{"id":44217,"date":"2025-11-16T12:19:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T18:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=44217"},"modified":"2025-11-16T19:38:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T01:38:50","slug":"how-to-pick-a-lock-pin-tumbler-locks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/skills\/manly-know-how\/how-to-pick-a-lock-pin-tumbler-locks\/","title":{"rendered":"An Introduction to Lock Picking: How to Pick Pin Tumbler Locks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44220 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/lockpickthumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Picking a lock.\" width=\"600\" height=\"337\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Some of you might be thinking, \u201cBrett, why should I learn how to pick a lock if I don\u2019t plan on breaking into people\u2019s homes?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Great question.<\/p>\n<p>There are a few good reasons why law-abiding citizens&nbsp;should learn how to pick a lock:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lock picking opens your eyes to the \u201cillusion of security.\u201d <\/strong>We all lock our doors to keep our loved ones safe at night and to secure our possessions during the day. After I picked my first lock within two minutes of learning how to do it, I realized that locks don\u2019t really do much except provide the <em>illusion<\/em> of security. Locks make us <em>feel <\/em>safe, but if someone really wanted to get in your house, they could easily pick the lock on your front door. If they didn\u2019t know how to do that, they could find another way in. You can\u2019t just rely on a lock to keep you and your family safe. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/lifestyle\/homeownership\/complete-guide-to-home-security\/\">You need to utilize other tools and tactics and create multiple layers of security.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Realizing how little locks actually keep you and your stuff safe was both terrifying and surprisingly heartwarming. Terrifying because I saw that someone could easily enter my house and walk off with a crapload of stuff without having to break a window; heartwarming because seeing how easy it is to pick a lock and yet how rarely people get burgled, made me realize that most people don\u2019t break into homes because, well, most people are good people.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It makes you handy. <\/strong>If you\u2019ve ever been locked out of your house or car, you know how annoying it is to be standing there like a chump, waiting for someone to show up with a key or a professional locksmith to arrive. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/skills\/how-to\/how-to-open-a-locked-door-with-a-credit-card\/\">Wouldn\u2019t you love to be able to jimmy your way in yourself?<\/a> Not only can this skill save you a lot of time and money, being able to solve a problem like that on your own is pretty dang satisfying. Plus, you can help out all your friends when they get locked out too.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing how to pick a lock may even help you save a life one day.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.itstactical.com\/skillcom\/lock-picking\/how-lock-picking-saved-my-dads-life\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> ITS Tactical has highlighted a few instances<\/a> in which someone picked their way into an older parent\u2019s home because they weren\u2019t answering the phone, only to find their parent collapsed on the floor. Could they have <a title=\"How to Break Down a Door: An Illustrated Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/articles\/how-to-break-down-a-door-an-illustrated-guide\/\">kicked the door down<\/a> or broken a window? Sure. But picking a lock just takes a few seconds and doesn\u2019t leave any damage. So why wouldn\u2019t you do that if you could?<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s a cool and fun skill! <\/strong>There\u2019s simply a \u201ccool\u201d factor of knowing how to pick a lock. Of all the Jason Bourne-esque skills every man wishes he had, it\u2019s one of the most attainable. The idea that I can surreptitiously enter most doors without a key makes me feel all-powerful, like some sort of super ninja-spy.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also a fun little hobby and something I like to do when I\u2019m taking breaks from work or hanging out with the kids while they do their kid thing on the carpet. If you get really into lock picking, you can actually go to events and contests to test your skills against other lock pickers.<\/p>\n<p>Below we walk you through basic lock-picking techniques for tumbler locks. I made a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YhrEJQq-6WE\">lock picking YouTube video<\/a> a few years ago that shows how to do this step-by-step.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YhrEJQq-6WE\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>The Legality of Lock Picking<\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s a common misconception that the only people who can legally own lock-picking tools are first responders or licensed locksmiths. The reality is that in most states, as long as you\u2019re not trying to illegally enter someone\u2019s home with your lock-picking set, you can legally own, carry, and use lock-picking tools.