[82] How To Pick Locks With Paracentric Keyways

This video responds to the many questions I have received asking how I pick particularly nasty paracentric keyways with apparent ease. I've hinted at and partially explained this method in previous videos, but decided that a standalone video with a visual depiction would be helpful. I hope you find this helpful.

[@twjohnson1203]

_Five years later:_ "A six minute video?? He must have opened 15 locks!

[@TheBigmobe]

Man look that is so funny. I'm used to the new lock picking lawyer where you got to pause the video just to read the comments.

[@Nebbia_affaraccimiei]

his voice is so different!!

[@ZielAmerak]

or 600 MasterLock

[@deltakilo317]

Very informative! Was not expecting a paradigm shift when I started the video. Thank you.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+TheMorePerfectWay Wow! That's high praise. Thank you.

[@ppeppe]

82k views as of now. Let's see if that grows following today's reference

[@notyourpapa]

2 hours later, 90k

[@Emily-un1wp]

93k 4 hours later

[@中華人民共和國國家安]

94

[@Emily-un1wp]

97k 9 hours after original comment

[@mizurielse]

10 hours later, still 97k

[@l3uttlord360]

Great video!! As a beginner I struggled for so long with a S schlage keyway until I mastered it and I until seeing this video was scared to face anything more parametric than that, now I feel confident and am going to buy a steep hook or 2 :D

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Thanks. I was a bit intimidated by the SC keyway in the very beginning as well... I made this video because I wish it was out there when I started picking.

[@darringreen8630]

I love this video because you not only showed how narrow keways can be overcome, but you also showed the cutout...how the inside of that type of lock works.

[@user-pk8wl2jc6u]

This video made the biggest impact on my picking. Only wish I saw it sooner.

[@PovlKvols]

Great tips - just what I was looking for. Thank you!!

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Povl Kvols Glad you liked it. It's the video that I wished was around when I started picking.

[@lukeharrison8500]

Great help, only just started picking and never really through about the shape of the pick until now

[@idontwantahandlethough]

This is like... INSANELY obvious. I don't mean that as a slight towards you; you're awesome for realizing this and putting the knowledge out there. I'm just kind of blown away that nobody considered that the thickness is not the issue [compared to the length/shape]. How is that possible?! I feel like it might be one of those rare situations where something is actually _more_ obvious to a total noob than it is an expert (for whatever reason)

[@jokeassasin7733]

It sounds more normal at 1.25 playback speed. I'm curious if the older videos were slowed down a bit to help disguise his voice.

[@Reg_The_Galah]

I feel in his older videos he isn’t as relaxed compared to his new videos.

[@waddac2]

Yet another fantastic video with great hints and tips ;o))))

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+waddac2 Thank you.

[@Zorgdub]

Here from video #1248 ... that's a lot of locks picked.

[@blfimrtsgnziv9549]

same

[@DanielTekmyster]

The entire time, i thought it was me..... Thank You!!!

[@radicalxedward8047]

I hate when people say they won’t / avoid covering stuff other people have covered. Your audience likes you, the way you explain things, your tempo, your demos, etc. so even if you cover the same content someone might learn better from you. And that’s not even accounting for whether they’ll discover those other sources, whether they’ll still be available years later, etc.

[@MultiVde]

Hah :) here is where the ALS I sent out poped up :) Awesome! Really informative video, I will send it to a few people :D

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+vde Thanks. I wish that I could give you more information about the path it took, but as much as I hate to say it, I forget how this one made its way to me. Check out my pick and gut video on it from a couple months ago. I think Bosnian Bill has the other half of this lock, at least he did a video of a similar ALS with the exact same bitting a good long time ago.

[@anthonyworrall6799]

Brilliant LPL just awesome and a fantastic instructional video. Thank you for sharing.

[@hugomartel8552]

Thanks for that!!! I had trouble picking YALE Y1 now, its way easyer for me !!

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Hugo Martel Very glad to help. Good work on the Yale. IMO, Y1 is actually harder than many of the crazy/unusual warding locks that I have made videos of.

[@hugomartel8552]

Yea I know The "holes" arnt very deep...

[@nghgkc6]

Great video! I have two Sparrows picks with similar designs and have never had a use for them. Now I know what for and how to use them. Many thanks!!

[@frankbauerful]

Mrs LockPickingLawyer must be a very happy woman.

