Monday Music "Where's the Fire" By Tim Feehan

 

I had a couple of post I was working last week, but I had "Life" get in the way and I was unable to complete them.  They will show up this week.  But I will start up with my Monday Music.

I was stationed in Germany when this movie came out and we picked up the VHS up at the local German store that rented movies including movies to us G.I's and we rented it.  Well the movie was "ok, Sherylynn Finn Looked really good topless, and the revenge and payback resonates with that part of my personality.  but the sound track was pure "80's", and for some reason the title song really resonated with me.  there was a clip on the song that stated "It don't take a lot to keep me moving  It's gonna take a lot to make me stop I'm racing to a fire alarm Should slow down but I just can't stop Move over if you see me coming I've got the fighter's touch I feel the heat inside me It's not enough but it's a little too much There's something out there i can hear it calling I wanna hold it but I'm moving too fast" I adopted that song as my theme song while I was in Germany  it is a hard song to find.

In 1986, Feehan entered a songwriting contest sponsored by producer David Foster (Celine Dion, Whitney Houston) taking first place and signed with Scotti Bros/CBS in Los Angeles where he relocated later that year. The self-titled debut album Tim Feehan was released in 1987 and gained five A.R.I.A. (Alberta Recording Industry Association) awards including "Best Pop Performance" and "Producer of the Year". The first single "Where's the Fire" was chosen as the theme song for the Charlie Sheen motion picture and cult favorite The Wraith. In 1987, Tim also won the Canadian Academy of Arts & Sciences Juno Award for "Most Promising Male Vocalist"

 

The Wraith (released in the Philippines as Black Moon Rising: Part-2) is a 1986 independently made American action-fantasy film, produced by John Kemeny, written and directed by Mike Marvin, and starring Charlie Sheen, Sherilyn Fenn, Nick Cassavetes, and Randy Quaid. The film was theatrically released November 21, 1986 on just 88 screens in the United States by New Century Vista Film Company (later New Century Entertainment Corporation). 

 

The Wraith tells the story of an Arizona teen who mysteriously returns from the dead as a supernatural, or possibly alien-created, street-racer driving an invulnerable supercar. His intent is to take revenge on the gang who murdered him.  The Car was a Prototype Indy Pacecar from Dodge and PPG

 

 

It don't take a lot to keep me moving  It's gonna take a lot to make me stop I'm racing to a fire alarm Should slow down but I just can't stop Move over if you see me coming I've got the fighter's touch I feel the heat inside me It's not enough but it's a little too much There's something out there i can hear it calling I wanna hold it but I'm moving too fast Where's the fire? Everybody's always asking me Where is it, baby? Doesn't anybody know? Where's the fire? It's burning up inside of me Where is it, baby? Open up the door and let me go I got a method to this madness I learned it on the street There's someone right behind you He's grabbing at your feet I've got no time for talking I've got no time to kill Some say I'm going nowhere But it's better than standing still There's something out there i can feel it baby It's getting closer but I'm moving away Where's the fire? Everybody's always asking me Where is it, baby? Doesn't anybody know? Where's the fire? It's burning up inside of me Where is it, baby? Open up the door and watch me go It don't take a lot to keep me moving It's gonna take a lot to make me stop I feel the heat inside me Should slow down but i just can't stop There's something out there i can hear it calling I wanna hold it but I'm moving too fast Where's the fire? Everybody's always asking me Where is it, baby? Doesn't anybody know? Wheres the fire? It's burning up inside of me Where is it, baby? Doesn't anybody know? Where's the fire? Everybody's always asking me Where is it, baby? Doesn't anybody know? Where's the fire? It's burning up inside of me Where is it, baby? Open up the door and let me go

     I snagged the lyrics off "DuckDuckgo"

 Street-Legal Dodge M4S Interceptor Wraith. (MWI Supercar).

The Dodge M4S, a high-performance prototype sports coupe, first captured the imagination of automotive enthusiasts when it appeared in the 1986 supernatural film “The Wraith.” The sleek black vehicle, known as the Wraith Interceptor, featured futuristic design elements and impressive performance capabilities. Recently, a unique opportunity arose for collectors and fans as the only street-legal Wraith Interceptor went up for sale on eBay. With a starting bid $290,000 USD, the listed “Buy It Now” price of $499,000 USD, the car remained unsold with no bids.

