LockCon

What is LockCon?

LockCon is an international conference about ... locks (mechanical, electrical, lockpicking, impressioning, safe locks, lever locks, old and new locks, new developments, lockpicking tools, lock security etc). It is the first in its kind and dates back to before the turn of the century. Every year, LockCon is hosting some pretty innovative and unique presentations. Besides these high quality presentations, there will be championships in various competitions including lockpicking and impressioning. One important aspect of LockCon is that it is a place where creative energy flows, and you can make friends for life. It is the place where top lockpickers, lock manufacturers, lock designers, lock collectors and others interested in locks meet one another. In other words: it is a unique event. Please see Blackbag for ideas on past events. All blogs tagged with LockCon are found here.

In 2017 hosted Tim Jenkin as an invited speaker, paid for by Toool NL. Tim was jailed in South Africa in the 1970s but escaped after learning himself to pick locks and successively pick more than 10 locks to get his freedom back. For the first time, Tim has talked about the lockpicking aspect of his escape. See also the recording.

When will LockCon be held in 2024?

We hope to announce the date for LockCon 2024 soon!

Where will LockCon be held?

It will be held at the WestCord Hotel de Veluwe in Garderen, The Netherlands. Address: Oud Millingenseweg 62, 3886MJ Garderen, The Netherlands. [1]

How do I get there?

It will involve flying to Amsterdam Schiphol, Eindhoven, Weeze (Germany), Maastricht-Aachen or Düsseldorf (Germany), some driving, or train hopping and a bit of taxi-ing. If you arrive at Schiphol, you can buy a single fare second class ticket (or first if you like better seating) from one of the big yellow machines with destination "Amersfoort Centraal". This should cost €12,00 for 2nd class, €20,40 for 1st class. A train departs every half hour, with destination "Amersfoort Centraal". Get out at the stop called “Amersfoort Centraal” (the train ride should take around 41 minutes). From Maastricht-Aachen airport, take the bus to Maastricht Station. There, take a train to Utrecht Centraal (2 hours) and change trains to Amersfoort Centraal (13 minutes).

When in Amersfoort, take bus 102 (1 hour) to Apeldoorn via Voorthuizen and walk the last 500 meters. Bus tickets can be bought at the bus driver using a debit card, only. As well as the Dutch OV-chipkaart. See Google Maps.

Who will attend LockCon?

A lot of interesting people. There will be lockpickers, safe technicians, locksmiths, 24-hour opening services, lock manufacturers, lock tool manufacturers, hackers, members of the law enforcement community and the occasional spy ;-). LockCon is the most international conference on Locksport. We have people attending from several European countries, the USA, Australia ... and the list is growing.

How Much is the entrance fee for LockCon?

Entry to the full event will be at cost, for €360 per person. This price includes 2 dinners, 3 lunches, 3 breakfasts, three overnight stays in rooms that will fit a maximum of 4 people, access to all talks, workshops, and competitions, badges, and prizes for the winners. There are no day tickets.

Where do I sign in?

LockCon is an event for the locksport community. Everyone with a passion for locksport is welcome, no matter the locksport group you are with. We work with the principle of friends, and friends of friends. If you vouch for a friend, then they are welcome.

To expand our bubble, we have reserved seats for people we never met before. If you think you have something to contribute, or just are a very enthusiastic lockpicker who does not have the right connections yet, please contact us through the usual channels.

What do I bring?

Apart from the usual stuff to bring when staying elsewhere, you can bring locks, lockpicks, and impressioning material. It is a good idea to bring extension cords if you are doing anything which requiring electricity at your table.

I want to know the program before signing up, what is it?

There will be talks and show & tell from the community. We will host the Dutch Open competitions for lockpicking, impressioning and much more. But in the end, LockCon is mostly to hang out with friends and discuss the latest research, trade locks etc. An example program can be found at [2].

Code of Conduct (inspired by the EMF Code of Conduct)

We are committed to making LockCon a welcoming event for everyone.

Sadly, technology events have a notorious reputation for harassment. We've set these ground rules to make it abundantly clear that this kind of behavior is not acceptable, so that everyone can feel comfortable attending LockCon.

Everyone who visits LockCon is required to abide by this code of conduct, both at the event and on any online channels. We will not tolerate harassment of participants or discriminatory behavior of any form. Specifically:

• Do not engage in homophobic, racist, transphobic, ableist, sexist, or otherwise prejudiced behavior.
• Do not harass people. Stalking, unconsented physical contact, or sexual attention is harassment. Dressing or acting in a certain way is not consent.
• LockCon is a shared space, but every participant's personal space is their own. If you are asked to leave someone alone, you must respect this.
• Some attendees may not want to be filmed or photographed. Respect their wishes.
• Aggression and elitism are not welcome — nobody should be afraid to ask questions.
• Be modest with your alcohol intake.

If you break these rules, we may expel you from the event without a refund, and we may ban you from future LockCons.

If you are being harassed or witness a breach of this code of conduct, you can get in touch with us in the following ways:

• Find a member of event staff and let them know.
• Drop us an email at bestuur@toool.nl.