Lock Picking and its Important Tools & Equipment

Lock picking is the method of unlocking any lock without using original keys. lock picking requires analyzing and manipulating lock components and unlocking or opening the device without the original key. It is said that the ideal lock picking should not damage the lock anyhow. Certain professionals use lock picking as one of the most important skills of a locksmith.

Lock picking is easy, common locks can be easily opened using various tools such as drill, bolt cutters, a bump key, or a hydraulic jack. There are several lock pick kits available today and can be purchased easily. Many different lock pick sets are present, nine-piece sets and a 32-piece set are most widely used. The modern lock pick sets are equipped with a pick gun or other kind of bump key.

Important Lock Picking Tools

A traditional set of pin lock pick consists of torsion wrenches, hook pick, half diamond-steep angle, snake rake, half diamond-shallow angle, S-rake pick, double round pick and long double ended pick.

Torsion Wrench
The torsion wrench or tension wrench, is used to apply torque to the plug of a lock. The torsion wrench is very vital tool of a lock pick set as it used to turn the lock plug and open the lock. Tension wrench is shaped like alphabet “L”. Other torsion wrench tools, are like tweezers. The tweezers shaped torsion wrenches are used for car locks.

Bump keys
Bump keys are secondary keys modified to resemble with the original key. Bump key consists of several grooves and dots to correspond to the original key combination.

Warded pick
The warded pick, also known as skeleton key, is used for opening warded locks. A warded lock is a type of lock that uses a set of obstructions known as wards, to secure the lock. Warded pick is similar to any normal key, but has been altered to bypass the wards placed inside the lock. Warded pick is also used for card locks to open locks used in hotels and private organizations.

Pick Gun / Snap Gun
A snap gun, popularly known as pick gun, is a lock picking tool used to forcibly open a pin tumbler lock or cylinder lock without using the original key. A metal rod is inserted into the lock and the snap gun inserts the metal rod against all the lock pins to free the pins and open the lock. A metal rod is inserted into the lock and snap gun immediately adjusts the rod against all the possible lock pins simultaneously. When snap gun adjusts the metal rod across the lock pins, lock cylinder is made free and turned using a torsion wrench.