Category: Lock Picking

Posted on

Love Locks on Ha’penny Bridge

IMG_20150220_080018_800x600The TOG Lockpicking Group were in the press a few times over the last few weeks. Mainly over the Love Locks removal from the Ha’penny Bridge. At first we got some mixed responses from family members and colleagues but eventually we got them to see us as helping the bridge and not destroyers of love!

If you missed any of the coverage, a TOG member running the @LoveLockNoMore account documented the adventure.

It all started with a quick visit to the bridge to remove 8.7KG of locks:

Then of course Broadsheet.ie pick up on it:

Then the newspapers picked up on it:

Irish Examiner

The Sunday Times

The Hearld

The Irish Sun

We even managed to squeeze in a bit of run with a quiz :

Even getting into the Social Media Column in the Irish Examiner:

And what is the best result of it all? The Dublin City Council visited the bridge with their cutting tools, and cleared the bridge! I job well done if I do say so myself 🙂

 

Update On 98FM talking to Ray Foley from 1:10:25

Posted on

Security Saturday

a one day security event, Saturday 16th November. Tickets Available Now.

Security Saturday is a one-day event where security experts and hobbyists get together to teach, learn and discuss a myriad of topics related to security. From picking locks to hacking wireless routers and getting started hacking RFID tags.

Anyone interested in security as a hobby or professional should get something out of it.

The only prerequisite is a laptop and an open mind. All talks and workshops will assume no prior knowledge and will start with first principles.

All tickets come with a Starter Kit to get you started hacking, picking and more. Early bird tickets will get a special bonus of an Arduino compatible *electronic door opener, and are in very limited supply, so act fast!

Starter Kit

  • *5 piece lock pick set
  • Tog T-Shirt
  • DVD of learning materials

Schedule

Welcome

  • Introduce speakers, event schedule etc. (presentation)
  • Distribute Starter Kits

Lock Picking

  • Introduction to physical security (presentation)
  • Lock Picking workshop

Wireless Hacking

  • Introduction to wireless security (presentation)
  • Wireless hacking workshop

Electronic Access control and RFID

  • Magnetic Swipe Card principles and security (presentation)
  • Radio Frequency (RFID) access control and payment systems (presentation)

Tickets are in limited supply, you can reserve yours at SecuritySaturday.com

 

* All tools and information provided are for educational purposes only.

 

 

Posted on

RTÉ Documentary on Tog Lock Pickers

IMG_0094
Ronan Kelly of RTÉ’s Curious Ear featured the Lock Picking group on RTÉ Radio 1:

Every other Tuesday, the group meets to pick locks. They have a table full of, mostly, padlocks and they use their picking tools to try to open those padlocks.Some of the padlocks are simple three pin ones, while others are the more challenging five-pin ones with extra ‘security’ pins.

Some of the locks have names and initials on them. These are locks that were put on the Ha’penny Bridge in Dublin by couples eager to display their lasting love.

You can listen to the full 12 minute feature on RTÉ’s website.

Posted on

Lock Picking Group appears in National Press

Ever since one of our venerable members freed some young love, the Tog’s lock pickers have been found to be recently making some waves in the national press by liberating the Ha’ Penny Bridge of it’s Love Locks.

“Anyone who lives in or visits the city regularly will notice how clumps of the locks – added by couples as a public display of their affection – seem to build-up gradually, before apparently disappearing overnight.

So who’s taking them down? Well, in some instances it’s Dublin City Council, who regard the practice as a nuisance which could damage the structure and paintwork. ‘Helping’ the council to tackle the problem are – believe it or not – a group of Dublin ‘hackers’ who like to pick padlocks as a hobby, and say it can be like a form of ‘meditation’ after a long day staring at a computer screen.”

Screen Shot 2013-07-13 at 11.09.52

Meet the hackers’ group tackling the Ha’penny Bridge’s ‘love’ problem…

 

 

Screen Shot 2013-07-13 at 11.11.18

 

Lockpickers Of Love

Meeting every second Tuesday, the Lock Picking Group is free and open to everyone. The next meeting is on Tuesday 16th of July from 7:30pm onwards.

Posted on

Making Emergency Keys

copy-key-with-coke-can_w240

As part of our bi-weekly lockpicking group we regularly test the security of locks. At next weeks meet we will be making our own keys. Emergency keys are handy if you lose, or bend your existing key. They can be made from proper manufactured key blanks, but they can also be made from old plastic bottles, or coke cans

Blank key

There are various techniques for actually cutting the teeth into the key, for plastic and can keys; a scissors is all that is needed, for proper key blanks a needle file or dremel is best

The usual recommendation is to learn using unused locks as badly made keys can jam or damage locks. The aim of the night will be to learn key cutting using the scissors method, working up to cutting a double sided emergency key for a car. Extra bonus points for those who arrive with a pre-made key for my car made from the photo above! No need to book nor bring anything, just have a look at the 3 videos above and drop by on Tuesday May 7th at 7.30pm.

Posted on

Lockpick group appears in Irish times


picks_002Every second tuesday the open-doors lock-picker’s group meets to discuss and  play with everything lock related, and of course open as many locks as possible. Last tuesday was no different in this regard, but in one it was quite different: The Irish Times feature writer Patrick Freyne was in attendance to do a piece on the group.

His article Recreational lock-pickers open up about their craft was published online and off and gives a unique insight into the group and some of the good natured banter that is often encouraged among its attendees.

We’ve welcomed newbies to our group, regardless of background, gender or otherwise. So if your interest has been piqued or perhaps you’re looking for a bit of a challenge, I’d highly recommend you coming to our next group meet-up. No experience or special tools required, but if you bring a lock, we’ll give it a good seeing to!