[characterdevelopmentforwriters]

Holidays and Cultural Celebrations

Religious Holidays: the original holidays. These are consecrated days or part of a religious festival. These may or may not be celebrated by people not of the origin religion, though when they are it is often in a much different form. Some things a religious holiday may celebrate: >In honor of the birth or death of prophets >In honor of the birth or death of divine entities or demi-gods >In memory or honor of miracles performed >Days declared holy by the holy scripture; days with special requirements as declared by the holy scripture

National Holidays: holidays legally recognized by the government; often non-working days for government employees, national holidays may also be a day in which non-government businesses also close. Some things a national holiday may celebrate: >Anniversary of the founding of the kingdom/country/state/town/etc >Anniversary of important battles, whether local or national >Anniversary of the birth or death of leaders, previous leaders, or other important figures >Days to honor living veterans, deceased veterans, and those currently serving the country >Depending on the government of the land, some religious holidays may recognized as national holidays as well.

Cultural Celebrations: due to the lack of religious or national recognition, these are generally only considered celebrations rather than holidays. >These may have started out as a religious or national holiday that lost its original intent and transformed into something completely unrelated from its source. >These may have started out as a random idea by someone who thought it would be fun, and who convinced others to join. >These may be celebrated in a small area, or among certain individuals in a wider area. >>A couple of examples: an annual neighborhood barbecue could count as a holiday in that neighborhood; pi day could count as a holiday to math and pie fanatics across the world, while not being a holiday to anyone else.

[we-are-rogue]

Best Lock Picks for the Budgeted Picker

[by Jesse Marlar for the Art of Lockpicking, slightly abridged]

Many of us entering the world of lock picking are looking to buy their first set of lock picks, however, the mass number of products flooding the market can sometimes seem daunting. On top of that do we really need all these picks? Do we really need to throw down $100 on a “quality” set of picks or can we obtain a functional lock pick set cheap? If you have read my last post “What Are All These Picks For,” you will know to successfully pick most locks, we only need a few primary picks. So what is the ideal budget lock pick set? Let’s take a look!

Let’s Talk Locks

A lock pick set should be designed around the type of lock you want to compromise. There is a total of 11 different types of locks you could possibly encounter in North American. They are:

Combination Locks

Disc Detainer Locks

Electromagnetic Locks

Electronic Locks

Lever Locks

Magnetic Locks

Pin Tumbler Locks (Pin Tumbler Locks Have Many Sub-Categories)

Side-Bar Locks

Wafer Locks

Warded Locks

Car Locks (Car Locks Have Many Sub-Categories)

Note: Paracentric locks are not on this list because there is no such thing. There are only paracentric keyways. A pin tumbler can have a paracentric keyway and still be a pin tumbler lock.

However, the fact is 90% of all North American residential and commercial locks are pin tumbler locks. So when you are being offered a $150 pick set with 50 different lock picks inside it, chances are it’s just 50 lock picks designed to open one type of lock… the pin tumbler lock. So that’s potentially 48 lock picks that are not needed and are just added fluff to your set!

There are very few pick sets that actually offer tools that open multiple styles of locks, and the ones that do cost in excess of $200-$500, and rightfully so as they implement special tools for certain high-security features. But even taking a closer look, those sets just include tools used for bypassing or for destructive entry only. They rarely include any tools for actual surreptitious entry or anything that can manipulate the key pins covertly beyond what the basic pin tumbler lock pick can do.

Before I can go further, we must establish what a high-security lock is and isn’t. A lock with special pins, such as spool pins or mushroom pins, is not a high-security lock. It is just a lock with added security pins. The lock is no different by design or function. An actual high-security lock will have added security features such as a slider or finger pins, a side bar, rotating pins, and so on. These are actual physical changes in the design and function of a traditional pin tumbler lock, thus qualifying it as high security and even giving it a UL rating in some cases. Some of these locks do require special tools to manipulate those features, but those tools are not lock picks. They are usually special tension wrenches, probes, small “jack knives,” or special dimple picks called “Flags”. These tools do not look like a lock pick, nor function as one. So once again, 90% of all residential and commercial locks do not need these special tools to be compromised. However, then again 10% do.

With that being said, there are only 2 methods of attack when utilizing lock picks on non-high security pin tumbler locks; single pin picking and raking.

Therefore, there is no need for 50 lock picks. There is only a need for a pick and a rake. However not all pin tumblers have the same size keyway or the same shape of keyway. Some are downright nasty looking and can require thinner tools for the job. But those thinner tools require a thinner touch. When you’ve found the two picks you like the best and have used them for a period of three months, consider investing in another 2 picks with a thinner gauge metal than your previous pair. This will help with those pesky devil locks.

The average North American Pin Tumbler Lock Pick will be 0.025 thick. However steel manufacturers have up to 0.002 tolerances, so you could get picks that are considered “standard” sized at 0.023-0.027 thick. That is fine. North American key ways are HUGE by comparison with European or Japanese locks. So your first set should be in that range. Your second set should be in the 0.015 to 0.020 size range. Common ‘Slim’ or ‘Slender’ lock picks are sold in 0.015 and 0.018 sizes. There was once a 0.014 thick line of picks offered by Peterson, but everyone complained so they didn’t last a full year to my knowledge.

