What is Racking (raking) as a picking technique, and when is it preferred over SPP?
Raking = drag a wave-shaped (snake) pick in and out of the keyway under light tension, banging the pins randomly. Some pins set by chance — repeat until all set. It's fast, brute-force, and the first thing to try on cheap locks.
The technique:
1. Insert tension wrench → light tension
2. Insert snake/rake pick FULLY
3. Drag OUT quickly while bouncing up and down
4. Push IN with the same motion
5. Repeat until the plug rotates
A successful rake takes 2–10 seconds on a cheap padlock. If 30 seconds doesn't open it, raking won't work — switch to SPP.
Why it works (the physics):
The wave-shape of the rake pushes pins to random heights as it slides. Under tension, any pin that happens to land at the shear line stays there (the binding mechanic from SPP — it sets immediately). Other pins drop back down. After a few passes, enough pins have set that the lock opens.
Where raking dominates:
- Cheap padlocks (Master Lock budget series, the locks at the gym)
- Old residential cylinders without security pins
- Wafer locks (especially with a Bogota-style snake pick)
Where raking fails:
| Lock type | Why raking fails |
|---|---|
| Security pins (spool / serrated) | The rake's random forces trigger the security shape and the lock false-sets — looks open but isn't |
| Tight tolerances | High-end cylinders have so little play that pins drop back too quickly to chain-set |
| High pin count (7+) | Probability of all pins setting randomly drops sharply |
The "comb pick" — extreme raking:
Some keyways are wide enough that a multi-pronged "comb" can push every pin all the way up at once, past the housing's pin chambers. Some locks then over-set, releasing the plug. Defenders counter this with anti-comb pins or restricted keyway profiles. (More on this on the Umgehungstechnik slide.)
Tip: If you watch lockpicking videos and see someone open a lock in 3 seconds with a smooth in-and-out motion — that's raking, not SPP. SPP videos look like someone meditating on the lock for 30+ seconds.
Go deeper:
Lock picking — raking (Wikipedia) — rapidly sliding the rake across all pins, faster but less reliable than SPP.