Whoa! This animation makes everything so clear, in a way that would be so difficult to explain in words. I watched it over and over, even though it was obviously worth sharing after only one go-round. Not that I ever thought much about keys before, except to not lock them in the car, but I feel so much smarter now! Link
There's something hypnotic about this gif.
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I've always understood how a key works in the lock but not how a lock pick does.
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Easy to see that a second cut in each pin is how a "master" key works as well. A set of locks have one matching set of cuts and yet each also has their individual as well.
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Now I know the key to how a key works.
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Now add a second and third and fourth etc set of pins and you can make multiple keys work. As full time locksmiths, we do this process daily and have to factor in not only a master key and operating keys, but also a control key that allows us to remove the core area for repins. This GIF is the view we in the shop wish we all had when building locks, but we have to rely on training and reading glasses.
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Wow, the lockpicking in Oblivion was more realistic than I thought!
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