Lock Picking Tools

In movies, we see people pick locks with a hair clip, a credit card, and other things that are immediately available. Believe it or not, lock picking is a professional trade that requires tools of high quality. These are locksmiths and people who just others who have been locked out of their home or car. Despite the dubious reputation that lock picking has had because it is associated with criminal activity, it is legal to have lock picking tools and are a requisite for the professional lock pickers.

The first category of lock picking tools are tension tools. Tension tools work by placing torsion on the inside of the lock to open it. For this reason, this type of tools are more often called torsion tools or torsion wrenches. The basic torsion tools are l-shaped and are inserted into the lock. There are also tension tools which are circular springs that have a pressure button that regulates the amount of torsion applied. Yet another kind is the wrench called feather touch which turns into a L-shape after it coils.

The second category of lock picking tools are pin/tumbler and wafer picks. As the name suggests, these picks are specially designed for pin/tumbler and wafer locks which are  used all over  North America and the United Kingdom. This group of picks can be bought in sets of nine to thirty two pieces. Every piece in the set has a specific function. A set typically contains a tension wrench,  warded picks, slagel picks, rake picks, hook pics, and half-diamond picks. Warded picks (more popularly known as skeleton keys) are for locks that are opened by keys that have a typical shape. Slagel picks are apt for electronic locks. Rake picks repeatedly slide against the pins inside until they unlock. Hook picks are best for traditional locks. Half-diamond picks are used on pin locks.

The third and final category of lock picking tools are pick guns. The regular torsion wrench is used for pick guns. There are manual and electric pick guns. The electric ones vibrate and are frequently used for locks made of aircraft aluminum or hard steel. Whereas, the manual one contains a trigger that makes an upward motion that in turn makes the pins in the lock jump and eventually open. The manual kind is preferred by most locksmiths. Having a pick gun entails mastering timing, the pick gun will do the rest. Because they are easy to maneuver and saves time, pick guns are the favorite of many locksmiths.