Now onto to our choices for a budget lock pick set.

Budget Lock Pick Set

First I will just come out and just say what I think you should get as a beginner on a budget.

Buy these 3 items, and you’re pretty much set for life!

Short Hook Pick with Metal Handle

Bogota Style Rake Pick with Metal Handle

Tension Wrench with Short Twist

Where to Buy?

Both SouthOrd and HPC are the primary lock pick manufacturers trusted and used by locksmiths in North America. I stand by that statement.

The most common short hook used in North America is SouthOrd’s MP-07 Short Hook ($4.29)

The most common rake used in Locksport is SouthOrd’s Pagoda Pick ($5.39)

The most common tension wrench in North America is SouthOrd’s TW-02 Short Wrench ($1.50)

Note: Locksmiths today still use a rake pick style that is more than 50 years old. However, this Bogota Style aka “Pagoda” was developed 10 years ago and is now the favorite among locksport enthusiasts and locksmiths alike.

Buy all three of these tools, and you will spend a grand total of $11.13 before shipping! Shipping to Texas is $4.95 for a grand total of $16.18! All the best lock pickers come from Texas, not even kidding, the North American Lock Picking Champion lives in Austin!I have 100% confidence that those 3 tools will allow you to compromise 90% of all locks in North America (provided you practice of course).

That’s it. No frills, no fluff, not even a damn carrying case.. speaking of which.

The Lock Pick Case

Who am I to tell you how to accessorize? Let this choice be yours alone, but I will of course gladly point you in a few directions.

You can buy a SouthOrd leather case but they are pretty crappy.

Sparrow’s cases, however, are really great quality and at a good price. But some of their cases do not seem to hold the lock picks very tightly. However, those particular cases do have a zipper so you won’t lose anything regardless.

I personally favor Peterson pick cases. Their nylon cases are padded, so you won’t bend or damage your lock picks while they are tucked away in your pocket, and they won’t stab you in the ass if you sit on them. However, they are pricey. Peterson does make a nicer line of pick cases that are made of Cow Hide or Lamb Skin. I prefer Lamb Skin as they are a snug fit around your lock picks. But they are pretty expensive, definitely not needed for a budget lock pick set.

Complete Budget Sets

So if you don’t want to take my advice and you want a small complete kit to get you started. No problem, let’s take a look at the absolute cheapest lock pick sets you can buy from quality lock pick manufacturers.

*For a list of quality lock pick manufacturers, check out my article Which Brand of Lock Picks is right for you?

SouthOrd

PXS-14-Beginners Lock Pick Set (priced $26.95). This is a very nice lock pick set! However their rubber handles have been known to “dampen” feedback, thus making it harder to identify locks with security pins, and even harder to manipulate them. It includes very good tension wrenches and a decent zip up case, however, that case does not have any slots for your picks, you have to just toss them into the case!

MPXS-11 Piece Lock Pick Set – With Metal Handles (priced $31.95). This is not too bad, but it is still a mixture of decent picks with crappy ones.

BPXS-12 Pagoda Lock Pick Set – With Metal Handles (priced $38.95). This is a very cool looking set! But it has a ton of fluff. Your lock does not know the difference between 2 ridges or 3, or the interval of ridges in between. I suspect the people that buy this set are either really curious, or they dress their miniature dogs to match the weather. I can see me buying this set, as I too am curious… and own a miniature dog… no I don’t dress her… yet.

MPXS-14 Piece Lock Pick Set – Metal Handles (priced $37.95). This is not a bad pick set at all! Great set, some fluff but not too much.

Sparrows Lock Picks

Expansion Set (priced $19.95). This set is not for me. Lock picks without handles are very uncomfortable, and this does not have a good selection of tension wrenches, and no case.

Kick Start (priced $24.95). This has better tension wrenches and includes a case, but it’s still very uncomfortable to use non-handle lock picks.

The Grad 2.0 (priced $29.95). We just went from better… back to worse with this set. It has a horrible selection of tension wrenches, very uncomfortable non-handle lock picks, there is no case, but includes pinning tweezers? A lot of good tweezers will do you without a set of plug followers!

Ok, screw this, I’m just going to skip right to their lock pick sets that have handles on them. If you personally enjoy picking locks for hours on end without a handle on them, maybe you’re on the wrong site, the BDSM page is on another site!

Apparently, the “budget” sets with handles on the Sparrow’s website are in the advanced portion of the site. But I’ll stick with the tempo here and list the budget sets below that have handles.

Sparrows Night School (priced $95.00). This is a very awesome set! Very cool! Very expensive! Definitely not a budget set but if you have a job, then why not right? However keep in mind it is EXTREMELY hard to hold onto any “Key In Knob” cylinders without a table vice to clamp it in. Great kit though, even for its price.

Peterson Locksmith Tools

The City Set (priced $52.00). This set has a crappy tension wrench, a crappy case, but a decent selection of lock picks.

Talon Pick Set (priced $64.00). This set has better tension wrenches, a great case, and a decent pick selection.

