Tool recommendations, information on your favorite automatic and/or mechanical lockpicking devices for those with less skills, or looking to make their own.
im going to place an order on the build your own kit on lockpickshop.com. Im a beginner and am planning on ordering 5 tools not including tension wrench. What do you guys suggest for the 5 tools i purchase that are the best and most useful to picking almost most locks
The mix would depend on the type of locks you will mostly be working with. - European would require narrower shanks. - Wafer would mean fewer rakes - Auto would require a larger variety - High security means specialty picks
For all of them you want plain laminate handles that are riveted on.
You will need an assortment of tension wrenches: at least two widths and at least a long and a short dogleg in each width for top keyway and bottom keyway placement.
Assuming you'll be working with mostly Northern American residential pin tumblers and that you will start most attempts with single tumbler picking then switch to a rake if unsuccessful after a couple of minutes: Half-Diamond Medium hook Offset half diamond Sawtooth rake Another rake profile: camelback, bogota, or 3/4 snake
I agree with nostromo. Personally I'd go for a small half diamond, short hook, medium hook, offset half diamond and bogota rake. I'm not much of a raker but everybody needs one at some point so you may as well get the best kind.
