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Open-Minded: Rare Element & Coyote Mountain Custom Lock Picks

Coyote Mountain (Left) and Rare Element (Right) picks.

To this point, all of my lock picking has been done with “production” tools.  Some cheap and flimsy, others high-quality. But this is my first foray into hand-made & custom lock picks.

Rare Element Lock Picks and Coyote Mountain Trading Post.

This review’s purpose is not to pit one against the other, but rather to showcase both on their own merits as they are different.  They are also custom-made for me, so your experience may differ.  With that in mind, here are my thoughts.

Coyote Mountain

I received a selection of picks and some other “tools” (including bump keys, handcuff keys, tiny patches, a glow stick & beads and a fantastic little pouch.

The picks themselves feature a variety of profiles.  They come wrapped in cordage and shrink-sleeved with a rubber covering.  Then they’re topped with little silver skulls to ensure a level of bad-assery when picking.

The grip and finish are fantastic, however I find that the handles are a bit narrow for my hands.  It’s not that it hinders use in any way, it just causes me to use a different grip.

These picks went through those locks with ease.

The only preference I’d change on these is the flexibility (bend from side to side) of the picks.  Yes, I know that I’m not supposed to be bending them from side to side, but I am used to slightly more rigid picks.  Again, personal preference.  This does not detract from their effectiveness, I just find that the feedback takes some getting used to.

The second set I received was a “pen kit” which is a super-minimalist kit which fits into a pen body – VERY COOL.  I took it along with me on a recent trip to New York and had zero issues with it.  It works equally as well as the “regular” picks, but the handles are bare and the turning tool is not as versatile as the full-sized one.

The finish and polish on these are great and there is no noticeable drag through the lock bodies in any of my practice cylinders or padlocks.

Rare Element Lock Picks

The hand-made custom set of Rare Element lock picks I received took a while (RELP has a waiting list for his stuff, so be patient, it’s worth the wait) and arrived in great shape.

I opted for a mix of rakes and some custom turning tools.  The picks came in two thicknesses and various similar profiles.  All were high-carbon steel.  One was even hand engraved.  VERY COOL!

The finish on these had an “acid etched” look to them which looked great and still benefited from the polishing they received.  No drag or snag in any of the tested lock bodies.

The only thing I found, well, needing of some adaptability, were the custom turning tools that came with the picks.  They had slightly different ends then I’ve been used to but once I got the hand of them and figured out a comfortable way to hold them, they worked very well.  Also, the handles are straight steel with no additional grips or wrap added.  This is personal preference.  They are wider than the CMTP picks, but this isn’t a negative.  Just different.

Smooth action and shaping made these practice locks a breeze.

Picking cylinders and padlocks went very well with both sets.  I have to say, it’s very difficult to pick one over the other, so I won’t.  Both sets are fantastic.  I would advise that if you have particular wants or needs that you contact each and discuss.  Custom jobs are for particular needs and have requirements that only the person making the items can take into account.  They’re top-notch, period.  If you’re just starting out then of course, wreck some production stuff.  But if you’re feeling a bit adventurous, or are working with these types of tools professionally, do consider checking what these guys have to offer.

Check them each out at their addresses below:

Coyote Mountain Trading Post

Rare Element Lock Picks

Till next time, Stay safe and stay crafty.

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Training Opportunity in Toronto – Safe Dial Mechanics – 14 & 15 May, 2018

For the FIRST time in Canada….

The CORE Group

Safe Dial Mechanics – 1st Canadian Offering!


This course will teach Law Enforcement Personnel, Special Operations Forces, and Government employees and security professionals the principles of safe dial mechanics.

This course is basically two courses in one. Day 1 you will learn everything you need to know to install, dial, open, change the combination, diagnose and troubleshoot UL Group 2 mechanical combination locks. By the end of the day you will be able to completely disassemble and reassemble most mechanical dials in use today. Some non-invasive covert methods will also be discussed.

Day 2 we will teach you how to use the design flaws in mechanical combination locks to manipulate the wheels and components to obtain a locks combination while opening the locking mechanism. All mechanical locks have factory defects, known as tolerances, which allows them to be manipulated.