Dodge M4S Turbo Interceptor in Pace Car form. (PPG).

Engineered, designed, and built by Dodge in 1981, the Dodge M4S was initially conceived as a technology demonstrator vehicle. Under the supervision of Bob Ackerman, the then Chief Designer of Dodge, the car was created to showcase cutting-edge automotive technologies. Its name, M4S, stood for “Mid-engine, 4-cylinder, Sport,” signifying its unique configuration and performance focus.

Street-Legal Dodge M4S Interceptor Wraith. (MWI Supercar).

Chrysler played a significant role in the design of the Dodge M4S, investing extensive effort in wind tunnel testing to achieve a remarkable drag coefficient of 0.236. Although Chrysler designed the vehicle, the construction was entrusted to various subcontractors. The semi-monocoque race car chassis was sourced from Huffaker in California. The body modeling and mold creation were undertaken by 3-D Industries in Madison Heights, Michigan, while Special Projects, Inc. in Plymouth, Michigan, assembled the body, interior, and applied the distinctive “root beer brown” paint color through a layering process. Specialized Vehicles, Inc., located in Troy, Michigan, handled the final assembly, fabrication, and maintenance of the completed car.

The breakthrough moment for the Dodge M4S came with its prominent appearance in the 1986 supernatural film “The Wraith.” Starring Charlie Sheen, Randy Quaid, and Sherilynn Fenn, the movie featured a mysterious black-clad figure driving the equally enigmatic Dodge M4S Turbo Interceptor. The film’s thrilling action sequences, combined with the car’s futuristic design and impressive performance, catapulted the Dodge M4S to fame. Its sleek lines, aggressive stance, and impressive speed made it an instant hit with audiences.

Street-Legal Dodge M4S Interceptor Wraith. (MWI Supercar).

Underneath its sleek exterior, the Dodge M4S housed a potent powertrain. The mid-engined vehicle boasted a 2.2-liter Cosworth-headed 16-valve four-cylinder engine, equipped with twin-camshafts and dual Garrett T25 turbochargers. With more than 440 horsepower (328 kW) at its disposal, the Wraith Interceptor delivered exhilarating performance figures. It could achieve a top speed of 194.8 mph (313.5 km/h) and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in a swift 4.1 seconds.

Street-Legal Dodge M4S Interceptor Wraith. (MWI Supercar).

Although specific details regarding this particular street-legal Wraith Interceptor remain undisclosed, there is no denying that the Dodge M4S stands as one of the most remarkable American automotive designs of the 1980s. With its sleek and futuristic appearance, the car continues to captivate enthusiasts and collectors alike.

"The Forgotten Sons"

 

I snagged this off GAB, the Free Speech Platform, The CEO released this message, and I thought it was worth a read.  I tend to agree, you notice that the males in Western based society are treated like crap? especially if you are what is considered a western male voter your future can be considered bleak, for the institutions are against you.   here is a copy of a post I did back when the British did *Brexit*, because what is going on in England is coming here.  The article following the British article is the one I snagged off "GAB"

   I posted this back in 2016 and from what I have seen, I think that the British are failing, you have the new prime minister wanting to send troops to the Ukraine and backfill the male populations with more male migrants from the news I have been getting from the blogs that I follow, they have to keep a low profile because of the social media laws over there, there is no first amendment protection over there.  I have blogged about that before.

  This was several months back when the British were wanting to arrest Americans for "hate Speech", it was a big bruhaha, but this was before President Trumps Election so I doubt the British would fallow though, however if the cackler had won, it might have been different.

