5 STeps To Selecting The PErfect Lock Pick set! ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Art of Lock Picking Presents *** The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide art-of-lockpicking.com COPYRIGHT: © 2020-2021 ART OF LOCK PICKING Page 1 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Introduction In today’s world, buying things is harder than ever. With so many options plaguing the market, choosing between products feels like pulling a number out of a hat – you never know what you are going to get. Deciding which types of lock picks to include in your first lock pick set is no exception! With all the squiggly and hooky things out there to buy, how does anyone trying to learn how to pick a lock to know what is good and what is not? The purpose of this guide is to break down the confusion surrounding the different types of lock picks and give you a solid understanding of some of the more common and useful lock picks. The Different Types of Tools When it comes to picking the pin tumbler lock, there are only three different types of tools: 1. Hooks 2. Rakes 3. Tensioning Tools Every tool out there falls under one of these three categories. So let's briefly cover everything you need to get a running start at lock picking! Page 2 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Hooks Hooks are narrow and pointy types of lock picks that are very pinpoint and precise within the lock. This precision makes them ideal weapons for single pin picking where you are required to locate and manipulate one pin at a time. There are a variety of different styles of hooks that range from different lengths to different shapes. However, all perform the same task of manipulating individual pins one at a time. The absolute best hook to start with is the standard short hook as shown above! Rakes Rakes are basically the opposite of the hook. They are typically erratic looking and are designed with a ton of humps and bumps that helps them manipulate as many pins as possible in the shortest amount of time. This makes them ideal for raking where you rapidly and randomly pull them across the pins with the goal of setting multiple pins at once. Just like the hook, there is a wide variety of rakes. However, all perform the same task of manipulating multiple pins at the same time. The absolute best rake to start with as a beginner is the Bogota as shown above! Page 3 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Tensioning Tools Funny enough the most important lock picking tool is one very few non-pickers know about. It's called a tensioning tool! The tensioning tool is used to apply torque to the plug and bind the pins. Without this tool, lock picking is impossible. There are several different styles of tensioning tools that all perform the task of applying "tension" to the lock's plug. However, the absolute best type to start with is called the "straight tension wrench" as shown above. I highly recommend grabbing several different sizes for different sized locks and keyways! The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide Step #1 - Recognize That Less is More Alright so this was originally step #3, however it is so important that I felt it should be on the front and center of this list. If there is but one piece of advice that you take from this guide, let it be this: The truth is, you really don’t need that much to start lock picking — actually you don’t need much at any skill level. Most tools are fluff. They are nice to have and can make things easier in specific circumstances, but in essence, are all slight variations of the same tool with very small differences in utility. Page 4 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Buying—or feeling like you need to buy—a HUGE set of lock picks is one of the greatest beginner traps you can fall into. Think of a lock pick set as a box of crayons. Yes, having that massive box of every color known to man will help sketch a more detailed drawing, but really all you need is a couple of basic colors to draw and shade any picture effectively. A green dog with pink-eye may not be the prettiest, but dammit it’s still a dog and it just wants to love you. Furthermore, progressing your skills is about developing your senses and recognizing patterns based on those sensations. As a beginner, swapping between 17 different tools will only give you 17 different variations of the same feedback. It can be very difficult to learn anything when the information you receive is always changing. So even if you desire to own every pick ever made, for the sake of getting better — RESIST – , at least as a beginner! Step #2 - Identify Your Level Of InvestAlright, so the next step is to have an honest conversation with yourself and ask, "how serious am I about wanting to learn this craft. You likely fall under one of three categories: 1. Curious, but don't want to spend a lot of money trying it out. In this scenario, you are best served with two simple lock picks and a set of tensioning tools. I would suggest that these two picks and set of tensioning tools be: 1. Short Hook, such as Peterson Hook 1 (or similar from other manufacturer) 2. Bogota, such as Peterson Bogie 3 (or similar from other manufacturer) 3. Set of Tension Wrenches, such as Peterson 6 Piece Tension Wrench Set (or similar from another manufacturer) Page 5 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ 2. Already Know they are interested and plan to pick a variety of locks. If you fall under this category, you should look for a high-quality small form set of lock picks. My favorite beginner lock pick set is the Peterson GSP Ghost set. It provides you with an excellent selection of lock picks and tensioning tools—all of which are in surgical grade 420 stainless steel. The lock picks also include plastic molded handles that will keep the picks from digging into your fingers. If the GSP Ghost set doesn't tickle your pickle, I would highly suggest looking for a set that has a similar setup! 