This is a non-invasive method for obtaining access to a safe as well as retrieve the combination. Since the techniques taught in this class are largely nondestructive, agencies will also benefit by having a decrease in costs and civil actions due to property damage.

The cost of the course is $510 CAD with a $200 deposit required to hold your place.  If taken with Covert Entry Concepts, the cost is $1150 for both.

Equipment:

There may be an opportunity to purchase specialized equipment during this course. Details to follow in the logistics e-mail which will be sent out to attendees.

Logistics:

A logistics e-mail will be sent out to attendees separately prior to course.

 

E-mail us at:

[email protected]

For more information and payment instructions.

***SEE FLYER LINK AT BOTTOM***

Course Schedule is:

Mon May 14: 0800hrs – 1700hrs

Tues May 15: 0800hrs – 1700hrs

***Mon & Tues breakfasts, coffee and snacks included.

This course is being offered by The CORE Group      (www.enterthecore.net) , facilitated, supported and sponsored by True North Tradecraft (www.truenorthtradecraft.ca).

SAFE DIAL MECHANICS flyer_May 2018

 

DISCLAIMER:  *Nothing in the course offering is intended to be used for unlawful purposes.  Consult with your local laws prior to employing these techniques in the field.  This is intended for lawful use ONLY.  True North Tradecraft and its partners do not condone or advocate illegal activities.*

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Training Opportunity in Toronto – Covert Entry Concepts – May 12 &13, 2018

Back by popular demand and exclusive in Canada…

The CORE Group

Covert Entry Concepts – Only Canadian Offering!
This course will teach Law Enforcement Personnel, Special Operations Forces, and Government employees and security professionals the principles of lock bypassing and making covert entries into buildings or properties.

This class is entirely hands on. From the moment you enter the course you will have tools in your hand and are working to exploit various locking mechanisms. Students will learn to recognize the vulnerabilities in existing hardware, how they are attacked, or sometimes even bypassed entirely. You’ll walk away with the skills needed to compromise most of the locks used in North America today. Students will be much better positioned to provide service in a variety of tactical areas: check welfare calls, search and arrest warrant service, establishing sniper positions, sneak and peak operations, surveillance operations, fire safe opening, and breaking and entering investigations.

Since the techniques taught in this class are largely nondestructive, agencies will also benefit by having a decrease in civil actions due to property damage.

The cost of the course is $865 CAD with a $200 deposit required to hold your place.  If taken with Safe Dial Mechanics, the cost is $1150 for both.

E-mail us at:

[email protected]

for more information and payment instructions.

(***See link to flyer at bottom***)

 

Schedule is:

Sat May 12: 0800hrs -late (dinner and a appropriately-themed movie to end the evening)

Sun July 30: 0800hrs – 1700hrs

Included Equipment:

Included in the cost of the course is a comprehensive set of high quality tools that you can use on the job or practice at home to maintain the skills you’ll build in class.
• High Quality 12 Piece Pick Set
• Set of covert jigglers
• Set of warded picks
• Bump Hammer
• Bump keys
• An e-z decoder
• Underdoor tool

***Team dinner scheduled and provided for Saturday night.***

This course is being offered by The CORE Group      (www.enterthecore.net) , facilitated, supported and sponsored by True North Tradecraft (www.truenorthtradecraft.ca)


 

COVERT ENTRY CONCEPTS flyer_May 2018

 

DISCLAIMER:  *Nothing in the course offering is intended to be used for unlawful purposes.  Consult with your local laws prior to employing these techniques in the field.  This is intended for lawful use ONLY.  True North Tradecraft and its partners do not condone or advocate illegal activities.*

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After Action Report: Covert Entry Concepts – Toronto

On the weekend of 28-29-30 July, 2017, True North Tradecraft hosted the first-ever offering of The CORE Group’s Covert Entry Concepts course in Toronto.  We had 9 students, an excellent venue, great food and of course, fantastic training.  (To read my review of the course I attended in Maryland, click here.)

Training materials before.
Training materials, after.

