One of the most overlooked skills that one can add to their tool box is that of lock picking. Due to movies and television, most people look at this skill as that which belongs to criminals and spies. Thing is, it should be looked at with eagerness and responsibility, and with a bit of creativity. Lokko sent me their starter set for evaluation, as this is one of my areas of fascination. Over the years I have ethically used this skill to open doors both literally and metaphorically, and in one case saved a dog inside a car. Learning how to pick locks can be a bit tricky, and when you get to the more complicated locks down right difficult, but Lokko has you covered to get you started down the path this unique skill set that can be both a sport and an easy alternative to advil and an empty bank account.
In the kit you get a padlock, double door lock, standard array of picks and tension bars, and a credit card hideaway pick kit for a more low profile carry method. Along with this kit they give you a handy book to help teach you, though truth be told learning how to pick locks needs a more hands on or video demonstration to truly understand whats going on. That said, the booklet is well written and detailed enough that you should be able to understand the basic premises needed to teach yourself how to crack that first challenge.
The locks provided are extremely useful, as they are a clear plastic that allows you to see the inner workings of the locks. When learning, this allows you to see exactly what happens as you start lifting, raking, and rocking your picks to crack it. When first starting out, I advise to go slowly, and pay close attention to how the pins work. The clarity and durability of the plastic used here is great, it doesn’t easily scratch. All in all this kit gives you three locks: one padlock, and two standard door locks in one casing.
The lock picks themselves are another story. At first I liked what I saw, but realized that none of the standard picks had been deburred or smoothed out at all. This can make picking difficult if you don’t know to smooth them out on your own. Don’t be dismayed though, as this is pretty standard in the starter world. Most people like to sand and polish their tools themselves, to give it a better feel for their particular touch. Most all of my picks have come this way except for a few custom kits, so pretty par for the course.
The standard picks are a set of twelve with reinforced handled. Personally I only use about three or four picks, but this kit provides an array for different approaches and different locks. The metal used is durable, but for beginners can be prone to bending. This is common with all picks and newcomers to the picking sport, don’t use force when learning. The picks (no matter what brand or material) will bend if you try to use them like keys. Along with the twelve picks you get three tension bars (which do the turning), two standard bars and a spreader bar that allows you to apply tension on small keyways. This gives you a few options depending on the location of the locks and how much room you have to work with.
The credit card set is still one of my favorites. These have worked great for me in the past, even though at first I was skeptical. For some reason, whenever I have issues with the tension bars provided, the one that comes in this set always seems to work great. Again, this is mainly due to my own personal approach and touch; each person will find different picks and tension bars work for them in different ways. It doesn’t look much like a real credit card, its too thick, but it has been easily and commonly missed by quite a few people over the many years of me carrying a similar set. This one is now going in my EDC kit as my old one is missing a few picks.
Overall, this is a great set to get started on. My only suggestion is a light sanding on the picks to soften the edges as they can get caught on the pins and mar them slightly, making it harder to crack a lock. The picks are well built, the locks are fantastic teaching and learning tools, and the book provided has clear pictures and detailed explanations that definitely help a beginner out making this kit well worth the price ($35-60 depending on where you shop). We want to thank Lockpickworld.com for sending us this kit to review.
Keep in mind that this is a useful skill as well as a sport that has thousands of members in many countries. Do a google search for “lock pick sport” or click the link below to find a group in your area. Remember to always check and obey your local laws.
Ratings:
Quality: 4 out of 5
Value: 5 out of 5
Craftsmanship: 3 out of 5
Usefulness: 5 out of 5
Overall: 4.25 out of 5
Material Disclosure
I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.
*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.