[@uklockpickers]

Nice info thanks this should helps lots of peeps out, including myself

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+uk lockpickers Thanks -- Glad you like it!

[@TexasJim]

Great video.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Texas Jim Thanks, Jim.

[@markriley-gledhill6020]

A most useful video for a beginner like me - thank you.

[@jeffmoss26]

excellent as always!

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Jeff Moss Thank you.

[@dennisg.7777]

I have locks for example Burg Wächter 222 C 40 that are easy to rake but hard to single pin pick because of the paracentric key way and they don't have those holes.

[@michaelpolaski4186]

Ok.. I've finally figured out who the LPL is. Kevin Spacey

[@ajlocks6745]

thanks for clearing this up.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+A&J Locks Thank you.

[@adamwest8711]

Great video. Wish I’d watched this sooner!

[@scottodd3437]

thanks I think you just explained to me why i can't get this American lock open, guess ill have to order a steeper hook.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+wayne couch Hope it helps. Good luck. 🍀

[@GamingMarine02]

Very helpful thank you!!!

[@maosvape4319]

Fantastic video. I really needed to know that! This will be very helpful for my future picking :D Thanks!

[@Sov92]

I guess it's time for me to revisit a couple of different locks I've been working on with some of my deeper hooks.

[@wesdresen9994]

That was some really good info.

[@experimentalarmy4495]

great video

[@troybell5390]

Great job and thank you.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@two_tier_gary_rumain]

From the cutaway view, it looks like the real issue is that the warding is compromised by the manufacturers drilling the pin holes too deep. If the pin holes were only drilled to the warding and no deeper, could this lock be picked?

[@thelockpickinglebowski633]

Great! Thank you so much.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Hope it helps. It's one of the videos that I wish was around when I first started.

[@SHCreeper]

I think that's one of the lewdest videos on the channel.

[@DejanBogdanovic]

Brilliant!

[@juukyll]

Just play it in 1.25 speed, and it sounds pretty similar to recent videos.

[@lukesalazar9283]

You're very right

[@herrlogi]

Eye opener!

[@WyvernDotRed]

I figured something similar out myself, for my 3D printed practise lock.

[@E-BikingAdventures]

As a noob lock picker, I'm thinking this might help to get right under the pin. Just feel for the hole. That what she said.

[@jmitch42]

what would you suggest for a schlage keyway? having a really tough time with the one i have.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Top of the keyway tension with a .050" prybar and a standard hook in .025" levered off the angled warding on the left side.

[@jmitch42]

will give that a shot. couldn't even get a .015 going from the bottom. i know i can pick the lock since i pinned it in my ultimate adversary lock, so it is just getting around that warding now. thanks man.

[@jmitch42]

I GOT IT! not an easy lock for me, but i got an official pick (two in a row for me) on it. thanks again for your advice.

[@sastarboyndracoupe8585]

@@lockpickinglawyer might be a bit late but, what really helps too is using a BOK wiper insert that fits in the bottom, i then lever my pick off of the tension tool, very great technique.

[@kevincarter472]

GREAT...!!!!!

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Kevin Carter Thanks.

[@NKCubed]

the locks will start falling for you 😳

[@flexkuntsmash3053]

Is it possible to rake paracentric locks, if so what shape rake is best? I am yet to buy my first set of picks, and I want to know if I should bother with rakes, as I live in Europe and here paracentric is pretty much the norm.

[@eboomer]

It's not the thickness that counts, but the shape 😉

[@cyberhagen]

I have a feeling I'm going to regret this comment, and I know this is an old video, but I've watched this a dozen times now and something isn't clicking here for me. There are holes through the warding? Why? I know the key channel is milled through the plug's horizontal axis when the plug is made, and its shape forms the warding, ridges which extend from front to rear; then the keypin holes are drilled through the top of the plug down but only (I thought) about 1/3 of the way down, just into the top of the key channel. If they drilled holes all the way down, through the warding, what purpose would that serve, and more importantly would prevent the key pins from just plopping to the bottom of the plug? If only the plug here was turned at a few more angles I might be able to get a more 3D spatial visualization. I think I might have to start hacking up some locks because this is eating me. Can anyone expound on this?

[@janlaan9602]

Want to lockpicking lawyer voice you know and love? set playback speed to x1.25 Try it, its kind of spooky

[@BitSmythe]

Tell/show us, how do they machine keyways?