Friday evening saw the group meet up, make introductions and immerse themselves in Street Thief, a mockumentary based on a thief.  Though not “real”, it did accurately illustrate how an actual thief does what they do, ideas for protecting against such things and using the same methodologies in conducting security assessments and Red Team-type attacks.  That, coupled with some yummy pizza (no Hawaiian, you’re welcome Rob) made for a good evening.

Mmmm..pizza.

Starting bright and early on Saturday morning, we hit the ground running getting into the principles of physical security, locking mechanisms and the basics of attacking them.  This was framed within the construct of proper evaluation and approach vectors for attack and assessment.

The tools.

Thanks to The Lucky Penny for providing scrumptious snacks and endless coffee to get us started and keep us going.

Freshly baked and delivered food and coffee made a huge positive impact on all of us.

The entire day was fast and furious.  We hit on a vast breadth of topics and brought it all to practice very quickly.  The students were introduced to various locks and their corresponding pick and bypass tools.

Checking out a tubular lock pick.

Wafer locks, pin & tumbler, dead bolts, combination locks, padlocks, warded locks, etc.  The pace was fast but students picked-up the skills quickly and began to progress through to more difficult locks.  After everyone felt they were getting the hang of it, we moved right into impressioning and key casting.

Key impressioning. Money for nothing and your checks for free.
Key casting. Delicate but really interesting if done correctly.

Saturday had some tasty lunch too…

Rob enjoying a fine Canadian poutine. Now he has a standard to measure all others by.

The rest of the day was spent discussing elevators and their uses in Red Team operations and physical security, safes and other miscellaneous related content.

We finished off the evening as a group at a fantastic nearby Mexican restaurant where the food was excellent and the tequila and mojitos flowed.

Mmmm…guac and tequila.
So much food. So good. Cheers all!

Sunday, though rough for some more than others, continued the same high tempo.  We dove right into more elevator stuff and more impressioning challenges.

One challenge was who could impression a key properly before anyone else.

The second was the T-Rex Challenge.  Picking a lock while a electronic muscle stimulator is hooked-up to one’s forearms.  It’s a laugh for all.

Those arms are shaking. Doesn’t matter how tough you are, it was crazy.

That winners of each challenge got some stuff from our friends at Delta 2 Alpha Design (The Lolly and The Mark, and stickers, each.)

After we all stopped laughing and got feeling back in our arms, we carried on to lock bypassing, familiarization with various tools and techniques associated with it and giving them a trial run.

One of the students using an Under Door Tool to rescue someone (Rob and another student) from the bathroom.

We then transitioned to removing/replacing tamper-evident seals.  A very delicate operation to say the least, this portion of the day was slow-going and painstakingly irritating when impatience wrecked it all.  That said, it was very interesting in its method and application.  We also discussed security posturing, use, strength and limitations of seals and tamper-evident devices along with best practices.

Making tamper-evident not-so-evident. Steady hands.

To round out the weekend, we finished on a high note with restraint escapes.  Dealing in escaping unlawful custody while restrained by handcuffs, nylon zip ties, duct tape and cord.  The more you know, the better prepared you will be.

Aftermath of zip tie escape.
Tools of the trade.

 

One of the most important parts of the learning was the manner in which it was delivered.  Rob’s easy-going and humorous nature, coupled with his expansive knowledge and professionalism made for a relaxed yet powerful learning environment.  He is an exemplary instructor and trainer and is so giving of himself and his knowledge.  That and he couldn’t get over how no one carried guns.  Yay Canada.  It all makes a huge positive difference.

As with all experiences of this kind, there was so much more we covered and were exposed to that it simply wouldn’t do it justice to speak to here.  There is only so much you can read about or learn from on YouTube before you hit a wall.  Well-delivered, quality, in-person training has no substitute.  I recommend this training to anyone interested in these skills. In the end, an excellent group made an excellent class.  Congratulations to all.

Certificate. It was all worth it.

We are excited about how everything went that we are already planning our next offering.  Keep tuned to the Blog (and Instagram and Facebook) for more details.

Thank you to Rob and to all others who helped make this happen and make it great (See below) and thank you to all who attended.

Till next time,

Stay Crafty.

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Every Day Carry – My Take

Part of my Every Day Carry (EDC)

So, here we are.  A pretty vast topic with a bazillion opinions on what is right and what isn’t.

