I've never picked a lock before other than a single pin file cabinet or desk. Shortly after taking the jackknife out of the package I was able to open my front door with the city rack and the long hook. It took anywhere from 30 seconds (which I'm sure was a fluke) to five minutes. While I bent the city rack a little, it still worked afterwards on another two attempts. And I would bet it only bent because I was being overly agressive. I'm very impressed.