Lock Picking

  The act of lock picking can be performed on many different types of locks. The most popular of which is the pin tumbler. The pin tumbler lock uses an internal cylinder known as the core. The core holds a set of pins as well as the body of the lock. The number of pins can very from 3 to 7 or more. The key is placed in the keyway it lifts the pins to the correct height or shear line. Once this shear line is met the core can turn in the body and the lock opens.

  Lock picking defeats the lock by mimicking a key. One tool called a tension wrench is inserted in the bottom of the keyway. Slight pressure is added to the tension wrench. This pressure allows the pins in the tumbler to catch. A pick tool is then inserted into the keyway. Each individual pin is then lifted to it’s own shear line. Once all the pins meet the shear line the lock is compromised.

 Lockpicking can also be preformed on other lock types besides the pin tumbler, including wafer tumblers, Disk tumblers and tubular ACE type locks.