Tension Tools

You'll hear it said time and time again, "lock picking is 99% tension!", and while that's probably a slight exaggeration, you can't avoid the fact that unless you know how to use a tension tool, you probably won't pick any locks. The tension wrench is the first item to go into the lock, and you use it to apply a light amount of pressure. Doing so creates a very tiny ledge - along what we in the trade call 'The Shearline' - meaning whether you're picking, raking, bumping, whatever, the pins have somewhere to 'sit' while the other pins are being worked. Get all 5 pins to sit on the shearline and the lock opens. Tension is VERY important, and so are your tension tools.

Whether you're picking lever locks, pin-cylinders, wafer locks or others, unless you have a dedicated tool, the chances are you'll require a tension tool. We have an excellent range of many types, and I would advise you ensure you have a variety at your disposal. Variety is the key to lock picking, and with a pun like that you know I must be right!

Tension tools are also called tension wrenches. So if you want to know how to use a tension tool or a tension wrench, you're in the right place to get started.

Doing this allows you to rake, pick, jiggle, pick gun, whatever tool you're using, in such a way that when the pins rise up over the shearline, they stay set while you work the rest.