Tumbler lock picking tools

This is an added security feature as it only allows the user to insert keys with that exact same warding. It also helps hold the key snug in the plug when inserted.

Manufacturers can sometimes get really creative with the warding—such as paracentric keyways. The pin chambers—also referred to as pin wells—are a series of holes that are drilled in a straight line through the housing into the plug. These holes are what contain the pins and springs. Besides housing the pins, their secondary purpose is to guide the pins in and out of the plug and cylinder. As we will see later, these pin chambers play a significant role in our ability to pick locks!

The purpose of the key is to lift the pins to the correct position and remove them from obstructing the shear line. If you would like to learn more about the key, check out my deep dive on the 9 parts of a key here.

However, for this guide, let's briefly cover the four most important parts of the functionality of the key:. As you can see, when the key is shoved into the plug, it pushes upward on the key pins. Because the bitting of the key and the lengths of the key pins have been cut to match, the key pins will rise flush with the shear line causing the driver pins to fully exit the plug. When the gap between the key pins and the driver pins is exactly that of the shear line, the key can rotate the plug and disengage the lock.

There are a ton of ways to open a pin tumbler lock without a key , but here are a few of the most common ways. It's accomplished by using lock picking tools to manipulate the key pins to the shear line—essentially mimicking the action of the key. Lock picking is very subtle and, when mastered, is very effective against nearly every pin tumbler lock.

Lock picking is quite simple and if you would like to dive deeper into this awesome craft, check out my step-by-step lock picking guide here. Lock pick guns are an alternative lock picking tool that utilizes a thin metal needle that can be inserted into the keyway under the key pins.

When the trigger is pulled, the needle will flick into the key pins causing them to retract towards the shear line. With each pull of the trigger, pins will be violently thrown to the shear line. Some will set, while the rest will fall back into the plug. However, with enough finesse and time, each of the pins will eventually set at the shear line, and the lock will open.

Pick guns can be effective tools against many locks, but they can also fall short against additional security features. That being said, these additional security features can typically be bypassed using traditional lock picking techniques. Lock bumping is a quick and dirty method to bypass pin tumbler locks and requires a special tool called a "bump key. A bump key is any key in which all the cuts are cut to the maximum depth of 9—which makes the bitting look like sharp teeth.

The bump key is then inserted part-way into the lock and struck with a bump hammer or other similar object. With every bump the pins will be thrown to the shear line and potentially set.

After several bumps— and if done correctly— all the pins will set at the shear line, and the lock will open. Comb picks are unique little tools that look like combs and can simultaneously move all the pin stacks completely out of the plug.

By over lifting the pins and removing them from the plug, there will no longer be any obstruction to the shear line, and the lock will open freely. Most lock cylinders are not built to withstand destructive attacks. A common material used to produce the pins and plug is brass, which is very soft and easy to destroy. By drilling a keyway at the shear line, you can destroy the pins and widen the shear line—after which the plug will rotate freely, and the lock will open.

There are higher quality locks that implement additional security features aimed to battle destructive entry. For example, to thwart drilling attempts, lock manufacturers will place a stainless steel ball-bearing in front of the pin stack or make the first pin steel rather than soft brass.

Just like the locks of ancient Egypt, modern-day pin tumbler locks are simplistic devices whose functionality simply relies on obstructing a shear line. It is no more complex than sticking a pencil through two pieces of paper and locking them together. That being said, the pin tumbler lock is vulnerable to a variety of bypasses and attacks and should never be solely relied on. The best way to truly secure yourself is to layer your security using a variety of systems —the pin tumbler lock being just one of these systems.

To master the art of lock picking, we need to fully understand the vocabulary and components of the common pin tumbler lock. By fully understanding each of these parts, we as lock pickers can go beyond simply picking and probing and instead truly understand the effect each of our actions has on the lock. I hope you enjoyed this guide and if you would like to learn more about lock picking and security, consider checking out my Academy for more free guides.

Also, if you are interested in learning lock picking, be sure to stop by the shop and check out our selection of beginner lock pick sets. Forgot your password? Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password. You can use the tools for your purpose.

See, there are numerous kinds of locks available in the market but the ones that are most popular and found on a majority of doors are the pin tumbler locks. So, in this guide, we will discuss how to pick a pin tumbler lock, in order to keep it more generalized.

Before learning the procedure of picking a lock, you need to understand how it actually works. So, here is how pin tumbler locks work :. Talking about the design of tumbler locks, it has been there since a very long time, BC to be accurate. So, it is naturally more complex than the other type of locks which is another reason for its widespread use. Generally, this lock features a cylindrical casing on its outer part in which you house a plug for opening it.

There is a tiny gap between the outer cylindrical casing and the plug which is known as the shear line. The plug is where the key to open a lock is. When you insert the right key into this plug, it gets rotated and the lock unlocks. Further, on the top of this plug, there are about 5 or 6 holes that contain the key pins of varying lengths.

These are named as pins because they come in contact with the key when you insert it into the plug. On top of the series of pins, there are spring-loaded driver pins for each pin which are often called "binding pins". So, for rotating the plug, you'll need to lift each key pin along with its respective driver pin or binding pin up to a certain height so the gap between the binding pins and key pins come to the shear line.

On reaching this level, the plug gets rotated. Picking a lock is not rocket science, all you need is the right tools and the proper knowledge of using them. That's how simple it is to pick a lock. Although there are a number of tools that can be used for picking a lock, in this guide we will focus on the most important and common tools: pick rakes and a good quality tension wrench.

You can easily get these tools from your local market and to enjoy great deals and offers, buy them online. Make sure to get the sturdy tools, they shouldn't bend or break while performing the job. Moreover, you can also use a hairpin or a paperclip for picking a lock but we recommend using the special tools if you're a beginner.

After gaining some experience, you will be able to open a lock with a paperclip as well. Using the tension wrench in the right way is the secret to getting success at lock picking.

So, pick your good quality tension wrench and insert into the very bottom of the keyhole with a little pressure. Apply the pressure in the same direction you'd do with the original key. Avoid applying too much pressure as it can cause the binding pins to go below the shear line which you don't want.

Just apply enough pressure so that the driver pins lift up and go above the shear line. You might be wondering, how much pressure is too much pressure? If the tension wrench is bending excessively, know that you're applying a lot of pressure. So, keep the pressure to a minimum.

Next, take your pick and insert it into the top of the lock. A good idea is to use a rake with multiple ridges as it can be used for a variety of locks easily. Slide it all the way to the back of your lock. Keep putting light pressure on the wrench using your left hand. Left hand because this way you can avoid putting a lot of pressure. Using your right hand, rake the plug with the pick. When you pick it back, keep lifting it to get an idea of pressure on the pins.

Keep repeating this motion or say procedure of applying light pressure on the wrench until the lock is picked.

You might feel the need for more pressure and torque on the pins as you get close to the last two or three pins. If you're not getting any success at opening the lock, know that you're applying too much pressure with the tension wrench.

Don't panic, and allow the pins to reset and start again and don't apply a lot of pressure this time. Go very light-handed. That's it. This is all you need to do in order to pick a lock. This method can be used for picking a variety of pin tumbler locks. This method is called scrubbing.