Plug Spinners

What is a Plug Spinner?

A plug spinner is a lockpicking tool used when a lock has been accidentally picked in the wrong direction. Some locks can be turned in both directions, but only open in one direction. The pins can then fall back when you try to correct this.

A plug spinner solves this problem by quickly turning the plug in the right direction. It is a spring-loaded device that rotates the plug at high speed. This rapid rotation prevents the closing pins from falling back into the plug.

When you use a lockpick set to open a door, the plug spinner is a great tool.

What Does Plug Spinner Mean?

In lockpicking, “plug” refers to the rotating part of a lock. In the Netherlands, we call this the core or the cylinder in the lock. This is where you insert the key.

Spinner comes from the English verb to spin, which means to turn. A “spinner” is therefore a tool that makes something rotate. A plug spinner is literally a tool to make the core of the lock turn!

This is How a Plug Spinner Works

1. After the lock has been picked in the wrong direction, remove the lockpick and tension wrench.
2. Wind the spring of the plug spinner.
3. Insert the spinner into the keyhole and aim it in the desired turning direction.
4. Release the spring, causing the plug to spin rapidly in the correct direction.

This technique is especially useful for locks with higher tolerances or older locks that are more difficult to pick in both directions.

Plug Spinner Demonstration

Below you can see a demonstration of a plug spinner. It is very handy if you perform lockpicking professionally. You can see that when you have picked a lock in the wrong direction, you can quickly turn the cylinder back without the pins resetting. The plug spinner you see here is the same model that we offer in our shop: robust, spring-loaded, and easy to use.