Lock Pick Sets

Fewer than most sets suggest. You’ll get a long way with four tools: one short hook, one rake and two tension wrenches in different thicknesses. That’s enough for practice locks and the simple pin tumbler locks you’ll work on in your first months.

A 30-piece set isn’t automatically better. In practice you use a handful of picks and the rest stays in the case. What does make a difference is the quality of the steel and how cleanly the tips are finished – you feel that on every lock.

Buy a bigger set because you want to tackle a specific type of lock (dimple, disc detainer or automotive), not for the number of pieces.

Every lock pick set contains two kinds of tools: picks and tension wrenches. The picks move the pins inside the lock; the tension wrench keeps light turning pressure on the plug so those pins stay in place. Without a tension wrench you won’t open anything, which is why every set includes several.

• Hook picks for single pin picking, the technique you learn the most from.
• Rakes to open simple locks quickly.
• Two to four tension wrenches in different thicknesses.
• A case or roll to keep everything together.

Larger sets add specialist tools, such as dimple picks, bypass tools or a broken key extractor.

For most beginners, a set with two or three hooks, a rake and a few tension wrenches in different thicknesses is plenty, ideally together with a clear practice lock. Popular choices in our shop are the LPXS15 with practice lock, the Sparrows Kick Start and the Sparrows Tuxedo.

You’ll find all starter sets in our lock pick sets for beginners. Want to compare them first? In our comparison of the best lock pick sets for beginners we put six sets side by side.

What other shops have on their shelves or online changes all the time, and we can’t keep track of that for you – check with the shop itself.

Wherever you buy a lock pick set, look for three things: solid steel that doesn’t bend straight away, smooth tips without burrs, and at least two tension wrenches in different thicknesses. Budget sets from unknown brands often fall short on exactly those points, and you notice it most as a beginner: a pick that bends or snags makes practising frustrating.

We only sell sets we’ve tested ourselves, from brands like Sparrows, SouthOrd, Multipick and Mystic. Not sure which one to pick? WhatsApp or email our team – we’re happy to help.

A good beginner set costs between €18 and €35. Below that you’re in throwaway-steel territory; above it you mainly pay for picks you won’t use at first.

• €18 – €35: a complete beginner set, often including a practice lock.
• €35 – €70: where most of our range sits; the median is €39.95.
• €70 and up: specialist sets for dimple, disc detainer or car locks, and professional locksmith tools.

Also budget around €15 for a practice lock: practising on a lock that’s still in use is never a good idea.

You can find my lockpicking courses online. These are free for everyone. If you still have questions, feel free to message or email me!

In the Netherlands and Belgium, owning a lock pick set is legal. In the Netherlands, a municipality can ban carrying “burglary tools” in public through its local bylaws (APV). Rules differ from country to country, so check the law where you live.

Wherever you are, stick to the two golden rules:

• Rule 1: only pick locks that you own or have permission to pick.
• Rule 2: never pick locks that are still in use or that you rely on. You can always damage a lock, and a locksmith is expensive.

Read more in our article Are lock pick sets illegal? (as of 22 October 2026). This is not legal advice.