For obvious reasons, lock picking has been a controversial practice since the times when locks were invented! Yes, it can be used as a power for good—getting back into your house or your car after locking yourself out—but some have tried to use it for bad causes, i.e., getting into someone else’s car or house. At Armory Replicas, we urge the use of these handy tools for good, as survival tools and emergency measures, and we sell a seventeen-piece lock picking kit that will save you a call and a payment to a locksmith! Here is some advice on the art of lock picking:

-First, understand what kind of lock you have and whether or not your equipment is suitable to pick it. Armory Replicas’ lock picking kit, like many others, is designed for common pin-and-tumbler locks.

-You will need to have a pick and a tension wrench (also known as a torque wrench). Both are included in the Armory Replicas kit, including a complete arrangement of pick shapes and sizes!

-Start by placing the tension wrench inside of the keyhole. Then, gauge which way the cylinder will have to turn in order to unlock the lock you are operating on. You should already know this if you use the lock often, but there is an easy way to find out in any case. Apply torque to the cylinder with the tension wrench, clockwise first, then counterclockwise. The cylinder should rotate slightly then stop. When you are turning the cylinder the correct way, the stop will be more gradual—this is how you will know which way to turn it.

-Apply torque in the correct direction, then hold it down. Then, insert the pick into the top part of the keyhole, feel the pins, and push them upward. You should be able to identify which pins resist being pushed up the most strongly. If they all give too easily, then turn the tension wrench a bit more.

-As you push the more tense pins upward, they should eventually settle as they overcome the spring’s downward pressure. You should hear a faint “click” as the uppermost pin is pushed out.

-Repeat the previous steps for each other pin, until each has been pushed up.

-Finally, turn to the tension wrench again to turn the cylinder a final time. The door will come unlocked!

Remember, you can count on Armory Replicas not just for the best replica swords and armor, but for great survival gear!