Recently, as I have arrived on the other side of 50, I have seen more and more targeted social media posts talking about how to support the aging process. One of these suggestions has been to learn a new skill. After poking around a little, I decided to try my hand at lock picking. For the uninitiated, there is a belief that lock picking is only performed by criminals and locksmiths. This is not true! Just a quick Youtube search will yield thousands upon thousands of videos made by hobbyists regarding the sport. Also, it is always mentioned and emphasized that this is for fun and the top three rules are: know the laws in your area regarding the subject, never pick a lock that is not yours and never ask for help picking a lock that is in use.
I found my way to the Lockpicking subreddit where there are over 250,000 members. They are an extremely friendly and helpful community. There is even an organised belt system that allows you to apply for ranks as you progress in the hobby.
Why do so many people enjoy this hobby? Well, it is puzzle solving. And even better, a tactile puzzle which appeals to someone as myself who has spent years working with my hands. It is easy to get started: a set of picks and some locks cost most likely under $30. People also report the deep concentration required as a form of stress relief.
As I write this post, I have progressed from white to yellow and from yellow to orange belt. There is a rather big jump in skill to go onto a green belt so this is where I have been working for awhile now.
I've been having fun building skill and learning about the intricacies of actual picking, as well as hunting down tools and equipment in my favourite colour scheme:
In this now very morphed blog, I will be posting once in awhile when I make new discoveries that I think may help other new lock pickers. Thanks for the visit!
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