 Posted in 2016:

Apparently the people in Britain voted to leave the EU, and the statist are in a tizzy, "How dare the great unwashed go against its betters and leave."  I think the average Brit got tired of the edicts coming out of Brussels from the nameless bureaucrats, I heard that they were trying to force the Brits to give up their tea kettles due to carbon footprint and the mandates about the size of the vegetables that can only be sold and other such nonsense.  I also am sure the unfettered immigrations was telling on the average Brit where they were forced to take more "rapeugees" from the middle east where they would take the social benefits and refuse to assimilate to the British culture.  I think they saw what is going on with Germany and the Scandinavian countries and that is giving them pause.  It didn't help the cause when "Dear Leader" lectured them and made threats about they going to the back of the "que" in dealings with the United States.  Also Hillary made the same threats as they inserted themselves into the domestic dealings of another country and that pissed off quite a few of the English citizens.  The Donald told the British that "it is their decision to make and we will support whatever decision the citizens make."  I think this elevated the Donald's standing in the world...except with the statists of course.  The British need to get their backbone in order and become British again rather than "European".  The British have a hard road ahead of them as they have to decide to reclaim their birthright again and shrug off the mantle of death called "Multiculturalism."
and become uniquely British.

New Post 2025

There’s a storm brewing in America. Not the kind that darkens the sky or floods the streets no, this one is far more dangerous. It’s a sociological atom bomb and it’s sitting at the feet of millions of young men who have been told, time and again, that they are irrelevant. They are the discarded generation: fighting-age men with no future, no family, no home, and no nation to call their own.

Let me paint the picture. These men are drowning in debt: student loans, medical bills, rent that climbs higher while wages stagnate. They’ve been sold a lie that education is a ticket to prosperity, only to graduate into a job market that mocks their degrees and a culture that labels them “toxic” for existing. Marriage? Unattainable. Homeownership? A fantasy. Purpose? Laughed out of the room. The institutions that once anchored men like family, faith, community, national pride are in ruins, bulldozed by globalization, liberal ideology, and a nihilistic entertainment complex that tells them life is meaningless unless they conform to some performative identity.

When the system has weaponized every structure against you, the universities that gaslight you, the corporations that exploit you, the media that mocks you, the politicians who ignore you, why should you care? History is littered with revolutions sparked by men who had nothing left to lose. When a society abandons its sons, it creates a void. That void will be filled either by chaos or by leadership. Right now, a crown and a briefcase with the codes are lying in the mud. Not in a boardroom. Not in a Silicon Valley campus. In the mud. All someone has to do is pick them up.

The crown? It’s the authority to lead. To tell these men, “You are not garbage. You are the backbone of this country, and you will not be erased.” The briefcase? It’s the blueprint for rebuilding, a rejection of the status quo, a return to sovereignty, to faith, to the values that made this nation strong. But the elites would rather virtue signal than act. They’d rather import labor than empower their own. They’d rather lecture about “toxic masculinity” than admit they’ve engineered a system that crushes men under bureaucracy, debt, and despair. They’ve turned fatherhood into a liability, work into a grind, and patriotism into a dirty word.

The codes in the briefcase? They’re not algorithms. They’re the truth. The truth that a home, a family, and a nation are not privileges to be rationed but rights to be reclaimed. The truth that the systems failing these men aren’t broken; they’re working as designed to keep them docile, dependent, and disarmed. To the young men reading this: Your anger isn’t weakness. It’s power. But power without direction is destruction. Find your tribe. Build your community. Reject the lies.

So what happens next?

Either we let the bomb detonate and watch cities burn, trust vanish, and the West crumble into irrelevance or we seize the moment. We tell these men: You are not alone. You are not obsolete. You are the solution.

Here’s the thing about a crown in the mud: it doesn’t care who picks it up. It could be a demagogue who stokes rage for chaos. Or it could be a movement that channels that rage into renewal. Gab has always been the platform for the forgotten, the banned, the ones who refuse to kneel. Now, more than ever, we need to build alternatives economically, culturally, and spiritually.

The atom bomb metaphor isn’t hyperbole. Societies that alienate their young men don’t survive. Rome didn’t. The Ottomans didn’t. America won’t. These men aren’t just “angry” or “lost.” They’re disinherited. They’ve watched our leaders sell out and pathologize them, and their peers are medicated into compliance. They’ve been told their labor is replaceable, their biology irrelevant, their dreams obsolete. But here’s the dirty secret: You cannot cancel masculinity. You can suppress it. You can misdirect it. You can trap it in a cage of debt and despair. But you cannot kill it. When a force this primal is left to fester, it either explodes or it builds.

