Picking Your Own Lock – Is It Worth the Trouble?
Getting locked out of your own home is always a frustrating experience. Calling a locksmith is easy and can get you out of that situation quickly – but some people also get tempted by the idea of picking their own locks. After all, lockpick kits are widely available these days, and there is no shortage of YouTube tutorials on the subject. So, what can go wrong? As it turns out, quite a lot. That approach is only ever a good idea if you’re a professional locksmith yourself.
There’s a High Risk of Permanent Damage if You’re Inexperienced
It may seem easy when you’re watching someone do it in a video, but lockpicking is actually quite delicate and difficult to do right. There are some brute force approaches that can work on weaker locks, but those are not recommended for beginners. In general though, any technique you use is very likely to cause permanent damage to your lock if you don’t know what you’re doing. Considering that you’ll most likely have to replace that lock soon after picking it open yourself, is it worth saving the money for a locksmith?
Carrying Lockpicks with You May Be Illegal in Your State
All of this ignores the bigger problem – that you may not even be allowed to carry lockpicks on you. In some states, like Nevada, Ohio and Virginia, possession of a lockpick is illegal by itself. It paints you as a potential suspect for break-ins, and you can land in a lot of trouble if you’re ever found to have a kit in your possession. It doesn’t matter if you were using it to break into your own home – that won’t get you out of trouble with the police if you’re questioned. A professional locksmith, on the other hand, is free to carry all the tools they need to get the job done right.
Give Yourself Some Peace of Mind and Get the Job Done by a Pro
In the end, this is not something worth attempting yourself, even if you’ve practiced here and there. Using a professional locksmith to get back inside your home is always the best option. Just make sure that you call someone reliable, like Oakville Locksmith Solutions. You’ll want to work with someone with a strong reputation like them to ensure that there’s no risk of any further damage to your property. They will also be able to get around more complicated locks if that’s what you’re dealing with.
Lockpicking can be a useful skill to practice in your free time, but you shouldn’t really rely on it in emergency situations like these. There’s a reason professional services exist, and it’s a good idea to use them and know that the job will be done right. Take a look around the market to find out which locksmiths in your area you can contact in case you need assistance, write down their contact details, and know that you have someone to call in the unpleasant event that something goes wrong.