For the uninitiated, Every Day Carry, or EDC for short, is a collection of items which you carry on your person at all times (every day) to expand your level of preparedness and resilience in your daily activities and also to provide an edge in unforeseen situations.  This doesn’t always have to be a life-or-death catastrophe.  It can be something as simple as needing emergency cash, or cut packaging, but if you don’t have simple, quality, accessible tools for such things, you’d be at a disadvantage.  In a graver scenario, if catastrophe strikes and you’re unprepared, you’ll be less-likely to weather the storm.  Either way, you should always have an escape plan.

In a larger sense, your EDC is only a small part of a larger personal resilience plan, however, I’ll write separate posts for vehicle, office, home and emergency kits later on.  Right now, lets start at the most basic.

At the end of the day, I believe in three principles to follow when developing and gearing-up your Every Day Carry (EDC).

  1. FLEXIBILE: Is your kit adaptable to changing conditions?  Can it be scaled-up/down as needed?
  2. EFFECTIVE:  Are these items useful for multiple scenarios?  
  3. APPROPRIATE:  Will this be too much to carry, too attention-grabbing, or are the pieces of low quality and will fail you in your time of need?  Is it appropriate for your environment (Toronto, ON versus Manatoulin Island, versus Dallas, TX)?  Carrying a gun in Toronto is far different than Dallas, or in the woods of Manatoulin versus a courthouse in Toronto.  

A publication I recently read listed the appropriate EDC of a security-conscious individual as this:

  • Cell or Smartphone
  • Concealed carry handgun (WTF?!)
  • Extra magazine (again, WTF?!)
  • Flashlight
  • Folding knife
  • Lighter
  • Pen & Paper
  • Multi-tool
  • Money
  • Watch

That said, you’ll notice that concealed carry handgun(!) is on the list, as well as an extra magazine.  Now, that may fly in the US, but anywhere in Canada, you’ll be looking at jail time with that load-out.  Most of the rest on the list is pretty good, but again, assessing your daily EDC with the 3 Principles mentioned above should allow you to ensure your one step ahead of a problem.  Learn unarmed self-defence, use a steel-barrelled pen and a low-profile impact weapon of you need, but for the love of all that is imagined holy, don’t carry a gun around in Canada unless you want the cops after you.

Here is a picture of some of what I carry on me on a daily basis in Toronto, Canada.

My partial EDC load-out.

The above include:

  • Fisher Space Pen (writes consistently, small size)
  • Mini Bic lighter
  • Tiny USB key
  • Subway tokens (never know when you might need to abandon your car).
  • RAT-1 foldint knife (not “tactical” looking, just a simple, sharp, disposable blade).
  • Band-Aids (because you never know if you or someone else would need one.
  • Lock picks (several sets, because you just never know).
  • Diamond wire rod (again, because you never know).
  • Cash (because cash is king, and you might need a slice of pizza sometime).
  • Low-pro clip wallet

I also carry a few more things not in the picture, such as:

  • 1-2 steel-barrelled pens (Like Zebra or Parker) *not tactical-looking.
  • Tiny Inconspicuous Handcuff Key (because unlawful restraint wouldn’t customarily be conveniently timed).
  • 2-3 6′ lengths of Kevlar/Technora cordage
  • B.A.T. Coin (by Covert Products Group – read my review here.)
  • Key chain with my keys (No JI, I won’t post a picture of them
  • Anything else the day may call for based on my quick intel-dump before I leave – such as weather, traffic, events/protests in the city, etc…
  • Tiny LED flashlight (review soon…)
  • The Lolly (from Delta2Alpha.com )
Inside-the-fly of my Triple Aught Design Recon shorts. As if the Lolly isn’t even there.
About the size of a house key. Weighs next to nothing.

 

I do also ALWAYS wear a watch and will have my phone with me 99% of the time.  (in a dire emergency, I can always barter or pawn my watch for some cash and still have my phone for comms).

I love my watch. Titanium, lightweight, atomic and solar, compass and barometer and more.

For my daily purposes, there won’t be a gun involved in any way and multi-tools are too bulky for my activities.  Canadian laws would make me a SWAT-team call-out for a pistol, so that’s kinda off the table.