Our leaders are blind to this because they’ve long since abandoned the idea of nationhood. They jet between globalist conferences, sipping lattes in climate-controlled boardrooms, while the working class rots in rented apartments and the suburbs become war zones of opioid overdoses and suicide. They fear AI taking jobs, but the real automation is the systemic replacement of loyalty with transactional relationships.

The atom bomb’s energy? It’s the rage of men who’ve been told they’re the problem. The raw, unfiltered power of those who’ve nothing to lose because they’ve already lost everything. That energy can be channeled by someone who speaks their language, who understands that a man doesn’t want a participation trophy; he wants a purpose. He wants to fight for something worth fighting for.

This is where Gab comes in not as a platform, but as a movement. We’re not here to sell ads or harvest data. We’re here to arm the disinherited with truth. To connect the dots between the millions of men who’ve been isolated, atomized, and radicalized by a system that thrives on their fragmentation. To build a digital fortress where they can organize, strategize, and reclaim the narrative.

The crown is the courage to lead. To step into the void and say, “I will not apologize for being a man. I will not apologize for wanting a family. I will not apologize for defending my country.” Leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about presence. It’s the guy who starts a local group to train young men in self-defense or the father who teaches his son that honor is earned, not assigned.

Here’s the choice facing this country: either we let the atom bomb detonate in the hands of anarchists, warlords, or foreign agents or we rekindle the fire of American masculinity as a force for creation, not destruction. We stop blaming men for the collapse of institutions and start holding those institutions accountable. We stop shaming them for “toxicity” and start asking: What poisoned them?

The mud isn’t a metaphor. It’s literal. The crown isn’t polished gold; it’s rusted by neglect. The briefcase isn’t full of nuclear launch codes; it’s full of forgotten truths. Faith in something bigger than yourself. Duty to your neighbor. The audacity to believe that a nation can be reborn.

The world is about to change.

The only question is who’s going to pick up the crown and lead the charge?

"Hour Of The Wolf"

 I first heard the term "" when I was watching my favorite show Babylon 5, and there was an episode right after Capt Sheridan went to the Shadow Homeworld Zha'dumm and supposedly died there and his second of command used a term "Hour of the Wolf" and her description based on her Russian background was interesting.

I thought about this several weeks ago because I woke up out of a dead sleep*Pardon the pun* and I had felt severely out of sort and I could feel my Dad's presence, it did bring me peace, but it also made me cause to remember that they say the veil between the material world and the spiritual world is thinnest at that time of the morning.  Some say that it is a warning that if you are visited by your family members beyond the rim, there will be death by someone close to you. or even you.  Hmmm well my attitude is that the mysteries of the spiritual world are mysteries and I leave that stuff to God.  I call it "Serenity".    Yep this is one of my *odd Post* and I do apologize for that, it ain't the intent.

For many, the experience is all too familiar: drifting into sleep peacefully, only to find yourself suddenly and inexplicably wide awake between 3:00 and 5:00 in the morning. You glance at the clock, roll over, and try to drift back into slumber — sometimes successfully, sometimes not. If this pattern sounds familiar, rest assured you’re not alone. In fact, experts and ancient folklore alike have long speculated about why so many of us wake up during these specific early morning hours.

This recurring phenomenon, often dismissed as a product of stress or poor sleep hygiene, may actually be tied to deeper physical, psychological, and even spiritual roots. Welcome to what some call “the hour of the wolf.”

What is the “Hour of the Wolf”?

The phrase “hour of the wolf” gained popularity from the 1968 psychological horror film by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. But the concept has roots that stretch far beyond the cinema. In Scandinavian folklore, this term refers to the window between 3:00am and 5:00am — a time associated with the deepest part of night and the most intense human emotions.

Bergman poetically described this hour as, “The hour between night and dawn … when most people die, sleep is deepest, nightmares are most real. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their worst anguish, when ghosts and demons are most powerful. The hour of the wolf is also the hour when most babies are born.”

