Introduction
Lock picking is one of the most controversial pastimes we know of and there are quite a few debates popping up over whether it’s a hobby or if it’s just flat-out illegal.
As far as we’re concerned, provided you aren’t trying to pick the locks on another person’s property or attempting to break the law, then lock picking can definitely be a hobby.
In fact, anything you do for enjoyment can be classed as a hobby, and lock picking is no different.
Some people even build businesses around lockpicking where they become fully-fledged locksmiths to help people get back into their houses; pretty cool right?
With that said, lock picking as a hobby is more akin to solving puzzles rather than trying to provide a service for people — you can buy a wide range of lock picking kits for your own personal enjoyment to solve or so you can learn the intricacies of locks.
Let’s take a look at some of those intricacies deeper and explain why we love lock picking as a hobby include the benefits gained from engaging in it.
Master Criminal? No! I’m Solving Puzzles That Involve Opening Locks: 3 Things That Make Lock Picking a Great Hobby
1. Lock picking keeps your mind sharp
Anything that involves complex problem solving is usually a great activity to keep your mind and brain sharp.
This is especially useful as you get older as our mental faculties typically start to diminish after the age of thirty.
When you’re attempting new things or trying to solve difficult problems, the brain has to form new connections: this is called neurogenesis and there’s an excellent study about the whole process.
Lock picking absolutely fits the bill in terms of being an engaging activity that can keep your mind sharp whilst also being extremely fun.
Not only that but basically anyone of any age can engage in lock picking meaning it’s relatively non-discriminatory.
2. Lock picking is a skill
As well as being incredibly fun, lock picking is a handy skill to know and could really help you out at some point when you’re locked out of the house or need to open a specific lock.
That’s one of the benefits of this hobby, it’s twice as productive as some others because you’re not just doing it for fun — you’re learning a skill at the same time.
In fact, if you enjoy it enough then you may want to explore the prospect of becoming a locksmith as it incorporates some of the same processes involved in lock picking whilst also making you money.
Plus, if you’re a locksmith then you’re likely to have an abundance of spare locks lying around for you to attempt to pick which is always a bonus.
3. Lock picking has a romantic history
Lock picking is steeped in history and is even glamorized to some degree thanks to master criminals and famous heist stories being told the world over.
There’s something very intriguing about a person who is able to break into somewhere using nothing but their well-practiced mind, or break out of somewhere for that matter (see below).
In fact, if you’ve been paying attention then you’ll know that most famous magicians, such as the great Harry Houdini, used lock picking as part of their acts; essentially they lock themselves in precarious situations where they need to escape within a set amount of time or they could potentially die.
As a caveat, most magic tricks are performed or practiced in advance to make it less deadly, however, it’s still quite impressive that they can unlock themselves as quickly as they do or how they manage to overcome certain restraints.
Lock Picking: “Key” Questions
Is lock picking an expensive hobby?
Lock picking can be expensive depending on how quickly you can open each lock, or depending on how fast you get bored of a particular lock for that matter.
Everyone is different; some people might enjoy solving the same puzzle over and over again, whereas others will need to quickly move on to keep challenging themselves.
The great thing about lock picking is that there are tons of different locks you can pick and you can even get dedicated lock picking kits meaning there’s tons of choice to keep you entertained.
If you’re going to be ordering locks regularly then you can save money by using a service such as Prime from Amazon to keep the delivery fee’s down.
Where can I buy lock picking kits from?
You can get lock picking kits from various hobby websites and storefronts, however, Amazon typically offers the most competitive prices and if you have Prime then you won’t need to worry about the shipping charges.
With that said, if you can shop locally then you should try to do that to support your fellow small business.
Conclusion
Lock picking is a hobby and a fun one at that too — it can help you develop and utilize various skills such as dexterity, spatial awareness, problem-solving, and can even keep your brain active which is useful to prevent cognitive decline.
As a hobby, lock picking doesn’t have to be expensive, and in fact, is less expensive than many other puzzle-based hobbies out there.
We recommend starting with a lock picking set as it will give you all the tools needed to break the lock and will allow you to see inside the lock mechanism as you work to open it.
By taking up lock picking as a hobby, you’ll be joining the likes of famous master magicians such as Harry Houdini who also had an avid interest in breaking locks and incorporating them into their acts to entertain others.
As always, if you enjoyed our article don’t forget to save our homepage to your favorites as we regularly release fun hobby topics and discussions to keep you engaged.
You may also want to have a browse of our massive list of hobbies as it includes many other puzzle-based hobbies and some other things to keep you entertained for many years.
