Thanks to “themaceisback” from our forums for submitting this one to us. It has been reformatted and edited for publication on our home page. -java
This is a tutorial for picking pin-tumbler locks, they are the most commonly used on houses. On special request I (themaceisback) can give tutorials on other types of locks, such as wafer and double-wafer locks.
WARNING: IT IS ILLEGAL TO HAVE LOCK PICKS ON YOURSELF WHILE WALKING AROUND UNLESS YOU ARE A LOCKSMITH AND CAN PROVE THAT THEY ARE FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES. IN SOME STATES LOCK PICKS ARE ILLEGAL TO OWN OUTSIDE OF CERTIFIED BUSINESSES. IT IS ALSO ILLEGAL TO PICK ANY LOCK THAT YOU NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO PICK. I AM IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE IS YOU GET IN TROUBLE BY PICKING ANY LOCKS. THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND THIS INFORMATION SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN REAL LIFE.
How A Lock Works:
To understand how to pick a lock you must understand how a lock works. Todays pin-tumbler locks are based on an ancient Egyptian design. By inserting a key you align up a set of pins that each have 2 pins, the top pin and the bottom pin. They are cut at different lengths and the shear line is different for each. The shear line is the point where the pins line up with the shell of the lock and frees up the lock to be opened. By inserting a key the shear line lines up with the shell of the lock and therefore can be turned. If the wrong key is inserted, some shear lines don’t match up, and when the lock is turned, and because those pins are in the way, the lock does not open.
How To Pick A Lock:
To pick the lock you must have a tension wrench and a lock pick (a diamond pick, hook pick, or a simple snake rake will do).
- Diamond Pick
- Hook Pick
- Snake Rake
- Tension Wrench
It is hard to tell what a tension wrench looks like from this picture, but it is a small flat piece of metal bent at a 90 degree angle. You can make one at home by extensively grinding down a torc wrench until it is flat.
- First off you insert the tension wrench into the side of the lock which doesn’t have the pins.(It is the side closest to the outside of the tube. Part of the lock won’t reach the very outside of the tube, and that is the part that houses the pins.)
- Next, put a little pressure on the tension wrench so that the tube will spin towards the inside of the door, but going up.For instance, if you were on the outside of the door, and the handle was on the left, you would put pressure on the tension wrench so that it would spin clockwise, and the exact opposite for if the lock is on the right of the door from the outside.
Picking with a hook or diamond pick:
- Once you have tension on the wrench insert your diamond or hook pick into to the lock and giggling it until it reaches the end of the lock.
- There, you find the pin with your pick and slowly push down on your end of the lock pick so that the front end goes up.
- Once you feel and hear a “click” stop lifting up and pull the pick out a bit so that you come to the nest pin and so on.
- Repeat that on all of the pins.
If the lock doesn’t open, you have pushed a pin to far up and is blocking the tube from spinning. If that happens, slowly release the pressure, so that the pin that is blocking the tube will fall and the tube will spin. If it doesn’t spin, repeat until it does.Picking with a snake rake:
A rake is the easy way to pick a lock. After you insert the tension wrench and apply pressure insert the snake rake into the back of the lock and then pull sharply out. Repeat several times with the method of slowly releasing pressure and your lock should open!
Have fun picking, legally.
I would suggest Tactical Innovations Inc. for lock picks and lock pick guns.
Note: Tutorial Ninjas or “themaceisback” is not responsible for any inflictions or penalties you may face when performing this tutorial.
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That’s actually kinda cool
Good for me incase I ever lose my keys and I need to get in my house.
As is written in many places across the web, lock-picks can be fashioned from any number of things. To get an idea of width, one might consider locating a lost street-sweeper bristol. Also, Hacksaw blades have proven excellent for such a task; you can find information on this by simply googling “lockpick + hacksaw,” or any other such combination of words. I would doubt you’ll find video tutorials of such matters on youtube.com.
You could also make a simple bump key… Use a house key grind down the ridges using a file to the size of the smallest bump on the particular house key (try tracing it with a sharpy first) and then all you have to do is insert put a little pressure on the key and hit it into the lock… the key can get jammed if you dont know how to use one…
i think this is a pretty good tutorial but where can i get a lock pick?
I agree, Lief. Bump keys can be easily utilized on any number of mundane locks. “Simple,” however, I fear may be an improper term; sure, easy enough to have a locksmith grind down a key to the 999 settings, but not so easy to guestimate that depth with inadequate tools, preparation, consideration, etc. But, nevertheless, I agree — bump keys are effective, to say the least.
As far as attaining a lockpick goes, c’mon, now, you have the internet — be creative. But, seeing as how you requested information, a proper place to purchase locksmithing products would be, appropriately dubbed, http://www.lockpicks.com/
Lockpicking is an amazing skill, and easily picked up. I’m currently to the point where I could spend a half-hour walking around “down-town” searchign for sreetsweepers. After the half hour, I’d surely have two, and, with no alteration, I could just as easily penetrate multiple padlocks on trailers, garages, etc, and much more. It’s like I’ve always said, “Security is merely a state of mind.” Or, I guess, a deceptive sense. Anyway, cheers!
P.S. Note that I’m no thief, and I was merely depicting my level of skill within your mind via telepathy… in other words, words.
ummm… im a little kid and where else can i get a pick lock…i dont have a grinder and no money or easy transportation.
another good thing to use is the thin metal peices in a windsheild wiper blade. just kind of grind it ddown a little thinner and u got ur self a lock pick and u can bend the other half of the metal into a tension wrench. it works good but i still dont know how to use them. i dont know how to insert the tension wrench or how to use the pick its self.
if u know how or have any diagrams i would really appreaciate it if u could help me out!!!!!!!
if u do email me at “masterdragon92@hotmail.com”
U need about 3 good lockpicks made from for example cheap steak knifes they cost 2,50 for 6 then u need a permanent marker and a grinder to make them and a glass water to cool off the metal during the job. it takes about 10-15 min each to make, then u most polish it a little and cut it off the plastic handle to make it shorter and make it about the same size as a real key with a keyring hole the drillingpart takes a few min more. then its ready