[@charlesmckinney]

will the #7 hook work in most of those keyways, or enough to make carrying one worthwhile?

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Enough that I carry one (or something substantially identical) in three different thicknesses. Sparrows and Southord have comparable hooks as well.

[@erics5757]

I thought the pins sat on the warding

[@rainbowtrout950]

put this video on 1.25x and it actually sounds like him in his recent videos

[@tannguyenvan9203]

Vip1

[@f1zzy107]

*go right up those holes*

[@Grrrisly]

Your voice really has changed over the past 5 years

[@Grrrisly]

@@pepperpepperpepper nah there would be distortion

[@pepperpepperpepper]

@@Grrrisly Have you tried it? I often play YT at 1.25 speed to save time, and mostly it's not really obvious.

[@iKyuubi1995]

@@pepperpepperpepper sounds close but a bit high pitched

[@фрозенхил]

@@pepperpepperpepper woah that's actually it . holy shit

[@pepperpepperpepper]

@@фрозенхил Well, it wouldn't be the case when he shows a timer, so I don't know :)

[@DavidShepheard]

2022: "This is the LockPickingLawyer and today I'm going to create a series of videos, that show cutaway locks." Later: "This is the LockPickingLawyer and today I'm going to be picking the lock on this Delorian, so that I can go back to 2015 and make a cutaway video about paracentric keyways."

[@AstralS7orm]

Why would you do that when you could decode that lock instead with a tool in no time? 😄 It's an 1983 Ford door lock...

[@ragnkja]

That video turned this from a standalone video to the beginning of a series.

[@floorpizza8074]

LPL, as you stated, there are a lot of lock picking instructional vids here on KZbin. Yet few are made by guys that have the talent of being naturally talented teachers. Personally, I'd love to see a lockpicking series of videos starting from "this is a pick" and going through to advanced topics, made by you. You really have the natural teaching talent. I've been an instructor pilot serving as a sim instructor, line check airman and giving Initial Operating Experience qualifications to airline pilots for 20 years. Why do I mention this? I know how to spot good teachers. : )

[@jim2725]

I would love this as well. It is clear he really takes the time to show why he does things, that is great

[@shader26]

He’s positively eloquent, and VERY precise. Which is something that is severely lacking in normal discourse these days. He is a great teacher, no wasted words but fun and funny, but covers everything and makes it interesting. After watching a number of his videos now, the last months, and given his KZbin name, if he is indeed a lawyer as well, he would be my first choice as a lawyer. Seems like he most likely is an excellent,,prepared and knowledgeable lawyer. As an added dividend, even if you get convicted, he can show you how to get out :-)

[@AndrewTJackson]

Very much so!! (Also, which specific models of airline planes? We have 737-800 NG sims, plus a 400 sim.)

[@prezzie1]

His voice will become even cooler over the next 5 years. Trust me i can see the future.

[@JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT]

LOL!

[@adamf663]

You *are* from the future. Six years or so (3/2022 vs.12/ 2015)

[@cruisemissle87]

And still, I can only keep my patience at 1.5x or 2x playback speed with these talks

[@prezzie1]

@@cruisemissle87 ha yeah i just tried putting the speed upto 1.75x and its perfect. That's a good tip thank you.

[@paulbarbat1926]

He will speak louder and gain confidence, with this intonation I feel like he doesn't wanna wake up Mrs LPL or Kid LPL. In the future he will stop giving damns, maybe because he has an "office" with soundproof walls, or nicer neighbours, or found a recording time when noone's home

[@astrosteve]

I'm here because of the video he uploaded today and the only comment I have is... damn, he sounded so different back then.

[@Halalslagteren]

Try playing the video at 1.25x speed

[@joshuaentwistle960]

Here from 2021... are we sure this is the same guy? :) This version of LPL sounds scared to be on video! If I only we could let him know what a legend he'll become.

[@ehsnils]

I started to wonder and then I saw that this was a more than 6 year old video.

[@stgram12]

oh my god i was worried he was sick or something was troubling him, but this is great news he has achieved so much 🥺💕

[@asafpeled699]

Was sent here in a time machine from video 1248. People in 2021 talk much faster. World is changin´ man.

[@PopeGoliath]

WPMs for The Algorithm

[@Farlig69]

Yeah I had to watch this on x1.25 to understand it!!

