Your stereotypical INTJ

[Equinox]

Hello, I'm new here and I figured I should probably post an introduction. I'm an INTJ who fits almost all the stereotypes. (Except for the one about INTJs being the least likely to believe in a higher power.) I got interested in MBTI theory about three years ago when my INFP roommate/best friend, a neuroscience major, recommended the test to me. He and my other best friend, an INTP, often discuss our respective personality types; while we all get along extremely well (which would make sense, because we're best friends), we often disagree about the best way to approach life, and I've never to my knowledge met another INTJ, so I decided to come here to see whether other INTJs make more sense to me than other types do.

For anyone who cares, I'm a first-year law student. My hobbies include lockpicking, reading philosophy, the classics, and modern British literature, listening to Romantic, Modern, and Post-modern music, and gaming. Other than that, as I said, I'm pretty much the stereotypical INTJ.

[Cooper]

Welcome to the Alley...

[Jamo]

You wont have any trouble finding INTJ's on here. ;)
Welcome

[Swanky1]

Welcome to the forum

[Drm66]

Welcome equinox

[Rudy]

Welcome, Equinox? How does one go about learning lockpicking? Other than through contact with criminal elements, anyway; I've considered learning myself.

[plotthickens]

Howdy. Bumpkeys or traditional dentist tools or...?

[Equinox]

Well, the first step is to understand how a lock works. There are a lot of diagrams online, so try Googling it and see what you can find. Basically, there are these "pins" inside the plug (part where you put the key in a lock) that have springs pushing them "downwards" (assuming that when you put a key into the plug, the teeth of the key are pointing upwards). Each pin has a groove cut into the side of it, up where you can't see it and beyond the reach of a key or pick. When the pins are in a resting position, all the pins are even with one another, but the grooves on the sides of the pins are NOT even. What a key does is push the pins to the correct height so that the grooves all align. Then, when you turn the key, a sort of bar-like mechanism presses against the grooves and opens the latch. If it doesn't hit all of the grooves at once, the lock won't open.

Now, the picking part comes in when you want to get into a lock without using a key. Picks can be anything from paper clips to a "professional" set--I bought a set of picks and they work well, but I'm sure locksmiths have a better variety to choose from. You also need a torque wrench (technically a torsion wrench) to apply lateral or "turn" pressure, which is what you do when you turn a key to open a lock. By the way, you really can open a lock using a screwdriver and a hairpin. First, you need to apply a little pressure on the torque wrench so that you're applying pressure in the direction a key would turn. Generally, if you're turning in the wrong direction, you feel a really firm stop when you can't turn any more, whereas if you're in the right direction it feels like a "mushy" stop. As you apply pressure, you need to use your pick and feel for the rearmost pin, or the one furthest away from the front of the lock. Push this up and down while gradually applying pressure. If you have just enough pressure, you'll "bind" the pin where it needs to be to open the lock. If you have too much, you'll probably bind it in the wrong position, either too far up or too far down, and if you don't have enough the pin will just fall back down. After binding the first pin, work from the back to the front and bind each pin in turn. If you're applying too much pressure, back off until you hear the closest pin you've set fall back down (you'll hear a faint click). This means that the next pin in line should be at the perfect pressure to be properly bound. After you set all the pins, you'll feel the torque wrench give substantially--like you're using a key. At this point you can open the lock.

That's my 5-minute explanation of how to pick a lock. WARNING: I do not condone people picking locks for criminal purposes. In fact, I never pick a lock that's not mine unless someone gives me permission to. Also, if you do get a "real" pick set, make sure it's not illegal in your jurisdiction. If you have any questions, just let me know.

[BellaBianca]

Welcome to the war of intellectual righteousness. May your sword be swift and terrible in cutting down your foes.