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Short answer: Hook picks are used for single pin picking (SPP), setting each pin individually with precision and control. Rake picks are used for raking, a faster technique that manipulates multiple pins at once by moving the pick in and out of the keyway under tension. Most pickers carry both. Hooks give you control and teach you how locks actually work; rakes give you speed once you understand the fundamentals.

Here’s the full breakdown of what each one is, how they’re used, and which to reach for first.

What Is a Hook Pick?

A hook pick has a single raised tip (the “hook”) shaped to catch and lift one pin at a time. You apply light tension to the plug with a tension tool, then use the hook to find the binding pin (the one under the most pressure), lift it to the shear line, and feel it set. Repeat pin by pin until the lock opens.

This is single pin picking (SPP). It’s slower than raking, but it works on almost any pin tumbler lock, teaches you what’s actually happening inside the cylinder, and tends to be more reliable on higher-security or heavily-used locks where raking struggles.

Best for: learning the fundamentals, security pins (spools, serrated, mushroom), higher-security cylinders, precision work.

What Is a Rake Pick?

A rake pick has a wavy or zig-zag profile along the blade instead of a single tip. Instead of isolating one pin, you apply light tension and move the rake in and out of the keyway (or bounce/scrub it), bumping multiple pins at once in the hope that enough of them set to open the lock.

This is raking. It’s faster and requires less finesse than SPP, which makes it a satisfying technique for beginners and a fast option for standard pin tumbler locks without much security hardware inside. It’s generally less effective on locks with security pins, where the false sets it causes make SPP the more reliable choice.

Best for: speed, standard/basic pin tumbler locks, beginners building early wins and motivation.

Hook vs Rake: Quick Comparison

Which Should You Start With?

Start with a hook. It’s slower to get your first open, but it teaches you how pin tumbler locks actually behave: binding order, feedback, and tension control, all of which make you better at raking later too. Once you’ve opened a few locks with a hook, add a rake to your kit for speed on easier locks.

Most Bare Bones kits include both hooks and rakes for exactly this reason. You’re not choosing one over the other long-term, just deciding where to start.

Browse Bare Bones hooks and rakes →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a rake pick open any lock a hook pick can?

No. Rakes work well on standard pin tumbler locks but struggle against security pins (spools, serrated, mushroom pins), where the imprecise motion causes false sets. Hooks are the more reliable choice for those locks.

Do I need both a hook and a rake pick?

Most pickers eventually carry both. Hooks for precision and security pins, rakes for speed on standard locks. Beginners are usually better served starting with a hook to learn the fundamentals first.

Which is faster, raking or single pin picking?

Raking is generally faster when it works, since it attempts to set multiple pins at once. Single pin picking is slower but far more consistent and reliable, especially on locks with security pins.

Hook or rake: what’s the easiest pick to learn on?

Rakes are easier to get an early “win” with on basic locks, which is motivating for beginners. However, hooks teach the underlying skill (feeling binding order and pin feedback) that makes you better at picking generally, including with a rake.

Are hook and rake picks made in different thicknesses?

Yes. Both are available in the same thickness range as the rest of the Bare Bones range (15thou, 20thou, 23thou), so the hook-vs-rake decision is separate from the thickness decision covered in our lock pick thickness guide.