Tubular lock picks are designed to give picking aficionados and professionals a chance to pick complex tubular locks. Traditional methods of lock picking rarely work effectively on these kinds of locks. To those who are comfortable picking standard locks, tubular locks can present a bit of a challenge. If you come upon a tubular lock without adequate equipment at your side, you could find yourself spending a lot of time with that particular lock.

A standard tubular lock pick will only contain seven or eight pins. The name comes from their cylindrical shape, which matches that of the locks that they pick. Tubular lock picks have been used since the 1930s to pick locks on most coin-operated vending machines, like laundry machines, cigarette machines, jukeboxes, and pinball machines.

Using Tubular Lock Picks

Tubular pin tumbler locks are generally considered to be safer and more pick-resistant than standard pin-tumbler locks. Tubular locks are found on many vending machines such as coin-operated washers and dryers, bicycle locks, and are even used in many retail stores to lock jewelry showcases.

Tubular lock picks are made to compromise the 7 or 8 pins present in a given tubular lock. Tubular lock picks are specialized tools and require more skill to use than “standard” lock picks. Take a look at our selection of 7 and 8 pin tubular picks, and specialty tubular picks.

Tubular picks are inserted into the lock and turned clockwise with light to medium tension. As the tool is (gently) pushed into the lock, each of the picks is slowly forced down until they stop, binding the driver pins behind the shear line of the lock. When the final pick is pushed down, you’ve aligned the pin segments with the shearline allowing the lock to open. Voila! With patience and practice you’ll be able to open a tubular lock very quickly.

Here at LockPickShop, we offer many different kinds of picks for use with just about any kind of lock. Our picks are made from high quality, US made stainless steel for long-lasting performance. We offer picks in many different sizes, many compatible with foreign-made locks, and we market these quality tools at low prices. Many professionals and hobbyists won’t shop anywhere else once they start dealing with us.

If you are looking to practice the art of lock picking, we also carry a range of training materials at LockPickShop. Find out for yourself how fulfilling lock picking can be. For more information about our many lock-picking products, contact us. For immediate answers to your questions, take advantage of the ‘Live Chat’ option–this allows you to send an instant message and speak to one of our representatives live during business hours!

se a Japanese tool for car lockouts primarily on Japanese cars with thumb locks, and on some Chryslers; learn how to from our expert locksmith in this free auto emergency locksmith-training video.

There are a number of companies that you can get locksmith supplies from.  You will be able to get a variety of supplies including:

Locksmith Supply Companies

• Assured Lock & Tool Supply
• Locks Picks
• CLK Supplies
• World Locksmith
• McDonald Dash
• LA Locksmith Supply
• Wilco Supply
• Taylor Security & Lock
• The Lock Pick Shop