Lock Picking: A Brief Introduction

December 13, 2024

Lock picking is a skill that elicits a lot of different feelings in people when it is brought up. For some they think of crafty criminals breaking into homes, while others think of spies employing discreet tools to ply their trade. While both these situations can be true, the reality of lock picking is that is a skill that prepared minded people value for both emergency and everyday situations. The negative stigma around lock picking stems from It is a common misconception that lock pick sets are illegal. Most states and municipalities have no restrictions on carrying lock picks beyond the intent to use them in a crime. It should also be noted that most basic lock picking sets are inexpensive and accessible to everyone.

Before we get into how to pick a lock, let’s look at some of the practical reasons why we would need to pick a lock.

Practical Everyday Lock Picking

One of the most common reasons to learn how to pick a lock is due to one of the most benign and common situations people face on a regular basis; they got locked out of the house. This is exactly why I got started. After locking myself out of the house and having to climb all over my house to try and find an open window. I was eventually able to kick in a small basement window and squeeze myself through it.

Now I could have spent a few hundred dollars and had a locksmith come out, but for the price of a few bruises and scrapes I learned some valuable lessons. First, was that my home security was lacking because of those basement windows, and second was if I had lock picking skills and a lock pick set, I could have easily avoided any discomfort in this instance.

Since then, I have been in a few situations that being able to pick locks proved valuable. I have found myself returning later than expected during a day hike to find the parking lot gate locked. Being able to quickly bypass the pad lock and relock the gate allowed me to egress from the parking lot and saved the park ranger a trip. This is a more common occurrence than people think as I have spoken with at least 3 other avid outdoors people who have been in a similar situation.

Beyond that there have been quite a few pad locks that have had lost keys and dial locks that we have long since lost the combinations to that needed to be opened. With all these examples it is clear to see knowing how to pick a lock can aid us on a day-to-day basis, but what benefits does this serve in an emergency?

Lock Picking in an Emergency

In emergencies, especially in urban environments, the ability to pick a lock can help us access supplies, obtain shelter, or egress an otherwise closed off area. A story that was on the news last year comes to mind. In upstate New York there was a major winter storm that left numerous people stranded in their vehicles. The quick thinking of one man saved several lives when he opted to break into a local school and gather people from assorted vehicles to take shelter indoors.

While this action was technically breaking and entering no charges were filed because of the nature of the emergency. In this case a window was broken, resulting in repair expenses. If anyone in the group was proficient at lock picking and had a lock pick set with them the people could people would have been able to access life saving shelter without the need to destroy any property.

How to Pick a Lock

When we look at the question “how to pick a lock” there isn’t really a single straight forward answer. This is mainly due to the large number of different lock pick sets and tools available and all the different types of locks that exist. You can take any lock, from the simplistic Master lock all the way to cylinder key locks and even electronic locking systems and there will be numerous tools out there to bypass each of them.

“Lock Sport” is a term that you may come across while researching lock picking. This refers to lock picking as a hobby and in some cases a competitive sport. As with many skills and tools that move into the realm of hobbyists, there will be many opinions out there as to what tools are great and what tools are not so great. For the novice or those who are just interested in learning how to pick locks for emergency preparedness, it is best to avoid the hype of the latest and greatest and stick with some of the tried-and-true classics.

Ultimately, learning how to pick or bypass locks comes down to having the proper tools and a lot of practice. Let’s look at some of the basic tools used to bypass common locks and how they function.

Anatomy of a Lock and How Lock Picks Work

The inside of most standard locks looks remarkably similar. Inside of a rotating cylinder there are several pins attached to springs which must be pushed up to certain levels to release the lock. The grooves in our keys are designed to precisely do this.

When we are picking a lock, instead of using a key we are using small tools to manually push the pins into place. There are several distinct types of picks out there, some are designed to push single pins while others are designed to move multiple pins at once.

Beginner Lock Pick Sets and Tools

Beginners lock pick sets typically include 3 different types of picks and at least one torsion wrench. The torsion wrench is a simple tool that allows the lock to be turned into the open position once the lock picks have done their job. For most people mastering a beginner set will give them the skills and tools they need to open most common locks that use keys including padlocks and door locks.

For a beginner, a rake style pick will be the most common. The rake pick has several bumps that will move pins into place by sliding the rake across the pins into place. When the pins are moved into place a torsion wrench can be used to turn the lock face to an open position.

Another tool that beginners should learn to use is the single hook pick. While this pick will only allow one pin to be moved at a time and is significantly slower than rake picking, it allows novices to get a better feel for what a lock is made of and how it works. Just like the rake pick, a torsion wrench will be used to turn the lock to an open position.

The last type of lock pick that is usually found in beginner pick sets is the comb pick. The name itself is a bit of a misnomer as it is not a pick at all but a bypass tool. The comb pick works by mimicking a key as push all the pins up at one time. While this is fast, comb picks typically only work on low quality pad locks and will not open most high-quality locks including house door locks.

Common Bypass Tools

We discussed the comb pick being a bypass tool, but what exactly is a bypass tool and how does it differ from a lock pick? To put it simply, a lock pick allows the user to manually engage individual pins while a bypass tool is designed to completely go around the security measures built into locks. Bypass tools are not as versatile as lock picks, each one is designed for certain types of locks. While they lack the versatility of traditional lock picks with a little practice, they can typically defeat their intended lock in seconds.

Combs: These are designed to defeat cylinder locks commonly found in Master brand and other similar styled locks. There are different comb lengths that work for unique styles of locks. Combs work by inserting the come into the lock face which will push all the pins up to disengage the lock.

