Is It Worth It To Carry A Lockpick Set?
Posted on: 18 July 2016
Online ordering sites have made getting a lock-pick set quite easy. In fact, you can even get wallet-sized cards with picks that you tear out if you need to use them. But is it worth it to get these sets so you can save money by not having to call a locksmith? Knowing how to pick locks does have some advantages—yes, legal ones—but having lock-picking knowledge also carries with it responsibility to use the knowledge properly, and there are some negative things associated with having a lock-picking set.
Emergency Help
On the positive side, knowing how to pick locks and having a pick set with you is great in an emergency. Have an older relative who lives alone and for whose home you don't have a key? With a lock-pick set, you can get inside if you think the relative may be in trouble without having to call emergency services until you know what's going on. (You don't want to call an ambulance only to find out the relative didn't hear you knocking because he or she just got a great new pair of noise-canceling headphones.)
Knowing how to pick a lock also helps if you get locked out of your own home. No worries about having to stay out in the cold in winter: all you have to do is get your pick set and get in. Of course, this does require that you regularly carry a set with you. (Your set won't help you if you've left it inside!)
Practice Requirements
However, picking locks isn't as easy as just getting a set and trying to open a couple of doors. You have to practice, which means getting not only a set but also practice locks that you can work with to get a good understanding of how picking works. If you're not willing to practice, the pick set might not do you any good.
Local Laws
You also have to be sure that it's legal for you to carry the set. You might be able to carry the set if you can make it clear that it's for emergency use only. But if your local police department or even your city or county laws prohibit the items, carrying the picks around can be risky. If police see the set, you could wind up with a fine or more, depending on local laws.
Wallet Warning
A special warning for those wallet cards with the tear-off picks. If you lose your wallet, and your license or car registration is in there and contains your home address, you could have just given the person who finds the wallet a way to get into your home. (While states generally assume your registration will be in your car, some states allow you to carry the registration with you instead.) If you want to carry a pick-set wallet card, put a post-office box number on your license and registration.
It's still a good idea to know of a great locksmith in your area, so you still might want to call around to companies like ND Security Company until you find one you're comfortable with. The picks you have might not work well, or there could be something wrong with a lock that makes it impossible to pick. Lock-picking, even with lots of practice, won't replace the need for a skilled locksmith in many cases.
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