Folklore aside, what is it about this specific time that makes it so significant?

A Physiological Low Point

From a scientific perspective, the answer lies largely in our circadian rhythm — the internal 24-hour clock that governs physiological processes. This rhythm aligns with the natural rise and fall of the sun, regulating everything from sleep cycles to body temperature and hormone production.

At around 4:00am, the human body reaches a physiological low point. Body temperature, blood pressure, and metabolism hit their lowest levels. It’s also the time when melatonin — the sleep hormone — is at its peak. For most people, this is when sleep is deepest and most restorative. But for others, especially those struggling with anxiety or emotional unrest, this is when things can become unsettling.

“When the body is at its most vulnerable, emotional regulation can falter,” explains sleep researcher Dr. Helena Stark. “That’s why people with anxiety often wake during this period. Their stress hormones are still cycling, and their brain becomes active even though the body wants to remain at rest.”

A Surge in Wakefulness — and Worry

This is why waking between 3:00am and 5:00am can sometimes be accompanied by racing thoughts, unresolved worries, or even feelings of dread. You may wake up feeling wide awake, yet emotionally unsettled — unable to return to sleep no matter how hard you try.

The connection between emotional turmoil and the early morning hours has long fascinated researchers. Some psychologists believe the mind, temporarily unburdened by the distractions of the day, may process lingering anxieties more intensely in the quiet of the night.

Others point to evolutionary survival mechanisms. “There’s a theory that early humans were more vulnerable during these hours,” says sleep historian Dr. Lars Nilsen. “Our ancestors may have developed a natural tendency to wake up periodically in the darkest part of the night to assess for threats.”

Witches, Ghosts, and Superstition

In folk traditions, the hours between 3:00 and 5:00am — also dubbed “the witching hour” or “the devil’s hour” — are said to be rife with supernatural activity. Witches, demons, and spirits were believed to have the greatest influence during this time, and many cultures developed rituals and protections to guard against nocturnal dangers.

Though modern science may dismiss these ideas, the folklore persists — possibly because of how eerily true they can feel during those lonely, sleepless hours.

So What Can You Do?

If you find yourself regularly waking between 3:00am and 5:00am, don’t panic. It’s a common phenomenon, but one that can often be addressed.

• Reduce stress before bed: Meditation, deep breathing, or journaling can help process anxious thoughts before you fall asleep.
• Keep a consistent sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day strengthens your circadian rhythm.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol: Both can disrupt your sleep architecture and increase the chance of early awakenings.
• Avoid checking the clock: Watching the minutes tick by can create more stress, making it harder to fall back asleep.

Ultimately, waking up during the hour of the wolf doesn’t mean something is wrong — but it might be your body’s way of signaling that something, whether physical or emotional, needs attention.

"How To Pick A Lock"

    I already have an idea how to do this, I had taken some locksmith classes years ago, and I do know how to get into cars, especially Older GM products, Fords are more difficult as are the imports, I used to use a coat hanger until my Dad got me a slim-jim, I haven't tried to get into the newer cars, I do have keys cut for all my cars, even the "fob" ones and the lazer cut keys are hidden somewhere on the outside of the car in case of the "leave keys in car" and battery failure.  Now with the newer Fords, that is kinda hard because the durn things beeps at you if you lock the car/truck and leave the keys inside even though both my F150 and the Spousal Units Edge have the Keypad entry.  I have practiced on getting into houses, but it has been a while, I have considered upgrading all the locks in my house so this can't be done, but it ain't cheep and it usually involves electronics and that is a power source and when the power dies.....what then?   I haven't researched it much...yet, but I will.

       I shamelessly clipped this from "Art of manliness"

 

Some of you might be thinking, “Brett, why should I learn how to pick a lock if I don’t plan on breaking into people’s homes?”

Great question.