Ghost Pick Set (priced $68.00). This set has great tension wrenches, a great case, and a decent pick selection.

GSP Ghost Pick Set (priced $74.00). This set has an excellent tension wrench selection, an excellent case, and a very excellent pick selection! This is the best budget set Peterson has!

HPC

The problem with HPC is not quality or even price, but availability. When they are available for sale, it is usually only as a set, and at outrageous prices. When sold individually, they sell for as low as $1.50 for a spring steel lock pick, and $4.00 for a stainless steel pick (similar prices compared to SouthOrd). But they seem to be only available individually to locksmiths. That means their distribution is locked down real tight to only legitimate security hardware distributors. Good luck finding them individually!

Novice Lock Pick Set (priced $24.95).This is a 13 piece set, with only 3 of the picks having handles attached to them. The actual value of this set is probably around $5 total. So you are paying $20 for the case and added fluff tools.

Tyro Lock Pick Set (priced $24.95). This is a 15 piece set for the same price as the Novice pick set, and still only includes 3 lock picks with attached handles on them. You are still just paying for the case and added fluff tools that you will never need or use.

HPC Delux Pick Set ($38.50). This is a 16 piece kit, that is pretty much the same as the Tyro pick set, just one extra handled pick and a more expensive case! The actual value of the tools is around $6 total. So you are paying now paying $32 for the case!

Superior Lock Pick Set (priced $56.75). There is nothing superior about this set, other than it offers 8 lock picks with handles, for a total value of $12! But don’t forget to add that crappy case for $44. Wait a minute… didn’t we just see that case for $32 in the previous set??? WTF is going on here!

Now there is a 35 Piece Lock Pick Set being offered for around $63 online. It is a colored set, with all the picks having colored aluminum handles, and it comes with the same case as the Superior Lock Pick set, but for 1/3rd of the cost! However it is restricted to security professionals only, or con-artists that know how to talk to the distributor. It really is a decent set! And at $1.50 for each of the 35 lock picks, you’re paying $52.50 for all the picks, and only $10.50 for the same case that cost $44 in the previous set. That will lead us to believe that if you want HPC, you really need access to a legit distributor. But at the end of the day, 35 lock picks is way too much fluff, and $63 is NOT a budget lock pick set. However, this is a very common lock pick set used by locksmiths.

Build It Yourself

Do you like Sparrows or Petersons but don’t want to buy a complete kit? Then build one yourself based off of either my suggestions of picks to buy, or your own.

For Sparrows, you will be looking at a $35-$50 for a basic kit with 2-3 picks, some tension wrenches, and a case. However, their tension wrench selection is sub-par as they would prefer you buy them in bulk from their site and not individually like most others.

For Petersons, you will be looking at a $40-$70 for a basic kit with 2-3 Nickle Plated Picks at $3.00 each, their Government Steel with Plastic Handles are priced at $8.00 each, and their Government Steel with Rubber Handles are priced at $15.00 each. A tension wrench will run you $10, and a case is nylon case is $22. So depending on which type of pick you prefer, rubber handled or plastic, nickel finish or stainless steel, will all change the cost.

[source]

[soft-butch-cassidy]

I was getting pretty fed up with links and generators with very general and overused weapons and superpowers and what have you for characters so:

Here is a page for premodern weapons, broken down into a ton of subcategories, with the weapon’s region of origin. 

Here is a page of medieval weapons.

Here is a page of just about every conceived superpower.

Here is a page for legendary creatures and their regions of origin.

Here are some gemstones.

Here is a bunch of Greek legends, including monsters, gods, nymphs, heroes, and so on. 

Here is a website with a ton of (legally attained, don’t worry) information about the black market.

Here is a website with information about forensic science and cases of death. Discretion advised. 

Here is every religion in the world. 

Here is every language in the world.

Here are methods of torture. Discretion advised.

Here are descriptions of the various methods used for the death penalty. Discretion advised.

Here are poisonous plants.

Here are plants in general.

Feel free to add more to this!

[thejovianmute]

An exceedingly useful list of lists for writers.

[justsomecynic]

From the makers of the no-effort character checklist, I bring to you… The no-effort complete character sheet for lazy writers like you and me™! 

Because the extra effort I put in staying up until 3 am to do put this together can save us all a lot of effort filling out longer character sheets ^^

You’re supposed to print it out and fold it in half to make a little booklet but you can save ink and do it on your computer :P

Link to PDF on google drive (fixed typo)

[characterdevelopmentforwriters]

Scrying

Originally, scrying referred to the act of looking into the future, usually through a crystal ball. However, the word has been adapted through use in books and other forms of media to include other methods of seeing things, as well as extending the definition to no longer just refer to looking at the future, but at any unknown.

What can been discovered with scrying? >Is it limited to future events, or can it also show things happening concurrently or in the past as well? >>If the scrying can show concurrent events, do the events shown focus more on places or people?

Does it show events, or does it show symbols that need to be interpreted? >If it shows events, can the person doing the scrying “hear” noises that happen during the event? >If it shows a symbolic representation, how accurately can the symbols be interpreted?

Can one choose what/when they want to see, or does it just happen?