<\/p>\n<p>There are, however, some states that have laws that make owning lock-picking tools <em>prima facie<\/em> evidence of criminal intent. If you\u2019re caught with picks in these states and you want to avoid criminal charges, you have to prove that you didn\u2019t plan on committing a crime.<\/p>\n<p>Long story short: owning lock-picking tools and learning how to pick locks is perfectly legal and ethical as long as you do so without nefarious intent. Just be a decent human being. For a summary of lock-picking laws across the country, <a href=\"https:\/\/toool.us\/laws.html\">see here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How to Pick a Pin Tumbler Lock<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Pin tumbler locks are the most common locks found on the front doors of homes. So it makes for a good first lock to learn how to pick.<\/p>\n<div id=\"How_A_Pin_Tumbler_Lock_Works\" class=\"aom_toc_offset\">\n<h3><span class=\"aom-hl\">How a Pin Tumbler Lock Works<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You don\u2019t really&nbsp;<em>need&nbsp;<\/em>to understand how basic pin tumbler locks work to successfully pick them, but it does help.<\/p>\n<p>The design of the basic pin tumbler lock has been in use since 4000 BC. Of course, it\u2019s gotten more complex over the millennia. The design that is used in most cylinder locks \u2014 like the one on your front door \u2014 has been around since 1861, and it hasn\u2019t changed much. Basically, most of the world is using a technology that\u2019s been around for a century and a half to keep their most prized possessions safe and secure.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the anatomy of most run-of-the-mill pin tumbler locks:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-44221 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/tumblernokey.jpg\" alt=\"Anatomy of pin tumbler locks with labelings.\" width=\"600\" height=\"500\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Pin tumbler locks consist of an outer cylindrical casing (colored green) in which a plug is housed. The small gap between the outer casing and the plug is called the shear line. Remember that. It will come in handy here in a bit. The plug has an opening for the key. When the proper key is inserted into the plug, the plug can rotate, thus unlocking the lock. On top of the plug, a series of five or six holes are drilled. The holes contain key pins (colored red) of different lengths. They\u2019re called key pins because they touch the key when you insert a key into the plug. Above each key pin is a driver pin that\u2019s spring-loaded. Pins are also sometimes referred to as &#8220;binding pins.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>So you have an idea of how the pins look in action, here&#8217;s a gif of me inserting a pick into&nbsp;a see-through practice lock:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44230 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/pins.gif\" alt=\"pin tumble lock cross section gif \" width=\"500\" height=\"281\"\/><\/p>\n<p>In the diagram above, there\u2019s no key in the plug. Because of the different key pin lengths, the driver pins cross the shear line, making it impossible for the plug to rotate. If you put a wrong key into a lock, the notches on the key won\u2019t lift up the key pins at the right height, causing them to protrude through the shear line as you can see in the diagram below:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-44223 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/wrongkey.jpg\" alt=\"Anatomy of wrong key entering in pin tumbler lock.\" width=\"600\" height=\"500\"\/><\/p>\n<p>In order for the plug to rotate, you need to lift each of the key pins and driver pins to the correct height \u2014 until the gap between the key pins and driver pins reaches the shear line. When all of the pins reach this position, the plug can rotate. That\u2019s what happens when you put a properly cut key into a lock:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-44222 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/correctkey.jpg\" alt=\"Inner view of Right key entering in lock. \" width=\"600\" height=\"500\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Pretty simple, huh?<\/p>\n<p>When you pick a lock, all you\u2019re doing is using tools, instead of a key, to line up the gap between the key pins and driver pins with the shear line between the outer casing and the plug. That\u2019s it. And it\u2019s super easy to do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"Tools_Needed_For_Picking_A_Pin_Tumbler_Lock\" class=\"aom_toc_offset\">\n<h3><span class=\"aom-hl\">Tools Needed for Picking a Pin Tumbler Lock<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are various tools you can use to pick a lock. For this post, we\u2019re going to focus on using the most common lock-picking tools: a tension wrench and pick rakes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Below is my wallet-sized lock-picking set that I got from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.serepick.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SEREPick<\/a>&nbsp;while I was at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/health-fitness\/program-review\/its-tactical-muster-review\/\">ITS Muster<\/a>. The picks are made of titanium. There\u2019s one tension wrench and several rakes with different numbers of ridges, which allow you to pick several pins at a time. There\u2019s also a pick that allows you to pick one pin at a time. Some locks will require you to do that.