[@aihtdikh]

I came to this video after watching another on 1.5x, the slowdown gave me whiplash. I thought I had accidentally dropped down to

[@TowMater603]

Video 1248 sent me. Who else ?? lol

[@Mark.G475]

Me! Mark in Milwaukee Wisconsin 🇺🇸🍺🧀

[@esatd34]

Yeah. So slow and long. Not used to that.

[@midjetville]

Oh my gosh this was a serious "aha" moment for me. Thank you so much for showing this with the cutaway lock. You are such a fantastic teacher!

[@steve24822]

Yep, for me too. This is why you have top of keyway tentioners.

[@europeanpatriot8031]

LPL from the future sent me!

[@BONKshling]

Me tooo!!

[@lockloony4291]

Me too.

[@ismannen567]

Me three!

[@brianhignett8954]

Some very good points, and a subject I've never seen addressed before, very good description with the cutaway plug. Thanks for taking the trouble, even us Locksmiths can learn something new. Well done.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Brian Hignett Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. This was something that I struggled with when I first started -- so much so that I actually PMed a couple of the more prolific KZbin pickers who made instructional videos, and suggested that a video discussing how to deal with tough warding was needed. No one stepped up to fill the gap, so I did. My channel doesn't get the traffic that others do, but at least its out there if someone goes out looking for the information.

[@WhatYouHaventSeen]

"My channel doesn't get the traffic that others do" How times change :P

[@EnergeticWaves]

@@lockpickinglawyer you sure get the traffic now!

[@DavidShepheard]

@@lockpickinglawyer 2016: "My channel doesn't get the traffic that others do, but at least its out there if someone goes out looking for the information." Later: "This is the LockPickingLawyer and today I'll be unlocking the KZbin algorithm."

[@Potti314]

That video is just fantastic. This simple idea to just cut away the have of the plug to see you self picking and learning fro it is great. Will do cut-aways from some from my euro cylinders. Very valuable info and demonstration. Thank you.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Potti314 thanks! Glad to hear that you think it's helpful.

[@monkstandinglast]

@@lockpickinglawyer Just come from todays vid, 5:32 not what she said. Someone had to lol great tutorial watched this one on release never commented though.

[@exercitus8535]

this video is like 0.5x speed compared to his modern ones

[@esatd34]

and 4x longer

[@koolkille3]

@@esatd34 a lot of his earlier videos are more educational on picking compared to his more recent ones

[@esatd34]

@@koolkille3 he probably already taught so much of what's there to be taught. So it's understandable I guess

[@koolkille3]

@@esatd34 that’s my thoughts on it too, he has a lot of tutorials if you go through his videos there isn’t much else to teach unless it’s some specific skill set needed for certain high security locks

[@it_smee]

I played it at 1.25x speed, sounds a lot more like future LPL

[@TheBigmobe]

Lock picking lawyer's flow is a lot better in 2021. He is talking much slower but I know he is teaching.

[@nicholassandoval3045]

Who else is here cuz he shouted out 82 in 1237?

[@pickbeard2690]

No doubt the best instructions pal video I have seen in months and months. Give yourself a big pat on the back,great work Sir👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻😘😘👏👏👏👏

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Pick Beard Thanks for the high praise. I'm very happy to see that experienced pickers find this useful.

[@miker.5495]

Thanks LPL! I just started this addictive and fun hobby and this is this exact explanation/ instruction I needed. I love your videos and I'm glad you're making a living off lock picking.

[@andersjjensen]

Oh thank you for that bit of explanation! I've been having problems with even Schalge C keyways and a 0.015... time to vise up some hunks of brass and get picking! :)

[@lockpickinglawyer]

No need on the schlage c keyway. Get a .025" standard hook and pick by levering your hook off the angled side of the keyway on the left.

[@thedownwardmachine]

I’ve come here from the future to tell you that you will one day have millions of subscribers.

[@MikePergl]

Great video. Very clear demonstration on the cutaway core. Nice instructions. Thank you for pointing that out.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Mike Pergl Thank you.

[@TallanPick]

Really great video mate, great idea to use a cut away plug. Perfect explanations, a pleasure to view. Thanks for sharing ;-)))

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Thanks

[@dirksecrets]

Thank you so much. This is a great help to get into such paracentric Keyways. Great and very informative video: Thanks!

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+dirk Thank you.

[@rayberczik6672]

I know this is an older (but very useful) video and i am very impressed with the way a cut-a-way lock demonstrates how the right pick makes such a huge difference between getting the lock open or not. Awesome video! Thanks lpl.