What material components are necessary? >If a crystal ball is needed, what type of crystal does it have to be? >>Would glass work?

Are any incantations required to scry?

How long does scrying take?

How physically close to the area being scried does the person doing the scrying need to be?

Can the person doing the scrying tell when the events in the vision will happen?

Are there was to prevents scrying? >How effective are they?

[thewritershandbook]

[wingedhoney]

heavenly words

aliferous: (adj.) having wings

apricity: (n.) the warmth of the sun in the winter

aspectabund: (adj.) letting emotion show easily through the face or eyes

aurora: (n.) dawn

balter: (v.) to dance gracelessly, but with enjoyment

cafune: (n.) the act of running your fingers through the hair of someone you love

catharsis: (n.) release of emotional tension

charmolypi: (n.) a mixed feeling of happiness while being sad

diaphonous: (adj.) light, translucent, and delicate

dulcet: (adj.) sweet

ephemeral: (adj.) fleeting

ethereal: (adj.) extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world

eutony: (n.) the pleasantness of a word’s sound

halcyon: (adj.) a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful

illecebrous: (adj.) enticing

irenic: (adj.) promoting peace

kalon: (n.) beauty that is more than skin-deep

kalopsia: (n.) the seeing of things as more beautiful than they actually are

lacuna: (n.) a blank or missing part

lilt: (n.) a pleasant gentle accent

ludic: (adj.) full of fun and high spirits

meraki: (n.) to do something with love or soul

nefelibata: (n.) cloud-walker; one who lives in the clouds of their own imagination

nepenthe: (n.) something that makes one forget their sadness

nubivagant: (adj.) wandering in the clouds

numinous: (adj.) feeling fearful yet awed and inspired

orphic: (adj.) beyond ordinary understanding

pyrrhic: (adj.) won at too great a cost

pulchritudinous: (adj.) breathtaking, heartbreaking beauty

scintilla: (n.) a tiny trace or spark of a feeling

selcouth: (adj.) unfamiliar, strange, yet marvelous

sirimiri: (n.) a light drizzle of rain

susurrus: (n.)  whispering, murmuring, or rustling

sweven: (n.) a dream

temerate: (v.) to break a bond or promise

viridity: (n.) innocence

yonderly: (adj.) absent-minded

[rejectedprincesses]

Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine: Queens of the Sydney Underworld (1881-1964 and 1900-1970)

Book here. Patreon here. Website entry here. Art notes after the cut.

Keep reading

[weareskald]

@we-are-rogue

[we-are-rogue]

What Are All Those Picks Used For?

[by The Art of Lockpicking]

All These Picks

So many picks to choose from! So expensive!! What should I buy? Well let’s answer first why I should buy this or that particular set.

There are essentially 2 different types of picking methods when compromising a pin tumbler lock. We have Single Pin Picking (SPP for short), and Raking. Sure, you can combine the two and it’s called “Bitch Picking” but it’s not a real technique someone should spend too much time on, it’s just something you can do when frustrated, or you have a really cheap lock. Bitch Picking uses luck. SPP and Raking use skill.

Single pin picking is considered the best method as it’s not only more precise, but it also helps develop skills that can be moved over into high security locks. This is important because there are very few high security locks that you can open by using the raking method alone. Single pin picking just gives you more control over the lock and provides more feedback to what is happening within the lock.

With single pin picking you’re manipulating each pin individually, one at a time, by lifting them and setting them, or leaving them alone because they don’t want to set, and then moving on to another pin. This can be arduous to say the least, and there are other factors involved like tension on the torsion wrench (“tensor”, and “tension wrench” are other names for a “torsion wrench”) as well as looking for a binding order. You may also be looking for security driver pins, and possibly in rare situations security key pins. So the single pin picking method has its advantages, as you will run into many different obstacles in every lock.

Raking is considered a “novice” method by many locksport enthusiasts, but locksmiths swear by it, and it’s definitely a go-to method when encountering an everyday pin tumbler lock in the field. This method is also commonly known as “rubbing” or “scrubbing” because you are essentially scrubbing the key pins with your rake pick in a violent back and forth motion, almost like your cleaning the pins inside the lock. By doing this, you are manipulating the key pins and driver pins, while simultaneously applying rotation to the plug with a tension wrench. In time, all the pins will be set at the “shear line” of the lock, and it will open. Note: When the cylinder finally turns inside of the lock, it’s activating the tail-piece, which in turn releases or rotates a latch or deadbolt and allows you to open the door.

Most lock pick sets will consist of picks that are designed to apply the above two techniques (SPP and Raking). The only other picks commonly found in North American lock pick sets, that are not used for single pin picking nor raking, are the The Snowman a.k.a. “Double Ball,” the The Half Snowman a.k.a. “Single Ball,” the Half Ball, and Double Half Ball picks.

