Contrary to widespread myth, it is not a felony to possess lockpicks. Each state has its own laws with respect to such burglarious instruments. Here is the Massacusetts version quoted in entirety from the massachusetts general code:
Chapter 266 [...]
This appendix describes the design and construction of lock picking tools.
A.1 Pick Shapes
Picks come in several shapes and sizes. Figure A.1 shows the most common shapes. The handle and tang of a pick are the same for all picks. The handle must be comfortable and the tang must be thin enough to avoid bumping pins [...]
Lock picking is a craft, not a science. This document presents the knowledge and skills that are essential to lock picking, but more importantly it provides you with models and exercises that will help you study locks on your own. To excel at lock picking, You must practice and develop a style which fits you [...]
Real locks have a wide range of mechanical features and defects that help and hinder lock picking. If a lock doesn’t respond to scrubbing, then it probably has one of the traits discussed in this chapter. To open the lock, you must diagnose the trait and apply the recommended technique. The exercises will help you [...]
This chapter presents a series of exercises that will help you learn the basic skill of lock picking. Some exercises teach a single skill, while others stress the coordination of skills.
When you do these exercises, focus on the skills, not on opening the lock. If you focus on opening the lock, you will get frustrated [...]
Simple lock picking is a trade that anyone can learn. However, advanced lock picking is a craft that requires mechanical sensitivity, physical dexterity, visual concentration and analytic thinking. If you strive to excel at lock picking, you will grow in many ways.
7.1 Mechanical Skills
Learning how to pull the pick over the pins is surprisingly difficult. [...]
At home you can take your time picking a lock, but in the field, speed is always essential. This chapter presents a lock picking technique called scrubbing that can quickly open most locks.
The slow step in basic picking (chapter 4) is locating the pin which is binding the most. The force diagram (Figure 5.5) developed [...]
The flatland model of locks can explain effects that involvs more than one pin, but a different model is needed to explain the detailed behavior of a single pin. See Figure 5.1. The pin-column model highlights the relationship between the torque applied and the amount of force needed to lift each pin. It is essential [...]
The flatland model highlights the basic defect that enables lock picking to work. This defect makes it possible to open a lock by lifting the pins one at a time, and thus you don’t need a key to lift all the pins at the same time. Figure 4.1-4.3 shows how the pins of a lock [...]