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44224 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/pickset.jpg\" alt=\"Wallet-sized, titanium made lock pick. \" width=\"600\" height=\"400\"\/><br \/>\nIf you\u2019re looking for something a little sturdier and robust, you can find lock-picking sets several places online (even Amazon). If you want to be even more of a MacGyver, you could even<a href=\"https:\/\/www.itstactical.com\/skillcom\/lock-picking\/how-to-make-a-diy-lock-pick-set-from-a-windshield-wiper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&nbsp;make your own picks from a windshield wiper<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You can also use a paperclip to pick a lock. Check out our article on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/articles\/pick-lock-paper-clip\/\">how to pick a lock with a paperclip<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"Lock_Picking_Technique\" class=\"aom_toc_offset\">\n<h3><span class=\"aom-hl\">Lock-Picking Technique<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Lock picking is more art than science. You definitely have to develop a \u201cfeel\u201d for it. Each lock is different, but the same basic principles apply. The easiest way to pick a lock is to use the fast and dirty method: scrubbing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Insert Tension Wrench into the Bottom of Key Hole and Apply Slight Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44226 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/wrench.jpg\" alt=\"Inserting Wrench into the bottom of Key Hole and apply slight pressure.\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The tension wrench is the key (no pun intended) to successfully picking a lock. Thanks to video games, people wrongfully think it\u2019s the pick, because that is the thing that\u2019s actually lifting the key pins to line up with the shear line.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s why the tension wrench is so important: as you\u2019re lifting the pin sets with your pick you need to apply tension on the plug. If you\u2019re applying the right amount of torque on the plug, once the driver pin passes the shear line, the plug will rotate slightly. When you pull your pick out, the key pin will drop back down, but the driver pin will catch the edge of the plug, thus staying above the shear line. Here\u2019s a diagram of what it looks like:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44235 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/pincatching.jpg\" alt=\"Anatomy of tumbler lock driver pin with labeling.\" width=\"385\" height=\"479\"\/><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll keep lifting pins with your pick and applying pressure with your tension wrench, until all the driver pins have cleared the shear line.<\/p>\n<p>So far so good? Alrighty.<\/p>\n<p>So take your tension wrench and place it in the bottom of the key hole. Apply slight pressure in the direction you would turn the key if you had it. And by slight I mean slight. If you apply too much pressure, you\u2019re just going to cause the driver pins to bind below the shear line. You need to have enough give to let the driver pins rise above the shear line, but have enough torque that when they start dropping down, an edge of the drive pin catches the plug as it starts to rotate.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_44227\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-44227 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/toomuchpressure.png\" alt=\"Right and wrong methods illustrated.\" width=\"516\" height=\"343\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-44227\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-44227\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.soup.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CIA Lock Picking Field Operative Training Manual<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>How much is too much pressure? If your tension wrench is bending a lot, then you\u2019re probably applying too much pressure. So lean on the side of applying less pressure than more.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Insert Pick at Top of Lock<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44228 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/rakeinsert.jpg\" alt=\"Inserting pick at top of lock.\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Pick your pick. I prefer the Bogota rake that has three ridges. This one has picked every lock that I\u2019ve used it on very easily.<\/p>\n<p>Slide the rake all the way to the back.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. While Applying Slight Torque to Your Wrench, Scrub Your Pick Back and Forth in the Key Hole<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Keep applying that slight pressure on your tension wrench. I use my left hand for that. With your right hand, scrub or rake the inside of the plug with your pick. As you pull the pick back, simultaneously lift up in order to apply pressure on the pins. It looks sort of like this motion:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44229 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/rake.gif\" alt=\"pick a lock rake motion gif \" width=\"500\" height=\"281\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Repeat Until All the Pins Set<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Keep applying torque on your wrench and scrubbing the pins until they all set. You may need to apply more torque and pressure on the pins with your pick as you get near the last one or two pins that need to set. If you\u2019re not making any progress, you probably applied too much torque with the wrench. Relax, let the pins reset, and start over again, focusing on not using too much pressure.