How to Pick a Lock (And When It's Time to Call a Locksmith)
When you’re in a jam, getting back inside is much simpler than you might think
At some point, you may find yourself locked out of your home and unable to get ahold of a professional locksmith for help. Using some simple tools and a lot of patience, you can learn how to pick a door lock without causing damage. As long as it's only done on your own property, lock picking is a useful skill that can help you better understand your home's security.
What Is Lock Picking?
Lock picking is the art of using tools, rather than a key, to line up a lock’s internal components and disengage it. To understand how this works, it’s helpful to understand those components.
What Is a Tumbler Pin Lock?
There are various types of deadbolts and door knobs, but most modern entry door locks use a pin and tumbler design that has remained basically the same since the late 19th century. All pin tumbler locks have the following parts:
Plug: Rotating cylinder with holes drilled into the top—this is where the key is inserted.
Housing or casing: Outermost cylinder containing the plug and other components.
Shear line: Physical gap between the housing and the plug.
Key pins: Row of pins of various lengths within the plug’s holes.
Driver pins: Row of spring-loaded pins that sit above each key pin.
When a door is locked, the driver pins obstruct the shear line, keeping the plug and knob from rotating. When the proper key is inserted into a lock’s plug, its unique shape pushes the various key pins into position. This lines up the gap between these key pins and their corresponding driver pins evenly with the shear line, allowing the plug to rotate and unlock the door freely.
Is It Legal to Pick a Door Lock Yourself?
In popular culture, lock picking is a discreet practice commonly associated with spies and criminals. In reality, most states allow private citizens to own lock-picking tools for personal use, and many hobbyists learn to pick locks for fun.
However, using a lock pick set to enter someone else's home or gain access to their property is still illegal. Further, many states have laws that consider owning lock-picking tools as evidence of criminal intent. If you're caught with lock-picking tools in these states, you'll need to prove that you didn't plan to use them to commit a crime to avoid criminal charges.
How to Pick a Door Lock
Most home exterior doors feature pin and tumbler locks, so we'll cover the steps needed to pick locks of this type. Each lock will be slightly different, but most scenarios will employ the same steps and techniques.
1. Find or Fashion Tools
Lock picking can be done with a basic rake pick and tension wrench. While a real titanium lock pick set is ideal for this job, you may not always have access to one.
If you don't have a lock pick, use a bobby pin, hairpin, paperclip, or stiff bit of wire. Open the pin or clip until it's bent in half, then bend the tip up at a slight angle. If you don't have a tension wrench, bend a similar item into an L-shape. You can also use a small flathead screwdriver.
2. Apply Slight Pressure to the Plug
Insert your tension wrench into the bottom part of the keyhole. Apply slight rotational pressure in the direction you would normally turn a key. You want only the slightest amount of pressure. If the wrench begins to bend, you're using too much.
Maintaining this balance in pressure is crucial. As you pick the lock, you’ll need enough give so that the driver pins can rise above the shear line but also enough pressure that the plug rotates and catches the edge of each drive pin.
3. Begin Scrubbing
Use your non-dominant hand to maintain pressure on the plug with your tension wrench. Use your dominant hand to push your pick all the way back into the top of the keyhole. Begin slowly raking it back and forth in a scrubbing motion with a slight lift as you pull the pick back.
Scrubbing moves the pins up and down inside the lock. When the gap between a key pin and a driver pin passes the shear line, the plug will rotate slightly to catch the driver pin above the shear line. You may hear the metallic sound of pins jiggling inside as you separate each pin.
4. Repeat Until All Pins Are Set
Slowly repeat the previous step until you feel the plug rotate. This means that all pins are set, and the door will unlock.
Tips for Door Lock Picking
The lock-picking process may be simple, but it still requires a lot of time and patience to learn. Be patient as you get a feel for the amount of pressure you need to put on your tension wrench and the finesse of working your rake pick. This advice rings especially true for those using homemade tools.
Whether you're in a pinch and looking to pick a lock immediately or simply curious about learning a new skill, keep these tips in mind:
Consider carrying a basic lock pick set for emergencies. You can purchase a compact pick card that fits the required tools into your wallet.
You may find with some locks that putting constant pressure on the tension wrench isn't working. In these cases, try alternating between two slightly different pressure levels.
If the door doesn't unlock within ten seconds of scrubbing, release the tension wrench and remove the pick. Start over with less pressure on the wrench.
If you’re unsure about your tools or technique, call a locksmith near you to avoid the risk of damaging your lock.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Beginner lock pick sets can be purchased online. These sets vary in quality but can start for as little as $20 for a kit with a tension wrench and several picks. However, if you damage your door while attempting to pick a lock, keep in mind that the average cost to change locks is $500, and the average cost to fix a door is $230.
For these reasons, it's always best to call a professional locksmith if you are locked out of your home or in an emergency. Pros will ensure the job is done properly and help you avoid accidental damage. The average cost to hire a locksmith to unlock your house is just $65 to $180, making it far more cost-effective than damage control.
Frequently Asked Questions
The easiest way to pick a lock is by using a titanium rake pick. This type of lock pick comes in a variety of shapes used to simulate different key configurations but generally has a tip with a bent design. Rake picks are the most beginner-friendly lockpicks and the simplest to learn how to use.
When it comes to how to get a stuck key out of a lock, the simplest way is to use some kind of lubricating substance. One option is to apply graphite powder while wiggling the key gently. As the graphite fills the lock, jiggling should loosen the key enough to allow you to pull it out.