Master locksmith Steven Hampton reveals here the tricks and tools for bypassing keyed and combination locks from pin tumbler locks, mushroom and spool pin tumbler locks, wafer tumbler locks, warded locks and disk tumbler locks to tubular cylinder locks, magnetic locks, door locks, padlocks and automobile locks. Find the key to "seeing" into every lock and discovering its simplicity.

Lock picking means to open a lock by use of a flat piece of steel called a pick. Actually, the process requires two pieces of flat steel to open cylinder locks.

The actual definition of lock picking should be: ‘‘The manipulation and opening of any restrictive mechanical or electronic device by usage of tools other than the implied instrument (key or code) used solely for that device.” A little lengthy, but more accurate description.