There are a few good reasons why law-abiding citizens should learn how to pick a lock:

Lock picking opens your eyes to the “illusion of security.” We all lock our doors to keep our loved ones safe at night and to secure our possessions during the day. After I picked my first lock within two minutes of learning how to do it, I realized that locks don’t really do much except provide the illusion of security. Locks make us feel safe, but if someone really wanted to get in your house, they could easily pick the lock on your front door. If they didn’t know how to do that, they could find another way in. You can’t just rely on a lock to keep you and your family safe. You need to utilize other tools and tactics and create multiple layers of security.

Realizing how little locks actually keep you and your stuff safe was both terrifying and surprisingly heartwarming. Terrifying because I saw that someone could easily enter my house and walk off with a crap-load of stuff without having to break a window; heartwarming because seeing how easy it is to pick a lock and yet how rarely people get burgled, made me realize that most people don’t break into homes because, well, most people are good people.

It makes you handy. If you’ve ever been locked out of your house or car, you know how annoying it is to be standing there like a chump, waiting for someone to show up with a key or a professional locksmith to arrive. Wouldn’t you love to be able to jimmy your way in yourself? Not only can this skill save you a lot of time and money, being able to solve a problem like that on your own is pretty dang satisfying. Plus, you can help out all your friends when they get locked out too.

Knowing how to pick a lock may even help you save a life one day. ITS Tactical has highlighted a few instances in which someone picked their way into an older parent’s home because they weren’t answering the phone, only to find their parent collapsed on the floor. Could they have kicked the door down or broken a window? Sure. But picking a lock just takes a few seconds and doesn’t leave any damage. So why wouldn’t you do that if you could?

It’s cool and fun skill! There’s simply a “cool” factor of knowing how to pick a lock. Of all the Jason Bourne-esque skills every man wishes he had, it’s one of the most attainable. The idea that I can surreptitiously enter most doors without a key makes me feel all-powerful, like some sort of super ninja-spy.

It’s also a fun little hobby and something I like to do when I’m taking breaks from work or hanging out with the kids while they do their kid thing on the carpet. If you get really into lock picking, you can actually go to events and contests to test your skills against other lock pickers.

Below we walk you through basic lock picking techniues for tumbler locks. I made a lock picking YouTube video a few years ago that shows how to do this step-by-step.

 

 

 

Contents [hide]

• 1. The Legality of Lock Picking
• 2. How to Pick a Pin Tumbler Lock
  • 2.1 How a Pin Tumbler Lock Works
  • 2.2 Tools Needed for Picking a Pin Tumbler Lock
  • 2.3 Lock Picking Technique
• 3. Frequently Asked Questions

The Legality of Lock Picking

There’s a common misconception that the only people who can legally own lock picking tools are first responders or licensed locksmiths. The reality is that in most states, as long as you’re not trying to illegally enter someone’s home with your lock pick set, you can legally own, carry, and use lock picking tools.

There are, however, some states that have laws that make owning lock picking tools prima facie evidence of criminal intent. If you’re caught with picks in these states and you want to avoid criminal charges, you have to prove that you didn’t plan on committing a crime.

Long story short: owning lock picking tools and learning how to pick locks is perfectly legal and ethical as long as you do so without nefarious intent. Just be a decent human being. For a summary of lock picking laws across the country, see here.

How to Pick a Pin Tumbler Lock

Pin tumbler locks are the most common locks found on the front doors of homes. So it makes for a good first lock to learn how to pick.

How a Pin Tumbler Lock Works

You don’t really need to understand how a basic pin tumbler locks work to successfully pick them, but it does help.

The design of the basic pin tumbler lock has been in use since 4000 BC. Of course, it’s gotten more complex over the millennia. The design that is used in most cylinder locks – like the one on your front door -- has been around since 1861 and it hasn’t changed much. Basically most of the world is using a technology that’s been around for a century and a half to keep their most prized possessions safe and secure.

Here’s the anatomy of most run-of-the-mill pin tumbler locks:

Pin tumbler locks consist of an outer cylindrical casing (colored green) in which a plug is housed. The small gap between the outer casing and the plug is called the shear line. Remember that. It will come in handy here in a bit. The plug has an opening for the key. When the proper key is inserted into the plug, the plug can rotate, thus unlocking the lock. On top of the plug, a series of five or six holes are drilled. The holes contain key pins (colored red) of different lengths. They’re called key pins because they touch the key when you insert a key into the plug. Above each key pin is a driver pin that’s spring-loaded. Pins are also sometimes referred to as "binding pins."

