen to this, it's got an advisory on it", then looking at the other version and being like "yeah, this one's fine". The kid has now been exposed to the decidedly adult subject matter, though in this case, I don't see it as particularly shocking. Now, something like No Church In The Wild... oh dear. I don't think most parents would approve of that, especially now.

And it's a Kanye song. Name me one song of his that wouldn't need the advisory.

There's a lot of 'teen version' songs that censor out swear words or replace references to drugs or violence. For teen-focused radio stations or TV shows or shops, parents who want to listen to music they like but don't want their kids hearing obvious cursing, or who want to get their teens music but don't want to hear obvious cursing themselves.

If the channel had actually done that I'd expect a reference in the video title. But that's probably some of the difference in audience.

[bloop_bleep]

Notice that smaller nub on the side of the bolt? When the door is closed, that is pressed in, and locks the larger bolt in place and prevents it from opening without action from the handle, unless the hole that it slots into is badly enough aligned that it doesn't get pressed in.

Yes, that's called a deadbolt, in that it's dead if the nub is pressed in and can't be pushed in or out via the latch. However, as Deviant Ollam once explained, lots of doors are fitted improperly such that the deadbolt is not adequately pressed in, and then they're nearly as vulnerable as the ones without a deadbolt. Particularly with electronic strike plates. Some integrators just tell their employees "use the biggest strikeplate, that way it fits all the locks!", but that disables the deadbolt mechanism and you can just open those doors with a butter knife, a la Frumple.

Another method is to take a cheap piece of wire in a special shape, stick it under the door, and use it pull down the handle on the other side. There are some doors that have protections against this. In that case you go over the door.

[delphonso]

I've also thought about getting dome lockpicks and learning how, so how long does it take to learn how to do it?

I'll let you know the first time I open a lock. If I really get into the hobby maybe a security/sportpicking thread could exist, since there seems to be broad interest.

I doubt that China specifically has the most brazen thieves such that they'd invest in higher quality locks.

I'll put a theory out that it's because China is the center of manufacturing for that sort of thing, so it's down to economies of scale, and getting good locks is just cost effective there, whereas in other countries you have the shitty shit they sell as export quality. China makes cheap plastic stuff so they can corner the market in that stuff overseas, that doesn't actually imply that everything Chinese people use themselves is shitty cheap plastic versions.

Doesn't imply, but is often the case. But yeah, locks are made here, people also forget that with a billion and a half people, an entire market can be made here and not have to contact the outside world, which allows bubbles of innovation. That is what makes locks good, anyway - being creative/doing something slightly different than all other locks.

EDIT for Zultan:
I don't have picks yet so I'm just raking with paperclips and it took less than 10 minutes to pop a crappy padlock.

[misko27]

I don't actually know how it works, but once my sister locked my mother and I out of the apartment overnight (she locked the door and fell asleep).

After an hour of googling, trying, failing, more googling, more trying, more failing... this ordeal ended with me eventually managing to get our door open with my credit cards and credit-card-like objects. My mother was impressed with my abilities. (So was I). And my sister... got off lighter than she might've just because we were so damn tired at the time.

I consider this evidence that while anything is possible if you put your mind to it, necessity is the mother of invention. And also a door lock alone isn't nearly enough if someone is sufficiently determined and the neighbors don't complain. (Note: the best lock is a doorman.)

[LordBaal]

The best lock is an anti-shear padlock (or more than one) on your side of the iron/steel door/grate, with the frame of the darn thing welded to the rebars inside the concrete walls. Not the best for emergencies and you cant lock the padlock on your way out, unless you are kitty pride or some one else is inside, but sure as hell will keep people out and let you sleep well.

[methylatedspirit]

I seem to have accidentally adopted a cat (or is it the cat adopted me?) just by petting it over the course of weeks. I didn't even know that was possible; I thought I had to feed cats to get them to like me. She's an orange tabby cat with a bob tail. Quite docile considering she's a stray; I can pick her up no problem, but she doesn't seem to enjoy it and demands to be put down after a few seconds. Also, I've converged on calling her "Catto" because I suck at names.

Now she jumps into my room through the window unannounced, then she explores it without a care in the world. She meows at me constantly, though I can't tell if it's for food (unfortunately, I don't have any cat food) or for petting. She's not starving or anything; there's someone who lives here who leaves out a large (for a cat) tray of cat food every day for the stray cats. Whenever I exit my room, she's always there, ready to follow me. I think she likes me or something.