Primitive manufacturing made their lockpicks worse but it also made their locks worse. Spring steel wasn't necessary for most (perhaps all) of his tools. Those picks were big and chunky, presumably because he used them to pick crude locks. Looking at his lockpicks, I think I can deduce why.

Houdini doesn't have anything to say about the importance of using spring steel to make your lockpicks. Even security professionals avoid lockpicking when they can because lockpicking is so slow (We don't gatekeep!) We were happy to show him how to pick locks but he lacked the patience for it. An obvious burglar showed up exactly once and it a funny experience. The regulars I've seen at lockpicking meetup are all nerds. Houdini claims crooks 'resort to the quicker and easier method of forcing the doors with heavy chisels.' I believe this. We have different tools to accomplish the same task. His lockpicks look nothing like modern lockpicks (he uses no rakes) but I bet that's just because lock and lockpicking technology has advanced. Houdini explains lockpicks and skeleton keys. I know what you're really reading this book review for. Was Houdini's work discrediting spiritualists important? Maybe? I'm not sure if they were actually important or if combating spiritualists was one of two times in history magicians ever mattered. If you want to read an introductory book on magic tricks the book to read is The Amateur Magician's Handbook by Henry Hay. The do-it-yourself magic trick section is mediocre. Spiritualists knowingly used magic tricks to make it seem like ghosts were moving tables and making noises. These aren't well-meaning but over-zealous Tarot card readers. Spiritualists are people who pretend to talk to the dead. Houdini's work discrediting spiritualists.Houdini on Magic is a collection of the writings of Harry Houdini.

Harry houdini greatest escape