So you have an idea of how the pins look in action, here's a gif of me inserting a pick into a see-through practice lock:

In the diagram above, there’s no key in the plug. Because of the different key pin lengths, the driver pins cross the shear line, making it impossible for the plug to rotate. If you put a wrong key into a lock, the notches on the key won’t lift up the key pins at the right height, causing them to protrude through the shear line as you can see in the diagram below:

In order for the plug to rotate, you need to lift each of the key pins and driver pins to the correct height -- until the gap between the key pins and driver pins reaches the shear line. When all of the pins reach this position, the plug can rotate. That’s what happens when you put a properly cut key into a lock:

Pretty simple, huh?

When you pick a lock, all you’re doing is using tools, instead of a key, to line up the gap between the key pins and driver pins with the shear line between the outer casing and the plug. That’s it. And it’s super easy to do.

Tools Needed for Picking a Pin Tumbler Lock

There are various tools you can use to pick a lock. For this post we’re going to focus on using the most common lock picking tools: a tension wrench and pick rakes. (We’ll do a post on using bumper keys and pick guns in the future.)

Below is my wallet-sized lock pick set that I got from SEREPick while I was at the ITS Muster. The picks are made of titanium. There’s one tension wrench and several rakes with different numbers of ridges, which allow you to pick several pins at a time. There’s also a pick that allows you to pick one pin at a time. Some locks will require you to do that.

If you’re looking for something a littler sturdier and robust, you can find lock picking sets several places online (even Amazon). If you want to be even more of a MacGyver, you could even make your own picks from a windshield wiper.

You can also use a paperclip to pick a lock. Check out our article on how to pick a lock with a paperclip.

Lock Picking Technique

Lock picking is more art than science. You definitely have to develop a “feel” for it. Each lock is different, but the same basic principles apply. The easiest way to pick a lock is to use the fast and dirty method: scrubbing.

1. Insert Tension Wrench into the Bottom of Key Hole and Apply Slight Pressure

The tension wrench is the key (no pun intended) to successfully picking a lock. Thanks to video games, people wrongfully think it’s the pick, because that is the thing that’s actually lifting the key pins to line up with the shear line.

Here’s why the tension wrench is so important: as you’re lifting the pin sets with your pick you need to apply tension on the plug. If you’re applying the right amount of torque on the plug, once the driver pin passes the shear line, the plug will rotate slightly. When you pull your pick out, the key pin will drop back down, but the driver pin will catch the edge of the plug, thus staying above the shear line. Here’s a diagram of what it looks like:

You’ll keep lifting pins with your pick and applying pressure with your tension wrench, until all the driver pins have cleared the shear line.

So far so good? Alrighty.

So take your tension wrench and place it in the bottom of the key hole. Apply slight pressure in the direction you would turn the key if you had it. And by slight I mean slight. If you apply too much pressure, you’re just going to cause the driver pins to bind below the shear line. You need to have enough give to let the driver pins rise above the shear line, but have enough torque that when they start dropping down, an edge of the drive pin catches the plug as it starts to rotate.

From the CIA Lock Picking Field Operative Training Manual

How much is too much pressure? If your tension wrench is bending a lot, then you’re probably applying too much pressure. So lean on the side of applying less pressure than more.

2. Insert Pick at Top of Lock

Pick your pick. I prefer the Bogota rake that has three ridges. This one has picked every lock that I’ve used it on very easily.

Slide the rake all the way to the back.

3. While Applying Slight Torque to Your Wrench, Scrub Your Pick Back and Forth in the Key Hole

Keep applying that slight pressure on your tension wrench. I use my left hand for that. With your right hand, scrub or rake the inside of the plug with your pick. As you pull the pick back, simultaneously lift up in order to apply pressure on the pins. It looks sort of like this motion:

4. Repeat Until All the Pins Set

Keep applying torque on your wrench and scrubbing the pins until they all set. You may need to apply more torque and pressure on the pins with your pick as you get near the last one or two pins that need to set. If you’re not making any progress, you probably applied too much torque with the wrench. Relax, let the pins reset, and start over again, focusing on not using too much pressure.