As a matter of course, I carry lock picks.  I’ve received several shocked and troubled looks from people should they find out about this, thinking I’m a burglar or something nefarious, but the simple fact is that I strictly adhere to lock picking ethics (read more about it here) and have used them to either help others (with permission, opened a car door for a guy who locked himself out in a blizzard with the car running – I saw it happen) or myself (lost the key to my bike lock) and only would use them to save a life in a dire circumstance.  Otherwise, they’re just tools used for the sport of Locksport.  I feel that, in an emergency, sometimes salvation is behind a locked door.  Better to make amends later when you’re safe, than not have the chance.

If you want an opportunity to learn how to pick locks, check out this amazing opportunity in Toronto in July 2017.    Details HERE!!!

I feel that this load out works for me, for my lifestyle, in Toronto, most of the time.  Thankfully it is scalable, can be augmented with things from my car.  (As mentioned above, I’ll be doing a piece on other EDC/kits at a later time) I also like that it is near-zero visibility thanks to the clip wallet and my spread placement across my person.

The great thing about EDC is that it’s a wide-open topic with huge on-going debates.  I prefer to focus on adjusting mine to my needs and environment (Toronto, Canada) while adhering to the 3 principles I mentioned and looking for new ways to make it more concealed and admissible into non-permissive environments.

The bottom line is this:

Keep some things on you wherever you go that will help you out of a jam if things get tough.  

By following those 3 principles and investing in decent equipment, you’ll be miles ahead of the masses who only have their phone when things go sideways.

In the meantime, keep modifying, keep testing, keep improving.

Till next time, stay crafty.

 

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Training Opportunity – Covert Entry Concepts – Toronto, July 2017

For the FIRST time in Canada….

The CORE Group

Covert Entry Concepts – 1st Canadian Offering
This course will teach Law Enforcement Personnel, Special Operations Forces, and Government employees and security professionals the principles of lock bypassing and making covert entries into buildings or properties.

This class is entirely hands on. From the moment you enter the course you will have tools in your hand and are working to exploit various locking mechanisms. Students will learn to recognize the vulnerabilities in existing hardware, how they are attacked, or sometimes even bypassed entirely. You’ll walk away with the skills needed to compromise most of the locks used in North America today. Students will be much better positioned to provide service in a variety of tactical areas: check welfare calls, search and arrest warrant service, establishing sniper positions, sneak and peak operations, surveillance operations, fire safe opening, and breaking and entering investigations.

Since the techniques taught in this class are largely nondestructive, agencies will also benefit by having a decrease in civil actions due to property damage.

The cost of the course is $675 USD or $895 CAD with a $200 deposit required to hold your place.

E-mail us at:

[email protected]

for more information and payment instructions.

(***See link to flyer at bottom***)

 

Schedule is:

Fri July 28: 1800hrs – late

Sat July 29: 0800hrs -1700hrs

Sun July 30: 0800hrs – 1700hrs

Included Equipment:

Included in the cost of the course is a comprehensive set of high quality tools that you can use on the job or practice at home to maintain the skills you’ll build in class.
• High Quality 12 Piece Pick Set
• Set of covert jigglers
• Set of warded picks
• Bump Hammer
• Bump keys
• An ez decoder
• Underdoor tool

***Friday dinner, Sat & Sun breakfasts, coffee and snacks included. Team dinner scheduled for Saturday night.

This course is being offered by The CORE Group      (www.enterthecore.net) , supported and sponsored by True North Tradecraft (www.truenorthtradecraft.ca) and Tactical Beaver Ltd.( www.tacticalbeaver.co ) .

“TB Classic” Logo Design

Tactical Beaver will have a selection of its Premier Apparel line available for sale during the duration of the course at a discount for attendees.

COVERT ENTRY CONCEPTS_July 2017 flyer

 

DISCLAIMER:  *Nothing in the course offering is intended to be used for unlawful purposes.  Consult with your local laws prior to employing these techniques in the field.  This is intended for lawful use ONLY.  True North Tradecraft and its partners do not condone or advocate illegal activities.*