These picks are primarily used for Wafer Locks only. Wafer Locks are not pin tumblers as they do not have pins, but instead flat wafers. These locks are found on cabinets, desks, small money lock boxes, and even glove compartments in cars. However they are not the same as a vehicle door nor ignition locks that utilize wafers, because they are assembled much differently in that regard, and therefore require different tools and techniques to be manipulated. The Snowman, Half Snowman, Half Ball and Double Half Ball picks should be only used for single pin picking on Wafer Locks, however they have been known to be used for raking pin tumblers, but that is not their intended purpose. Additionally, you can just use a normal lifter pick to single pin pick a wafer lock, so there is not really a need to add them to your lock pick set.

Single Pin Picks

The most common lock pick of choice for single pin picking is the Hook Pick, also know as a Lifter Pick or Short Hook Pick.

There are honestly at least a dozen variations of the classic Hook Pick. There are Gonzo Hooks, Rocker Hooks, and Rocker Picks to name a few.

But when it comes to single pin picking, the simpler and smaller the better.

Rake Picks

So now onto Rake Picks. The fact is, a lock doesn’t know if you have a legitimate Bogota styled rake pick, an “S” pick, or a “Z” pick. Nor does the lock know if it has 2 ridges or 3. Raking a lock open isn’t exactly technique as much as it is probability and luck. So the most common rakes you will find can be summed up in 4 styles, all of which work the exact same.

First there is the oldest style… the S Rake, or better known as the Snake Rake or Squiggly Rake.

These are most common in HPC and Southord sets as they have been around for over 50 years.

Next is the W Rake, also known as the Z Rake or Triple Rake.

The above is my favorite style of rake and is found in Peterson Pick Sets and some cheaper sets.

Next we have a Bogota Rake, designed by Raimundo from the locksport internet forum Lockpicking101 about 10 years ago. He was inspired by the mountains in Bogota, Columbia. Below is a Bogota Rake pick.

And lastly we have the L Rake, also known as a Long Rake, or the City Rake. (This is my second favorite rake pick.)

Other Picks

As previously discussed, the only other picks you should encounter will be the Snowman and Half Snowman picks used for wafer locks. These are better known as the Double Ball, Single Ball, Double Half Ball, and Half Single Ball. Either way, the lock doesn’t know the difference does it?

Yes, there are about 50 other picks I did not cover… like the Diamond and Half Diamond picks, or the Deforest pick (Hooked Diamond), or the “King” & “Queen” picks. But guess what, they all do the exact same thing as the picks previously mentioned. They either lift the pin or they rake the pins as a whole. That’s it. No other special tricks!

The only other pick that might do anything remotely different for a pin tumbler lock other than single pin picking and raking, is the Groove Pick, also known as “DCAP Lifter Pick 1″ or“High Reach” pick. It was originally offered by Peterson Lock Picks and now by several others companies such as Sparrows.

The only purpose for that pick is to physically grab the pin for either lifting or rotating it. Some high security locks require the pins to be rotated before being lifted to sheer line. That usually means you’re probably picking a high security lock such as Medeco, and you’re dealing with a high security pin tumbler lock. These locks are not very common and I will not go into further detail on that lock or tool right now. However you can argue that the Groove Pick is great for single pin picking, and that’s totally fine because in the end it’s just another hook pick with a small groove cut out in the tip.

So that’s it. All you really need are two picks. One for single pin picking and one for raking. If you want to have a complete set, then add a ball  pick in case you run into any nasty wafer locks, but you could just use your common lifter pick on that with some practice.

Be sure to keep an eye out for my next article where I will cover some budget lock pick sets that include the picks mentioned here.

[source]

[victoriousvocabulary]

SNEAK

[verb]

1. to go or move in a quiet, stealthy way.

2. to behave in a cowardly or servile manner.

[noun]

3. a person regarded as stealthy, cowardly, or underhanded.

4. an instance of sneaking; a quiet, stealthy movement.

[adjective]

5. carried out in a clandestine manner.

6. perpetrated without warning.

[characterdevelopmentforwriters]

The Origins of Magic

Was magic discovered(/invented) or was it gifted (whether divinely or from an advanced species)?

How did people discover magic? >Who discovered it? >How? >>What were they trying to do when they discovered it? >>How did they figure out how to repeat it? >>How did they figure out how to make others able to do it? >>How long did it take for them to figure out what other types of magic could be used? >>How did other people react? >>What happened to the people that discovered it?

Was it given by gods? >What god or which gods? >>What type of magic was given? >>>Was this expanded on by people to create new types of magic? >>Why was magic given as opposed to something else? >>What was to be accomplished by giving magic to the people? >>What happens if someone they don’t like uses magic? >>If there are other gods, how do they prevent other gods from also giving people magic? >>Do the gods control what spells work or when they go off? >>>If someone uses magic to kill someone, with magic, is it considered the magic user’s fault?

How long did it take for different types of magic users to go against each other and form cliques?

[we-are-rogue]

How to Pick Handcuffs

[by The Art of Lockpicking]

Basic Anatomy of the Handcuff

A standard pair of ratcheted handcuffs have seven main components. This includes the locking mechanism, the swivel, the chain, the double strand, the single strand, the rivet, and the ratchet teeth on the single strand arm. Some handcuffs may include additional components but for the most part this is what a common handcuff will consist of.