That’s it! Really. That’s all there is to it. You can successfully pick most pin and tumbler locks using this scrubbing method.

You may run across locks that require a little bit more finesse by picking each pin set one at a time. In these trickier locks, you may need to get more methodical by looking for the pin stack that resists the most and picking it first and then repeating the process until all the pins are successfully picked.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Like I said above, lock picking is more art than science. The best way to learn how to do it is to simply pick locks as much as possible. Buy yourself different pin and tumbler locks at the hardware store and keep them on your desk or by your couch. When you’re taking a break from work or while you’re watching TV, practice picking. I’ve got three or four locks in my drawer that I’ll bust out during the day for practice sessions.

You’re one step closer to becoming Jason Bourne. Remember, use this knowledge for fun or for legal entries. If you're going to burgle, only burgle hamburgers. Robble, robble.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I pick a lock with?

Your best bet is a lock picking set that includes a tension wrench a set of rakes. My favorite is the set from SEREPick. In a pinch, you could fashion some lock pics with a paper clip, bobby pin, or even windshielder wiper blades. In my experience, picking a lock with a paperclip is much more difficult because the paper clips have a tendency to break in the lock. 

Is lockpicking legal? 

Depends on which country or state you live in. In most instances, as long as you're picking a lock and don't have criminal intent, you're fine. y In some states, owning a set of lock picks is prima facie evidence of criminal intent and things get more complicated. Be sure to check local laws before buying a lock pick set. 

Can you pick a lock with a credit card?

Not tumbler locks. But some locks on internal doors can be opened jimmying a credit card between the lock the door.

Further Reading

If you want to get more in-depth in the art of lock picking, check out these two sources:

CIA Lock Picking Field Operative Training Manual

The MIT Guide to Lock Picking (This baby goes really in-depth into the mechanics and physics of why we're able to pick locks. Very thorough. Definitely recommend reading it.)

Monday Music "Thunderstruck" By AC/DC

 I may run with a theme for the next few weeks of songs that you have to play "loud" and this song is one of those to me.  I know that this song is er, ah well, hmm mumble 35 years old, but to me it is young because loud rock crunching songs are a throwback to the songs of the 1970's when stadium rock ruled.  

    I decided to go with AC/DC "thunderstruck"   This song hit in 1990 while I was in Germany and it was very popular, this was one song that every would play LOUD.  Something about good crunching Heavy Metal Rock and Roll.    When we were in the Gulf, we had dedicated this song to Saddam Hussain and his Republican Guard as they were "Thunderstruck" by the United States Military.

"Thunderstruck" is the first song on the 1990 album The Razors Edge by the hard rock group AC/DC.
The song was released as a single in Germany, Australia, and Japan, and peaked at No. 5 on U.S. the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. In 2010, "Thunderstruck" topped Triple M's Ultimate 500 Rock Countdown in Melbourne, Australia. The top five were all AC/DC songs.
With the exception of new material from an album they are touring behind, this is one of only two songs released after Back in Black that the band still regularly performs live in concert, the other being "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)".

Angus Young stated in the liner notes of the 2003 re-release of The Razors Edge:

It started off from a little trick I had on guitar. I played it to Mal and he said 'Oh, I've got a good rhythm idea that will sit well in the back.' We built the song up from that. We fiddled about with it for a few months before everything fell into place. Lyrically, it was really just a case of finding a good title ... We came up with this thunder thing, based on our favorite childhood toy ThunderStreak, and it seemed to have a good ring to it. AC/DC = Power. That's the basic idea.

The song has sold over a million digital copies since it became available for digital download.

The video which accompanied the single was filmed at London's Brixton Academy on 17 August 1990. The audience members were given free T-shirts with the words "AC/DC – I was Thunderstruck" on the front and the date on the back, and these T-shirts were worn by the entire audience throughout the filming of the video.