Eagle Lock and Key. Locksmithing.

The tools for lock picking are usually different for each type of lock and can sometimes be improvised from common items. Lock pick kits can be purchased openly via the Internet. Many different selections are present. Nine-piece sets and a 32-piece set equipped with a Pick Gun for example differ in value and price greatly. However, many lock pickers state that for most locking devices, a basic set of five picks is enough; therefore it is unnecessary to carry around a wide variety of professional lock picks.

Tension wrench

A traditional pickset. From left to right: Torsion wrench, "twist-flex" torsion wrench, offset diamond pick, ball pick, half-diamond pick, short hook, medium hook, saw (or "L") rake, snake (or "C") rake.
Often called a torque wrench or a torsion wrench. A tension wrench is a tool used in picking locks. Typically shaped like a letter "L" (although the vertical part of the letter is elongated in comparison to the horizontal part), it is used to apply torsion to the inner cylinder of a lock, in order to hold any picked pins in place, while the other pins are shifted. The tension wrench is then used to turn the inner cylinder and open the lock.
Despite its popular name, the tool provides torsion, not tension. A tension wrench would be, by definition, a tool that stretches something. A torsion wrench would be a tool that twists.
Some tension wrenches (called "Feather Touch" wrenches, among other names) are coiled into a spring at the bend in the "L", which helps the user apply constant torque. Some users, however, maintain that such wrenches reduce torsion control and the feedback available to the user.

Half-diamond pick
Perhaps the most basic and common pick, this versatile pick is included in all kits and is mainly used for picking individual pins, but can also be used for raking and for wafer and disk locks.

Hook pick
It is similar to the half diamond pick, but has a hook shaped tip rather than a half diamond shape. The hook pick is sometimes referred to as a 'feeler' or 'finger' and is generally used to lift the pins individually, rather than 'rake' them simultaneously.

Rake picks
These picks, such as the common snake rake, are designed to 'rake' pins by rapidly sliding the pick past all the pins, repeatedly, in order to bounce the pins until they reach the shear line. This method requires much less skill than picking pins individually, and generally works well on cheaper locks.

Warded pick
A warded pick, also known as a skeleton key, is a device for opening warded locks. It is generally made to conform to a generalized key shape relatively simpler than the actual key used to open the lock; this simpler shape allows for internal manipulations. This style of pick can also be used to 'rip' the lock. This is where the pick is placed at the back of the lock and then pulled out in one sharp fast 'ripping' action.

Pick guns
A traditional electric pick gun that runs off of C-cell batteries.

A traditional manual pick gun that is used by pulling the trigger.
Often seen in movies and in the tool box of locksmiths, manual and electronic pick guns are a popular method used today for quick and easy ways of opening doors. The higher-end electric pick guns are usually made of aircraft aluminum and hard steel. The pick is operated by simply pressing a button that vibrates while the normal tension wrench is being used. A manual pick gun (or Snap gun) is used in a similar way but usually has a "trigger" that creates an upward movement that must be repeated rapidly to open the lock.

Legal status

United States
In the United States, laws concerning possession of lock picks vary from state to state. Generally, possession and use of lock picks is considered equivalent to the possession of a crowbar or any other tool that may or may not be used in a burglary. Illegal possession of lock picks is generally prosecuted as a felony under the category of possession of burglary tools or similar statutes. In many states, simple possession is completely legal as their statutes require proof of intent.

Media

When lockpicking is shown in movies and television shows, the torsion wrench is almost always omitted. Picking a pin and tumbler lock without torsion is impossible unless there is a major defect in the lock.
In some modern dramas (such as Fox's 24) in which realistic depiction of events is favored, the pick-and-wrench technique is fully shown (albeit often executed in a second or two, which doesn't accurately reflect the luck involved with raking an unfamiliar lock). Although there do exist raking tools in which a single element may be used to open a lock (such as automobile "tryout" keys), these are rarely used in media depictions, and almost as rarely used in real life. The broad width of these picks allows for the necessary application of torque, just as an external source of torque is not required when using a standard key.