Handcuff Locking Mechanisms

As with any skill, becoming proficient at breaking out of handcuffs requires not only practice, but also a basic understanding of how these devices operate. Since the invention of the ratcheted handcuff by W.V Adams in 1862, nearly every style of handcuff used today falls under two categories of locking mechanism: the “single-lock” or the “double-lock.”

Single-Lock Handcuffs

The single-lock simply uses a spring loaded bar to keep the adjustable ratchet arm from releasing once tightened. But with this revolution in design came two great flaws. The first flaw is that there is no way of preventing the handcuffs from continuing to tighten once applied. This can lead to loss of circulation and the restrainer having to disengage the handcuffs in order to reapply them properly which, needless to say, can be dangerous. The second flaw, which we are most concerned with, is the ease in which these handcuffs can be tampered with and unlocked. These two problems were later solved with the introduction of the double-lock by John Tower in 1879.

Double-Lock Handcuffs

The term “double-lock” pretty much says it all. This style of locking mechanism utilizes two levels of security. The first level acts just like a single-lock whereas it uses a spring loaded lock bar to stop the ratchet arm from releasing. But this time a second lock bar is included that acts as a barricade ensuring that the first lock bar cannot move while this second lock bar is engaged. This prevents the ratchet handcuffs from tightening once the second lock is in effect. Additionally, this adds an extra procedure to those who desire to tamper and pick these handcuffs. For the sake of simplicity, the remainder of this guide will only be covering the double-lock as it is much more common and knowledge of these locks can easily be applied to single-lock handcuffs.

Lets take a quick look at the anatomy of a double-lock and briefly go over each components purpose.

Note there are five main components to these locks and are color coded to the illustration above. These components are the lock bar, the double lock bar, the lock spring, the keyhole, and the double lock slot. The lock bar is the first line of defense in a double lock. Its purpose to stop the cuff from opening by gripping the ratchet’s teeth. The lock bar is held against the ratchet arm by the lock spring. The purpose of the double lock bar is to ensure that the first lock bar can’t move. This is accomplished by sliding an extruded part of the double lock bar under the first lock bar, blocking any potential movement. The double lock bar is engaged by inserting the back of the key into double lock slot and pushing the bar into place.

Disengaging a Double-Lock

To learn how to pick handcuffs we need to ensure that we completely understand how these double-locks operate under the normal conditions of a key. So lets take a second and run through the process of how to unlock handcuffs when both locks are engaged.

To disengage the double lock bar the key needs to first be turned counter clockwise (left). This pushes the double lock bar out of the way giving the first lock bar room to move. We then simply turn the key clockwise (right), placing enough pressure against the first lock bar to push it down and out of the way of the ratchet teeth. This will allow the ratchet arm to rotate and the cuff to open. The animation below demonstrates this process.

Now that we understand how these devices work we can begin to learn how to tamper with and unlock them.

How to Pick Handcuffs

Picking handcuffs, while does take practice, is relevantly simple in theory. All we need to do is mimic the form and motion of the key in the locking mechanism. This can be accomplished with any small strand of hard but formable wire such as a paperclip or a bobby pin. For the purpose of this guide we will be demonstrating how to pick handcuffs using a bobby pin, but of course you may mimic these directions using any piece of material you wish to try.

Take note that tampering with and picking handcuffs is much easier when your hands are in front of you and you can visually see what you are doing rather than feeling about. If you are restrained with your hands behind your back simply maneuver them under your legs so that the cuffs are in front of you.

How to Pick Handcuffs With a Bobby Pin

The process of picking handcuffs can be broken into three steps:  First forming the bobby pin, then disengaging the double-lock, and lastly placing enough pressure on the single lock to push it off the arm’s ratchet teeth and allowing the cuff to open.  With that lets start by forming our bobby pin.

The purpose of our bobby pin is to create a pseudo-key and to do so is rather simple. First thing we need to do is bend our bobby pin roughly 45 degrees from the halfway mark. We then need to remove the rubber tip from the end of the straight section. This is done much easier with pliers, so if you plan to carry around a couple bobby pins for the purpose of picking locks, it isn’t a bad idea to prepare them in advance.

Next we have to form the end of the bobby pin so that it can be maneuvered into the lock and apply a rotational pressure on both lock bars. To do this we have to make one final 90 degree bend to the tip of our bobby pin.  The easiest method to do this is to insert our bobby pin halfway, or roughly 1/8 an inch, into upper part of the keyhole. Then apply pressure on the the shaft of the bobby pin bending it in the process.

The final result should look something similar to this.

Now that we have our bobby pin formed, it’s time to get picking. We must first disengage the double-lock. To do this insert the pick into the upper cutout of the lock ensuring that our bent tip is pointing away from the center of the cuffs.  Note that inserting and maneuvering the pick will likely take some practice. Once our pick is in, rotate and apply tension in the counter clockwise(left) direction to mimic the motion of a key. Continue to apply tension onto the double-lock until you feel it give and stop. You may even feel a slight click depending on the spring mechanism used within the lock.

