5 top locksmith tools

There's something exciting and mysterious about being a locksmith. People the world over use locks to protect their money, property and family. Being the man who has the skills to overcome these devices is understandably attractive.

So if you're considering taking your interest in locks to the professional level, here's my picks for the FIVE NON DESTRUCTIVE lock picking tools you can't be without.......

1 - ELECTRIC PICK GUN (EPG)

Electric Pick Guns eat locks for dinner. Anyone can use one and their success rate is massive. The technique is simple, easy to learn, and pretty much essential to being a pro locksmith. First port of call for ALL cylinder locks.

Theres many different makes , Dino, Klom, Hpc, Wendt etc , my favourite is the Dino , nicknamed the beast.

2 - MICA

Locksmiths have  opened more locked doors with MICA than any other lock picking tool. It's the 'credit-card trick' you've seen in movies, but with the right material and know-how. With a set of reusable sheets coming in at around a tenner, MICA is something the pro cannot be without. Ask a locksmith what his favourite tool is and 9 times out of 10 its MICA.

3 - CYLINDER JIGGLERS

This 13pc set of Skeleton Keys is an absolute must-have. With a technique as easy as wiggling a key around in a door, this quick and effective technique will save you time - that is, money - again and again.

4 - RAKES

You cannot have too many Rakes. There are not enough Rakes in the world to keep me happy. Load-up on sets of Rakes, combine them, experiment, and get results. The last few years have seen incredible growth in this area, make use of it, long city Rakes , short city Rakes, Bogata Rakes, i love them all.

5 - BUMPING KIT

Lock Bumping remains one of the quickest, least hassle, lock picking techniques out there. Without some Universal Bump keys, a Bump Hammer, and some Dampeners, your locksmith tool box is not quite complete. We have bump keys for virtually every lock out there, dimple , high security, anti bump, bump resistant etc.

There you go! I have left out tools for Single Pin Picking, as that's a technique you should all learn anyway, and will always be there to rely on should none of the quick and simple techniques work. But when time means money, these are the tools any professional working with locks should own and know how to use.