Locksmith Books: Reference Books for Locksmith Techniques & Picking Lock

Do you want to learn locksmithing for starting out professionally or just for hobby? Here is a list of books along with Library of Congress Catalog Number (the first number is the catalog number).  The list of book has been compiled by a locksmith group available here and copied verbatim.



#52042 B & E: A TO Z - HOW TO GET IN ANYWHERE, ANYTIME (VHS TAPE) by
Scott French, 1987. Nearly two full hours of on-site techniques to
get in any building, beat any lock, open any safe, enter any car.

#40031 INVOLUNTARY REPOSSESSION -OR- IN THE STEAL OF THE NIGHT by John
Russell III (64pp, 1979). Written by a private detective for auto
repossessors. All the standard methods of entering and starting
locked, keyless automobiles are given.

#52050 TECHNIQUES OF BURGLAR ALARM BYPASSING by Wayne B. Yeager
(110pp, 1990). Alarms covered include: Magnetic Switches, Window
Foil, Sound and Heat Detectors, Photoelectric Devices, Guard Dogs,
Central Station Systems, Closed-Circuit Television, and more.

#52047 THE B & E BOOK - BURGLARY TECHNIQUES AND INVESTIGATION by Burt
Rapp (149pp, 1989). This is an investigatory guide and practical
manual designed for the police officer in charge of a burglary
investigation and its follow-up.

#52054 TECHNIQUES OF SAFECRACKING by Wayne B. Yeager (92pp, 1990).
Chapters include: Safe Mechanics and Operations, Guessing the
Combination, Manipulation Techniques, Safe Drilling Methods, Punching
and Peeling, Torches Etc., Explosives, Miscellaneous Methods of Safe
Entry, Safe Deposit Boxes, Deterrence and Prevention, and more.


#52052 HIGH SPEED ENTRY - INSTANT OPENING TECHNIQUES (VHS TAPE - 1Hr)
1990. Topics include: the Rabbit Tool and Hydra force door openers,
the Omni Force jam spreader, the best exothermic lance in the world,
two tools that open almost any auto in America, electronic locksmiths,
rippers and pullers, shove knives and re-lockers, and more "techie"
tools. A complete source guide is included.


#52032 THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO LOCK PICKING by Eddie the Wire (80pp
1981). The very best book ever written on how to pick locks (quite
the claim). Topics covered include: Basic Principle and General
Rules, How To Mount Practice Locks, Warded Locks, Disc Tumbler Locks,
Lever Tumbler Locks, Pin Tumbler Locks, Wafer Tumbler Locks, Lock
Modifications To Thwart Tampering And How To Overcome Them, Various
Other Ways Of Bypassing Locks And Locking Mechanisms.


#52040 HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL LOCK TOOLS (4 Volume set) by
Eddie the Wire (31pp, 1980; 50pp 1981; 44pp, 1981; 55pp, 1986).
Basically this set describes how to make all the tools mentioned the
above book along with mass production techniques, carrying cases,
using a PC to generate pick profiles, making "soft" break-ins, how to
"case" a subdivision, and more.


#52044 PERSONAL PICKS (VHS TAPE - 72min) by Eddie the Wire, 1988.
Demonstrates the step-by-step process of making lock tools in the home
workshop.


#52051 EXPERT LOCK PICKING (VHS TAPE - 60min) by Ron Reed, 1990. The
author has won the California Locksmiths Association lock-picking
championship (I guess that's good). Uses specially designed cutaway,
see-through locks, so you can view the inside mechanisms of working
locks as they respond to picking techniques.


#52048 ADVANCED LOCK PICKING by Steven M. Hampton (50pp, 1989).
Describes the inner workings of the new high-security locks and
includes templates for making custom tools. Schematic diagrams for
portable electronic picks to open magnetic key and card locks. Tips
on enhancing finger sensitivity, concentration power, constructing
practice lock boxes, and more.


#52045 CIA FIELD-EXPEDIENT KEY CASTING MANUAL (48pp, 1988). How to
make a duplicate key when you can keep the original only a short time.


#52043 HOW I STEAL CARS - A REPO MAN'S GUIDE TO CAR THIEVES' SECRETS
(VHS TAPE - 45min) by Pierre Smith, 1988. How to open and enter
practically any modern automobile and how to start them without the
key.


#52016 HOW TO FIT KEYS BY IMPRESSIONING by Desert Publications (26pp,
1975). Subjects covered include: Fitting bit keys, Fitting flat steel
keys, Fitting lever tumbler keys, Fitting disc tumbler keys, Necessary
tools, Techniques of obtaining impressions, and more.