Raking locks various ways
Raking - a wealth of techniques no one knows!
Hello all
In chris dangerfields eBook 'Advanced Raking Techniques' (which comes free with every set of POLARIS RAKES he sells) chris goes into some detail regarding the various techniques, tricks and secrets regarding Raking. One of the most common responses I get is that people had no idea Raking could be so easy, and that there are a multitude of approaches, as opposed to the common idea of sticking a rake in a lock and moving it in and out, something which i call stabbing a lock,
This comes at no surprise to me as ever since I've been involved in lock picking (I had hair back then, that long ago) Raking has been considered like an ugly sister to Single Pin Picking, to many it's pretty much 'Bitch Picking', a random kind of 'cross your fingers and hope' technique.
People often reject Raking before they've even started to explore the potential of this incredibly effective - and crazy fast - technique.
In this short blog I want to change that. I want you to take a step back from what you might think about raking and see it afresh. Why? because IT OPENS LOCKS, and, IT OPENS THEM QUICKLY. When faced with a new lock, the first thing I do is Rake it, and if it works, it works quickly. If it doesn't work, it will often set a few pins and make Single Pin Picking much easier, it's not unusual to set three or four pins, making finishing it lock off a very simple process, just single pick the remaining pins with a small half diamond or small hook pick.
The document, 'Advanced Raking Techniques' is nearly 5000 words, and yet, while it goes into all manner of movements and tension tricks, the best way to learn is by doing it. Grab a load of locks, even if you've already picked them, grab some decent rakes, and get going.
But remember what I said, don't approach Raking like an ugly sister, it's Cinderella time! There are many movements you can make with a rake, not just in and out, but up and down, you can pivot it, using a stuck pin or the warding as a fulcrum. You can move the rake in an ellipse, making use of both in and out, and up and down. There's many ways to move a rake in a lock - try them!
The 'City Rake' named after its city skyline appearance. Is a classic among rakes and a great place to start, most simple lockpick kits have one in them.
And then there's the wrenching. One of the most effective Raking wrenching techniques is what I call 'The Pulse' which speaks for itself. Rather than try and maintain a consistent tension I apply and withdraw pressure so as to provide a 'pulse' of tension. As you get used to this, you'll see how reading feedback from the rake and the tension tool dictates the depth, rhythm and speed required to successfully pick the lock.
There's more, there's lots more, and if you give it a chance you'll soon discover a whole new world of lock picking opportunities. I have many locks I cannot Single Pin Pick that I can rake in seconds.
The very basic principle behind Raking is what i call stabbing the lock, Unfortunately many people stop here, and yet this particular technique has barely scratched the surface.
A decent set of rakes is essential though. Without doubt I know many people have been restricted by the quality of their rakes. There's many good sets out there, but be sure to have a variety of Bogota-like patterns, as these are for sure the pinnacle of Raking technology.
So give Raking a go and add a whole new skill to your lock picking skills
We put the expertise in the picks, so you can put it in your hand.
We here at locksmith training merseyside teach raking locks along with other techniques for opening locks.