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s it! Really. That\u2019s all there is to it. You can successfully pick most pin and tumbler locks using this scrubbing method.<\/p>\n<p>You may run across locks that require a little bit more finesse by picking each pin set one at a time. In these trickier locks, you may need to get more methodical by looking for the pin stack that resists the most and picking it first and then repeating the process until all the pins are successfully picked.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"aom-hl\">Practice, Practice, Practice<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44232 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/practice.jpg\" alt=\"Locks displayed along with tool.\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Like I said above, lock picking is more art than science. The best way to learn how to do it is to simply pick locks as much as possible. Buy yourself different pin and tumbler locks at the hardware store and keep them on your desk or by your couch. When you\u2019re taking a break from work or while you\u2019re watching TV, practice picking. I\u2019ve got three or four locks in my drawer that I\u2019ll bust out during the day for practice sessions.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re one step closer to becoming Jason Bourne. Remember, use this knowledge for fun or for legal entries.&nbsp;If you&#8217;re going to burgle, only burgle hamburgers. Robble, robble.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\" class=\"aom_toc_offset\">\n<h3><span class=\"aom-hl\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>What can I pick a lock with?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your best bet is a lock-picking set that includes a tension wrench and a set of rakes. My favorite is the set from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.serepick.com\/\">SEREPick.<\/a> In a pinch, you could fashion some lock picks with a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/articles\/pick-lock-paper-clip\/\">paper clip<\/a>, bobby pin, or even windshield wiper blades. In my experience, picking a lock with paper clips is more difficult because they have a tendency to break in the lock.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is lock picking legal?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Depends on which country or state you live in. In most instances, as long as you&#8217;re picking a lock and don&#8217;t have criminal intent, you&#8217;re fine. In some states, owning a set of lock picks is prima facie evidence of criminal intent and things get more complicated. Be sure to check local laws before buying a lock-picking set.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you pick a lock with a credit card?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Not tumbler locks. But some locks on internal doors can be opened by jimmying a credit card between the lock and the door. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/skills\/how-to\/how-to-open-a-locked-door-with-a-credit-card\/\">Here&#8217;s how to use a credit card to open these doors.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Further Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you want to get more in-depth in the art of lock picking, check out these two sources:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soup.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CIA Lock Picking Field Operative Training Manual<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lysator.liu.se\/mit-guide\/MITLockGuide.pdf\">The MIT Guide to Lock Picking<\/a>&nbsp;(This baby goes really in-depth into the mechanics and physics of why we&#8217;re able to pick locks. Very thorough. Definitely recommend reading it.)<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>With our archives 4,000 articles deep, we\u2019ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in November 2015.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some of you might be thinking, \u201cBrett, why should I learn how to pick a lock if I don\u2019t plan on breaking into people\u2019s homes?\u201d Great question. There are a few good reasons why law-abiding citizens&nbsp;should learn how to pick a lock: Lock picking opens your eyes to the \u201cillusion of security.\u201d We all lock [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":100532,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":3,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"","activitypub_status":"federated","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,42261,42259],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-manly-know-how","category-skills"],"featured_image_urls":{"large":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/lock-450x280.png","aom":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/lock-372x230.png","reactor-320":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2014\/11\/lock-320x213.png"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Pick a Lock: The Complete Guide | The Art of Manliness<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to pick a lock on a basic tumbler lock so that you&#039;re never locked out of your house again. 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