Now that you have disengaged the double-lock it’s time to tackle the single lock. This one by nature is much simpler to pick. Just like the double-lock, insert your pick into the keyhole but this time with our bent tip pointing towards the center of the cuffs. Once our pick is in, rotate and apply tension in the clockwise(right) direction to once again mimic the motion of a key. As you place pressure on the single-lock you will feel it give in as it push’s the lock bar away from the ratchet arm and releases the cuff.

The video below is an excellent reference on how to pick handcuffs using a bobby pin.

Trainer Handcuffs

Like tying your shoes or riding a bike, picking handcuffs is a skill and just like any skill, proficiency requires practice and patience. With some time you can learn to accomplish this escape act relatively quickly and with ease.  An amazing tool to aid you in learning how to pick handcuffs is a cutaway handcuff trainer. These handcuffs have a clear panel allowing you to see the inner workings of the locking mechanism. These handcuffs will not only increase your understanding of how handcuffs work but also give you a better idea of how to maneuver your pick, thus increasing your effectiveness.

[davidesky2]

by Ise Ananphada, via From Up North.

[readingwithavengeance]

On Writing: Building Your Magic System

I FUCKING LOVE MAGIC. This is probably obvious if you’ve followed me for any amount of time. It can seem pretty daunting, trying to build a magic system for your story. So many details! So many variables! Where to begin?

Well, that’s what this post is about. I’ve got three questions here which I think get at the base of any magic system, which need to be answered before you can put on the flourishes and final touches. It’s always important to get the base of your system in place first, because it’s extremely difficult to remain consistent if you work from the other direction.

Keep reading

[howtofightwrite]

I've seen, and played games where the characters dive under water and their weapons are still in order. Is this accurate? Are bow and arrows more functional wet?

No. In fact, historically, compound bows were frequentlymade with water soluble glues, meaning if you tossed it in water, the bow wouldcome apart in thin strips. Some modern bows can (probably) survive theexperience, but it’s still something you’re cautioned against doing. Off hand,I’m not sure what water would do to a sinew bowstring, but I’m fairly confidantthe results wouldn’t be pretty.

I’m not sure, exactly, how a waterlogged modern bow handles.The advice is, usually, to dry the bow, or allow it to dry off naturally ratherthan continuing to use it. Then, with mechanical bows, re-oil it if necessary.

With most melee weapons, you don’t really want to get themwet, but it won’t do much damage to them. Depending on the grip, it may makethem harder to hold. There are some edge cases, if you have a melee weapon thatcan absorb water, and become waterlogged, then that will affect its use. I’mthinking of an untreated wooden club, but there’s probably some otherpossibilities that haven’t come to mind.

Firearms are a little more complicated. Black powder doesnot burn when wet. Hence the idiom, “keep your powder dry.” A musket with wetpowder is worthless. This is compounded by the fact that early firearms neededto have some means to access the powder (up into the 19th century), so droppingone in water would ruin the load, and make the gun inoperable.

Once dried out, black powder is good to go again. Usuallyyou’d do this by spreading it out over a clean surface and allowing it to sundry. Normally this should only take a couple hours. Waiting for a loaded chargeto dry out could take a while. (I’m guessing a couple days, but it honestlycould be longer.)

Modern firearms (using a sealed cartridge) will fireunderwater. The ballistics are wonky. As, I recall, the bullet will lose almostall velocity within five or six feet (this applies to both pistols and rifles).In most cases, a modern firearm that’s just been submerged will be good to goas soon as it gets above the surface. There are probably a few rifles that don’ttake well to water getting into their gas return system, but none come to mind.

In general, you don’t want to get your weapons wet, but ifit happens, this isn’t the end of the world. Bows are an exception, though.

-Starke

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[thepurestblood]

Medieval Jobs

I have found when reading fantasy stories, it seems like majority of the characters are farmers. In fact, it seems like only a small percentage are something else, so here is a list of medieval jobs I quickly brainstormed over. I don’t know if these were the proper terms, but I hope these do spark some writing inspiration.

Castle Worker

Cook

Maid

Stone Mason

Barber

Carpenter

Butler

Food Taster

Messenger

Watchman

Candle Maker

Nanny 

Baker

Gardener

Artist

Painter

Blacksmith

Tapastry Weaver

Clothes Maker

Jewlery Maker

Play Writer

Sculpter 

Better Paid Worker 

Money Crafter

Dog Trainer

Tax Collector

Lady in Waiting

Shoe Maker

Blacksmith

Mead Brewer 

Scribe

Carrier Pidgen Keeper

Falcon Keeper and Trainer

Inventor

Clerk

Preformer

Acrobat 

Jester

Story Teller

Puppeteer 

Minstrel

Normal Citizen 

Tree Cutter

Road Builder

Charcoal Maker

Parchment Maker

Mine Worker

Fishermen

Herbalist 

Merchant

Horse Breeder

Mead Brewer 

Farm Worker

Candle Maker

Sailor 

Fairy Docter

Shepard

Baker

Basket weaver

Shoe Maker

Military

Poison Maker

Assassin 

Messenger

Scout

Knight

Armorer

Officer

Page

[thewritershandbook]

List of Elemental Abilities

Air/Wind

Aerokinesis -manipulate the air, wind, and gas.

Aeroportation - teleport using air/wind currents.

