diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 6218eaa..ffcf95e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 0.7:
+  - Add helpful `locked` decorator that can
+    lock a method using a found attribute (a lock
+    object or list of lock objects) in the
+    instance the method is attached to.
 0.6:
   - Allow the sleep function to be provided (so that
     various alternatives other than time.sleep can
diff --git a/fasteners/__init__.py b/fasteners/__init__.py
index fe4bb17..2425d65 100644
--- a/fasteners/__init__.py
+++ b/fasteners/__init__.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+from fasteners.lock import locked  # noqa
 from fasteners.lock import read_locked  # noqa
 from fasteners.lock import write_locked  # noqa
 
diff --git a/fasteners/lock.py b/fasteners/lock.py
index 2b66256..7393fe4 100644
--- a/fasteners/lock.py
+++ b/fasteners/lock.py
@@ -17,12 +17,19 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+try:
+    from contextlib import ExitStack  # noqa
+except ImportError:
+    from contextlib2 import ExitStack  # noqa
+
 import collections
 import contextlib
 import threading
 
 import six
 
+from fasteners import _utils
+
 try:
     # Used for the reader-writer lock get the right
     # thread 'hack' (needed below).
@@ -228,3 +235,63 @@ class ReaderWriterLock(object):
                 with self._cond:
                     self._writer = None
                     self._cond.notify_all()
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def try_lock(lock):
+    """Attempts to acquire a lock, and auto releases if acquired (on exit)."""
+    # NOTE(harlowja): the keyword argument for 'blocking' does not work
+    # in py2.x and only is fixed in py3.x (this adjustment is documented
+    # and/or debated in http://bugs.python.org/issue10789); so we'll just
+    # stick to the format that works in both (oddly the keyword argument
+    # works in py2.x but only with reentrant locks).
+    was_locked = lock.acquire(False)
+    try:
+        yield was_locked
+    finally:
+        if was_locked:
+            lock.release()
+
+
+def locked(*args, **kwargs):
+    """A locking **method** decorator.
+
+    It will look for a provided attribute (typically a lock or a list
+    of locks) on the first argument of the function decorated (typically this
+    is the 'self' object) and before executing the decorated function it
+    activates the given lock or list of locks as a context manager,
+    automatically releasing that lock on exit.
+
+    NOTE(harlowja): if no attribute name is provided then by default the
+    attribute named '_lock' is looked for (this attribute is expected to be
+    the lock/list of locks object/s) in the instance object this decorator
+    is attached to.
+    """
+
+    def decorator(f):
+        attr_name = kwargs.get('lock', '_lock')
+
+        @six.wraps(f)
+        def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            attr_value = getattr(self, attr_name)
+            if isinstance(attr_value, (tuple, list)):
+                with ExitStack() as stack:
+                    for lock in attr_value:
+                        stack.enter_context(lock)
+                    return f(self, *args, **kwargs)
+            else:
+                lock = attr_value
+                with lock:
+                    return f(self, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        return wrapper
+
+    # This is needed to handle when the decorator has args or the decorator
+    # doesn't have args, python is rather weird here...
+    if kwargs or not args:
+        return decorator
+    else:
+        if len(args) == 1:
+            return decorator(args[0])
+        else:
+            return decorator
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 9dc0030..03b212b 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ with open("README.rst", "r") as readme:
 
 install_requires = [
     'six',
+    # Only needed for <= python 3.3, replace me with requirement
+    # markers in the future...
+    'contextlib2',
 ]
 
 setup(