What is locksport and why should I care? Locksport is a hobby in which people pick locks for fun. The basic ground rules are only picking locks you own, locks that are not in use, and keep everything legal.
People interested in physical security or people interested in puzzles typically get into this hobby. They start off with basic picks and some household locks. They are often shocked how easy it is to open common household locks. I’m talking about 20 seconds with very minimal skill. Yes, that is scary. If they stay in the sport they progress to more difficult locks, making their own picks, or challenge locks by modifying the pins in the lock.
There is some tension between locksmiths and locksporters. Many locksmiths view the hobby as exposing secrets. Some locksporter enthusiasts refer to themselves as “locksmiths” after picking a few locks. This can be very frustrating for locksmiths. Lock picking is probably only 3% of what most locksmiths do in a day. Some locksmiths enjoy their enthusiasm and supply them with older high security locks they’ve removed.
Much like hacking, locksport can reveal security flaws before criminals do. It’s my opinion that locksmiths should embrace this enthusiastic community to help spread knowledge and understanding of physical security.
Why should you care? One, you may find it to be an interesting and relaxing hobby. The financial barrier to entry is very small. You can do it at home whenever you have free time. Two, it can teach you about physical security. It may encourage you to up the physical security of your home. We’re talking about people buying metal picks off of Amazon and picking their locks within 30 second with minimal training. That should make anyone notice.