Air Mimicry - transform into a cloud of gas, fog, or mist.

Atmokinesis - manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Deoxygenation - suck up all the oxygen from a place.

Lung Adaptation - breath anywhere

Wind Generation - create blasts of air.

Divine Winds Manipulation - create and control heavenly winds.

Dark Wind Manipulation - create and control eerie winds.

Earth

Geokinesis - control, manipulate, and reshape the earth at will.

Atmokinesis - control and manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Crystallokinesis - manipulate minerals and crystals.

Ferrokinesis… manipulate metal at will.

Fraxikinesis - manipulate burnt matter.

Geo-Thermokinesis - manipulate, control, and create lava, magma and volcanoes.

Golem Creation - make golems out of inanimate materials like rocks, wood, plants, magma, etc.

Granulation… can turn things into sand.

Halokinesis - control and manipulate salt.

Hyalokinesis - control and manipulate glass.

Koniokinesis - manipulate and control dust particles.

Plassikinesis - manipulate and control all forms of plastic.

Psammokinesis - can control and manipulate sand.

Terrakinesis - control, manipulate and alter/reshape the surrounding terrain and landscape at will.

Terraportation - teleport via the earth and earth-based materials.

Sacred Earth Manipulation - Create, manipulate, control, reshape divine earth minerals.

Black Earth Manipulation - Create, manipulate and control tainted and evil earth minerals.

Fire

Pyrokinesis - create, control and manipulate fire, flame and heat.

Atmokinesis - control and manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Fire Breath - breathe out flames.

Geo-Thermokinesis - manipulate lava, magma and volcanoes.

Heliokinesis - manipulate and control the sun and sunlight.

Hell-Fire Manipulation - Generate and control flames of hell.

Holy Fire Manipulation - Generate and control flames of Heaven.

Inflammation - burn things.

Melting - heat molecules to melt things.

Plasmakinesis - can control plasma.

Pyrotechnics - create fireworks.

Self-Detonation - explode self and reform.

Thermokinesis - create, control and manipulate heat.

Water

Hydrokinesis - manipulate and control liquid water and mold it into any desired shape or form.

Aquatic Adaptation - adapted to underwater living.

Aquatic Respiration - breathe underwater.

Atmokinesis- control and manipulate the various aspects of the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Dehydration - absorb water.

Hydroportation - teleport across short or long distances through liquid water.

Water Mimicry - turn into liquid water.

Holy Water Manipulation - create, manipulate and control graceful waters.

Dark Water Manipulation - create, manipulate and control evil and dangerous waters.

Darkness

Umbrakinesis - can manipulate and control darkness or shadows.

Animated Shadow - Animate one’s shadow.

Light Absorption - block out light in an area.

Night Vision - see in the dark.

Sacred Darkness - create holy darkness.

Shadow Camouflage - be unseen in shadows.

Shadow Mimicry - become a shadow.

Umbrageous Teleportation - teleport via the shadows and darkness.

Electricity/Lightning

Quintessence Force -Can generate whitish-blue lightning that also contains pure life energy.

Electrokinesis - control, generate or absorb electric fields and shoot lightning bolts.

Activation & Deactivation - turn stuff on and off.

Positron Manipulation - control positrons, the antimatter counterpart to electrons.

Electrical Absorption - absorb electricity.

Electric Mimicry -transform entire body into a lightning-like being of pure electrical energy

Electrical Transportation - teleport with lightning.

Divine Lightning Manipulation - create and control the brightest lightning.

Black Lightning Manipulation - create and control the darkest lightning.

Energy

Dynamokinesis - manipulate existing energy.

Energy Blast - create blasts of energy.

Energy Emission - release energy.

Quintessence Force - create and manipulate unique form of electrical and life energy.

Mana Manipulation

Chi Manipulation

Electricity Manipulation

Energy Manipulation

Ice

Cryokinesis - control ice, snow and other forms of frozen water.

Freeze Breath - freeze things in solid ice.

Freezing - lower the temperature in kinetic atoms to freezing temperatures.

Frigokinesis - control snow either as precipitation or already on the ground.

Ice Beam - shoot beams of freezing energy.

Ice Generation

Light

Dark Light Manipulation - create the darkest light in existence.

White Light Manipulation- create sacred light from the divine.

Photokinesis - create and manipulate pure light.

Force-Field Generation - create protective shields of solid photons.

Invisibility - be unseen.

Laser Emission - bend light wavelengths to create lasers.

Light Absorption -absorb the light around you.

Light Generation - emit blinding light or glow in the dark.

Light Mimicry - take on the traits of light.

Photoportation - Teleport by using photons.

Projective Invisibility - turn other things invisible.

Evil Banish - Rid and banish all spirits of evil and black magic.

Light Manipulation

Weather

Atmokinesis - manipulate the various aspects of the weather by using water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Atmokinetic Resistance - immunity to all weather-based abilities and effects.

Atmokinetic Sensing - sense the future weather patterns.

Other

Aether Manipulation

Cosmic Manipulation

Gravity Manipulation

Nether Manipulation

Space-Time Manipulation

From Superpower Wikia. See their complete list of superpowers HERE.