Well, I won't be sharing any tips or tricks (not that I have that many anyways), but yes... I do own my own homemade lockpicks and commercially made sets too.
I got pretty good with a slim jim, especially during my years working EMS.
As far as taking things apart?
I've been doing that ever since I stripped the film out of a really old camera (brownie) to see the pictures.
I've 'invented' many things too... sometimes scavenged from personal belongings of others in the house, or built from parts removed from items destined for the dump.
I still strip appliances for the usual screws/bolts/nuts/washers, and also for the switches, pots, gears, and other interesting things I think I may use someday (yeah... sure... lol).
I've gotten a reputation at various jobs because I could usually find a means of repairing things or creating tools out of miscellaneous items, on the spot.
I got tired of being called 'McGyver' all the time.
Put me in a hardware store and my imagination runs WILD!
I can literally spend hours just checking out all the shelves and bins while thinking up new uses for the items I find.
Back to locks...
I really wish we didn't have laws against owning locksmithing tools if a person is not a registered/licensed locksmith.
Seems a shame to punish someone for a crime they haven't committed.
It's a skill that comes in handy, for very legitimate reasons.
I love it when I can pick a lock to open something the key was lost for, instead of having to call up a locksmith and pay to have it done.