2. Have never been more serious about anything in your life!! For these individuals, I would suggest snagging a larger pick set that is somewhat hook heavy. My personal favorite is the GSP Governer Lock Pick Set! Step #3 - Quality Over Quantity Lock picks are thin and fragile creatures by nature that are designed for the simple purpose of opposing the force of a small spring and the slight amount of friction caused by binding pins. But regardless of their fragile nature, beginners tend to have a very heavy hand while picking and are typically very abusive to their picks — often without knowing it. If you choose picks made of a poor material they could easily break or bend — either of which makes it difficult to continue using the tool. Page 6 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Many cheaper picks, like those found on Amazon, are simply stamped out of very soft and malleable steel that will bend and break very easily. Whatever route you go, invest in some degree of quality lock picks and stay away from Amazon! When it comes to the quality of the material used, remember that it typically costs considerably less to start with quality picks than it does to replace cheaper ones several times over. Step #4 - Turning Tools Are King It is said that lock picking is 90% how you use your tensioning tools (turning tools for the purists) and 10% everything else. I tend to agree. With the exception of practice, tensioning is the single most important aspect of lock picking, yet it is the most overlooked and undervalued. Without the feedback tensioning provides we are but lost souls, forever probing the dark depths of the lock looking for any sign of life, yet finding none. As a beginner, developing your skill in lock picking is directly correlated to developing your sense of feel and identifying the feedback the lock gives you. To this end, it is important that when starting out you do everything in your power to maximize the feedback you are receiving. This will help you to identify what certain feedback means and, as a result, significantly increasing your lock picking skills. Mastering your tension control can make the most significant difference in your lock picking skills! To this end you need a large enough variety of turning tools to match the massive variety of keyways—both shape and size. Always remember that turning tools are king! Page 7 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Many cheaper picks, like those found on Amazon, are simply stamped out of very soft and malleable steel that will bend and break very easily. Whatever route you go, invest in some degree of quality lock picks and stay away from Amazon! When it comes to the quality of the material used, remember that it typically costs considerably less to start with quality picks than it does to replace cheaper ones several times over. Step #5 - Pick Thickness Pick thickness is the metal gauge of the pick and is determined by the stock sheet that manufacturers cut their picks from. There are essentially two categories of thickness to consider: Standard (.025"): Picks that are .025" thick will typically fit nicely in most pin tumbler locks. Because beginning pickers can be very heavy-handed and abusive to their tools, it’s best to start off with these thicker picks. Note also that that majority of locks can be conquered using a .025" pick, it's mostly a matter of finesse. Slender / Slimline (0.015" through 0.022"): Eventually you will run into locks with tighter or more restrictive keyways and as such you will likely need thinner picks. These thinner picks are typically sold within the range of .015” and .022", although manufactures can sometimes vary from these standards. It's just important to know when you get slender or slimline picks, they will typically fall in the ballpark of these two standard gauge ranges. When selecting a gauge there are typically two considerations... Page 8 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ Where you live: Many European and Japanese locks by nature have smaller more narrow keyways, so if you live in these parts of the world, you may wish to consider snagging a slimmer pick to complement your set. However, if you live in North American you likely won’t need anything this thin until you reach more intermediate to advance locks with very restrictive keyways as most North American locks have very wide open keyways. Your level of experience: If you are just starting out, I would highly recommend starting out with 0.025" thick pick. As a beginner, you very likely won't be picking anything that will require thinner gauge picks. Also using slimmer picks in wider keyways means you will lose the side to side lateral support for your pick that a narrow keyway provides. If you are heavy-handed – which most beginners are – you may find that these picks will try to flex sideways which can lead to them bending or even breaking. So in conclusion, stick with the thickest pick you possibly can – especially as a beginner. Once you've learned to be gentle with your tools or have reached locks with more constricted keyways, then it's time to invest in a couple of slimmer picks, but until then, your standard picks will serve you well. Page 9 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ WHAT IS NEXT? I hope that this little ebook broke any confusion or frustration that you may have had about getting started in this awesome craft! While it takes a lot of time and practice to master lock picking, it truly isn't as hard as it first seems. By simply practicing 15 - 20 minutes a day, you'll find yourself accomplishing things with those little metal tools that you likely once thought impossible. But beyond this guide, what's next? As your skill grows, so should your knowledge. Consider joining a lock picking community like The Art of Lock Picking Academy Facebook Group. We have a very active community full of new and experienced lock pickers, all helping each other become the best that they can be! Also, be sure to check out our Academy and Blog for new guides, techniques, and tips! If you have any questions, comments, or any awesome ideas of how I can make this beginner’s guide better, feel free to throw me an email here. I always love to hear from you guys! Until next time, Happy Picking!!! Page 10 ~The 5 Step Lock Pick Buyers Guide~ VISIT US AT art-of-lockpicking.com Disclaimer: This Information is strictly to inform and not to be used in any malicious manner. Pick locks you own or have clear permission from the owner of that lock to pick. Know your local laws and stay safe! Copyright: © 2020-2021 Art of Lockpicking All rights reserved. No portion of this ebook may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact: Ryan.Brown@art-of-lockpicking.com Page 11