[@GamingMarine02]

Older… your telling me lol

[@MalcolmGrant]

if you want the video to play like a normal LPL video today, put the playback speed to 1.25

[@Hypersim]

Awesome, this worked very well for me, I was just able to open my EVVA lock which I was never able to open before. This just took me to the next level man, thank you so much!! Btw, no master pins in my lock!

[@gushiperson]

I was actually worried you were feeling ill or something, the flair and enthusiasm you developed in later videos just wasn’t there in this one, didn’t realize it was such an early vid (especially since it was showing cutaways, which you’ve been doing a lot recently).

[@PapaGleb]

Superb video sir. I think the pictures on the websites are misleading which I know caused me to have doubts in exploring picks outside of my gem and hook 1 but I took your advice and am now finding myself having a hard time putting the hook 7 down. I also had no idea they have it in 0.025 and I was even told by their rep that they don't so how did you get it? You also gotta tell me about the other high hooks you have, anything worth trying to the 7 is above the all? I know you go for the 7 in almost all of your videos but I'll ask just in case.

[@norwoodgolf8]

+Papa Gleb I think Peterson calls that hook in the.025 a hook 4 or hook 5.

[@PapaGleb]

+norwoodgolf8 He shows a hook 5 in his video and a hook 7 is a hook 7 no matter what thickness at least that is what all logic seems to suggest. Ill give them a call and post the results.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Papa Gleb Sorry for creating confusion. I was incorrect to call the .025" version a 7 Hook. It is actually a 4 Hook, as Norwood states. It is dimensionally the same or very, very similar to the 7 Hook. Its been so long since I ordered it that I forgot about that little quirk in Peterson's naming scheme. Usually, they will call a pick like, for example, the Gem, the same thing in all three thicknesses. For reasons that escape me, Peterson calls the pick I was using a 7 Hook in .015" and .018", but uses a different name in .025". Again, my apologies.

[@roysammons2445]

Doesn't such a steep hook make it difficult getting under a low set pin near the front when trying to reach the pins at the back?

[@AdrianKingsleyHughes]

My word, this stuff might be years old and the production value is so different, and this is a baby LPL by today's standards, but this information is still gold! Thanks LPL!

[@RobinPillage.]

Probably one of the more important videos, given new life.👍👀

[@redcatimaging]

Absolute great advice :) and very nice to see with the cutaway lock. I think I will have to make me a number 7 hook and try it out ;). Thank you so much. Also never seen a green Peterson in 0.015...always thought they were blue.

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Thanks, and good luck. Peterson had some accident picks made about a year ago... they were in clearance, so I picked up a few of the green ones.

[@adamf663]

Excellent explanation. Seems a lock maker could make the lock nearly unpickable if there was a second keyway halfway down the cylinder.

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

Learning how to pick locks from a lawyer... fascinating! 😄

[@aratondisane]

Such a useful video. It helps me in picking my ABUS Titalium locks with their paracentric keyways.

[@selfishbirch]

Make the video x1,5, you'll hear the familiar LockPickingLawyer.

[@yasinhenfs4540]

thanks for linking this, very useful view on the inside

[@SlashCrash_Studios]

STOP! I'm from the future, I came back to 2021 to tell you that 2020 will suck... Wait... I hate Time

[@gitpickd5499]

Great subject, and awesome job with your demonstration using the cutaway!

[@lockpickinglawyer]

+Git Pick'd Thanks!

[@AlbertLebel]

I agree, that cutaway is a great view of how the pick CAN fit

[@jmugwel]

This! I thought I can't pick a particular lock at all. Watched this and have picked open it immediately.

[@AoIndigo]

Watch at x1.25 speed for current LPL voice and tempo

[@shelbylacouture3232]

You truly should write a book on the subject, I've as yet to see any print books that more than scratch the surface of the field (hobby).

[@mellowgrellow1375]

Excellent explanation - guess I need some more picks Great work, thanks

[@lockpickinglawyer]

Any excuse to get some more picks is a good one.

[@ivanmoody1043]

I've asked hundreds of questions and never got a response from this guy

[@zxzerostelar]

Fun to see the old and new comments, also still below 300 comments? Wow.

[@ShugoAWay]

For those coming from his recent video i recommend upping the speed by 10% so it sounds like his recent video lol