Quick Sticks: This simple bypass tool is designed to bypass low quality padlocks by completely bypassing the pins and directly disengaging the lock. Simply insert into the lock face and push it up to disengage the lock clasp.

Jiggler: This bypass tool is designed to defeat Wafer locks. Wafer locks are named after the flat wafers used internally instead of pins. These types of locks can be found on some mailboxes, filing cabinets, desk drawers, older car locks, and on RV’s. Wafer locks present a unique challenge as the internal parts can be easily damaged if the wrong key is used or in aggressive picking making it unable to disengage without physically removing the lock. To use a jiggler bypass tool simply insert it into the lock face and gently move it around until the lock can be disengaged. It is important to note that cars locks require specific types of jigglers that are becoming increasingly ineffective due to electronic lock technology.

Decoder Shims: These bypass tools are designed to defeat locks without keys such as luggage lock and combination padlocks. Like quick sticks, the decoder shim is pushed up through the side of the number dial to quickly disengage the locking clasp.

Practice Locks

While not an actual lock picking tool, practice locks are essential to helping the novice develop their skill set. Practice locks offer a cut away window to allow the user to see what is going on inside the lock while they are practicing picking. These provide a deep sense of how a lock works and how each of the tools we are using impacts the internal components of the lock.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

By reading the descriptions of how each of these tools work it makes it sound easy to do. I would not classify any basic lock picking activity as difficult, but it does require finesse and dexterity that is only developed through practice. Starting with practice locks and moving to standard locks is a fantastic way to get a feel for both your tools and a feel for distinct types of locks and brands of locks.

I mentioned finesse for a particularly good reason, while lock picks are tools, they are delicate precision tools. Applying too much force even to high end hardened steel and titanium lock picks will result in bending and snapping. In the beginning of your lock picking journey slow and steady wins the race!

Final Thoughts

This covers the very basics of picking locks and using bypass tools. With these tools and some practice, you will be able to defeat most common locks and be well on your way to being a more prepared person. Lock picking has many practical day-to-day applications and will serve you well in many emergencies.

There is no need to stop at the basics, the art of lock picking lock goes much deeper. There are many specialty tools, options for more advanced lock types, and even electronic lock bypass tools that can be used!

Nick’s Personal Lock Pick Sets and Bypass Tools

The sheer number of different lock pick sets and bypass tools on the market can be overwhelming for those new to the art of lock picking. Here are some of the tools that I use and rely on to get the job done.

image of a tuff possum entry kit lock pick kit

Main Kit: Tuff Possum Entry Kit

The Tuff Possum Entry Kit is a compact kit that includes all the basics you need to get most jobs lock picking jobs done. The Entry Kit has 3 different double side torsion wrenches allowing you to apply 6 different levels of tension. The kit also includes 5 different picks, 3 rakes, a hook, and a half diamond. All 5 picks are held together by a rivet so nothing gets lost, and you can easily switch tools if needed. There is also a bypass tool set also held together by a rivet that includes 3 combs, 2 jigglers and a quick stick. There are also two standalone EZ Decoders. This setup gives you everything a beginner user needs to get started and effectively pick locks. For carry I keep it all in the optional Compact Lock Pick Case which tucks discreetly into any pants pocket and some coin pockets.

The Entry Kit also includes a few more advanced tools which includes a set of warded lock picks used specifically for warded locks and an EZ Card that can easily bypass many locked latch doors such as gates and home interior doors.

This has been my go-to set for a while due to the compact size, versatility, and quality steel construction of the tools. The compact size can make these tools a little hard for a new user to practice with fortunately Tuff Possum also offers an affordable beginner kit with full sized tools. The pick profiles and tension wrenches match the picks in the entry set, so moving from the beginner kit to the entry kit will be easy!

Discreet Carry Option

The Tuff Possum Entry kit is very compact, but I also like to account for the times where I may need to not have items in my pocket or in the event should I become separated from my primary lock picking set.

Tuff Possum Bogota Set with Covert Key Slip: This simple set has a Bogota Quad Rake and a Single Hook Pick with the backsides of each acting as a tension wrench. While not as versatile as a full set, the ability to easily attach to my pants button with the Covert Key Slip or stash in my Wazoo Cache Cap as part of my compact SERE Kit ensures I have back up lock picks at my disposal.

Wilderness Option

When out in the wilderness, there may not be a need for a full-sized lock picking kit, but as we discussed earlier there are moments when we may need to defeat a lock. Having some tools available rounds out my wilderness survival kit.

Grim Workshop “Sparrow Bushcraft” Signature Survival Card: Grim Workshop is known for making super compact survival tools in the form of dog tags, Altoid tin sets, and their popular survival cards. While there are a number of cards that fall into the realm of lock picking and escape and evasion, one card stands out for having both quality lock picks and a few vital wilderness tools, The Sparrow Bushcraft Signature Survival Card.

This collaboration with Bill Roque also known as Sparrow Bushcraft, combines his passion for lock picking with his passion for the great outdoors. This survival card has a few useful pick styles, a four-pin comb bypass tool, multi-step Tension wrenches and two serrated saws that double as tweezers. The card itself is about the size of a credit card, so it tucks discreetly into my wallet along with a Wazoo Fire Card to cover some of my outdoor survival essentials.

These tools are all made from high quality stainless steel, designed to be used, and can be reused! They fit back into their original positions on the card thanks to some tacky back material.