Description

A multi-purpose bypass tool combining a flat tension bar, a comb pick, and tubular tension in one design, made from steel. The comb section is a fast bypass method for certain vulnerable padlocks, while the flat bar ends double as standard top-of-keyway tension tools.

Important: comb picks are a niche bypass tool, not a universal one. They only work on locks with loose enough manufacturing tolerances to let the full pin stack move completely out of the way, genuinely limited to lower-quality, mass-produced padlocks, not something that will open a well-made or high-security lock. See below for exactly how it works and where it doesn’t.

How a Comb Pick Actually Works

A comb pick isn’t really a “pick” in the traditional sense. It’s a bypass tool. Instead of manipulating pins individually like a hook, or bumping them like a rake, a comb pick pushes every pin stack in the lock (both the key pin and driver pin) all the way up past the shear line and into the “bible”, the chamber above the plug. With every pin stack fully out of the way, the plug is free to rotate, and the comb itself is used to turn it open.

Where It Works, and Where It Doesn’t

Comb picking only works when a lock has enough internal clearance for the full pin stack (key pin, driver pin, and spring) to fit entirely inside the bible. That’s a manufacturing tolerance issue, most common on cheaper, mass-produced padlocks where tolerances are looser.

It will not work on:

• High-security locks with tight manufacturing tolerances
• Locks with security pins (spools, serrated, mushroom)
• Restricted or curved keyways that don’t leave room for the comb to sit properly

When a lock is genuinely vulnerable to it, comb picking is fast, often just a few seconds. When it isn’t, no amount of technique will make it work. It’s a specialised addition to a kit, not a replacement for single pin picking or raking skills.

What You Get

• Comb pick teeth for bypassing vulnerable padlocks
• Flat bar ends doubling as top-of-keyway tension tools
• Tubular tension section
• Made from steel

We’d rather you know upfront: this tool only opens a specific subset of lower-quality locks. If you’re after something more broadly useful for developing real picking skill, our hook and rake sets are the better place to start.