Tension Wrenches & Turning Tools

Turning tools are essential, and understanding their types and applications is crucial for their effective use. Tension wrenches come in various sizes, shapes, and materials to suit different lock types and user preferences.

Some common designs include:

• Tension Wrench
• TOK Turning Tools (Prybar)
• Feather Touch Tension Tool
• Dual Prong
• Circular Tension Tools

Among these tools, the Tension Wrench and TOK Prybar stand out as the most popular, useful, and vital tools to have in your toolkit.

Let’s dive into these two primary tension tools and learn how they work, and in which situations they are best.

So we now have a solid understanding of the pros and cons of the tension wrench, but what about their characteristics?

Why are there several different types of tension wrenches and what is the difference between their slight variations?

Before we tackle the nitty-gritty details, let’s start by breaking the tension wrench up into three different types:

1. The Straight Wrench
2. The Twisty Wrench
3. The Double-Ended Wrench

First up is the straight tension wrench! This little guy is nothing more than a flat piece of steel with a 90-degree bend applied to a single end.

Now to fully understand the purpose and power of the straight wrench, it is absolutely critical that we understand three things:

1. Our turning tools provide us with more feedback---vibrations---than any other factor in lock picking.
2. We as pickers want to do everything in our power to use a turning tool that will provide us with the most feedback possible.
3. The turning tool that will provide us with the most feedback possible will be one that is the thickest and stiffest.

This third point is where the straight tension wrench shines brightest!

Because the straight wrench is a straight piece of metal it will not flex and will remain rigid while you apply torque to it, thus providing you with a maximum degree of feedback!

I understand that it can be kinda hard to put this into context without something to compare it to. So let's take a look at a tool that is the exact opposite of the straight tension wrench.

Something that is thin, floppy, and springy -- the twisty wrench!

You may recognize these tensioning tools that have a 90-degree twist down the shaft. They are very popular and common in many lock picking sets.

While these twisted wrenches have their benefits — which we'll touch on in a moment –, they are absolutely the worst wrench you could use to develop your skills. The reason being is that the twist acts as a spring and dampens the vibrations moving through the wrench.

To better illustrate this, think of the springs and shocks used in the suspension system of a car. If you were to hit a pothole, the springs will absorb and dampen the vibrations you feel as a driver. However, if you were to take out the springs and drive over that same pothole… well, let’s just say you as a driver would know you hit it.

Remember that when it comes to picking, feedback is everything. We want to feel every pothole, speed bump, and potential crack in the road as we metaphorically drive our lock picks up and down the pins of a lock.

So if the straight (non-twisty) tension wrench provides us with better feedback, why then would we ever use a twisty wrench?

Well, it can provide us with a pretty cool advantage that I like to call variable tension.

Because these wrenches have the ability to flex, the amount of tension being applied to the core can be controlled by us — the picker — AND, in some small degree, by the lock.

Depending on how we affect the lock with our pick, variable tension allows the core of the plug to more easily fight back – or what we call counter-rotate – and balance the forces on the lock. This is can be extremely helpful in situations like raking where the ability for the pins to slightly control the tension is way more important than feeling feedback.

Another slight benefit is that the twisty wrench can be more comfortable to use because your finger is resting on the flat side of the wrench rather than the edge.

Last up is the double-ended tension wrench.

This little guy is really nothing more than two straight tension wrenches packed up into one tool.

Naturally, this 2-in-1 tool can give us the advantage of carrying fewer tension wrenches and can really cut down on the bulk of our everyday carry lock pick sets.

However, this benefit typically comes with a catch.

Because they are made out of a single piece of metal, both sides are typically the same thickness and width -- making them identical in size. As you can see in the image above, the only difference between each side is usually the length.

So really the only question that remains is, "why is there a short end and a long end?"

Let's explore that next!

If you pick up any set of tension wrenches, you'll likely notice that the tip that goes into the keyway will come in a variety of different lengths.

There is no better contrast to this variety than with the double-ended tension wrench as seen above.

So what is the purpose of longer and shorter wrenches and when should we utilize each?

When using a tension wrench, you want to take up as little room in the keyway as possible. This also includes how far into the keyway your tension wrench reaches.

In most locks, you don't want your tension wrench to reach more than halfway into the keyway.

This is because the rearmost pins in the lock require the most leverage to lift.

If you take up too much room in the rear of the keyway with the tension wrench, you may not have the leverage you need to fully lift and set a pin.

This is the sole purpose of shorter tension wrenches. To give you just enough metal to tension the lock, but little enough to still be able to maneuver your pick in the rear of the lock!

So if we ideally want to take up as little room in the keyway as possible, why would we ever need a longer tension wrench?

The reality is, there are quite a few locks that have some very strange features, including recessed keyways or something extruding from the face of the lock that would block our tension wrench.

In a nutshell, some locks need a tension wrench with a longer reach to appropriately and successfully tension them.

The Master Lock 911 is a great example of a lock that has both a recessed keyway and obstacles that extrude from the face of the lock.

While not radical, some shorter tension wrenches may not have the reach.

That will about do it for length. Now let's tackle our final two characteristics -- thickness and width!

Every lock is different in a variety of ways -- including its keyway.

Some locks have small keyways and some have big. Some locks are tight with tons of warding, while others are wide and open.

The point is, there are a TON of keyways with different shapes and sizes. As a result, we need different sized tension wrenches.

When it comes to the size of the tension wrench that you use, it truly is a Goldilocks type of story.

If you use a wrench that is too small, you risk wedging it in the bottom of the keyway and binding the core.

If you use a wrench that is too big you may not have any room left to use your pick.

However, if you use one that is just right, it will tension the lock without binding the core, AND you’ll have room to insert and maneuver your pick!

We’re not going to touch on how to select a specific size for a particular keyway in this article. We’ll cover that in another one soon, however, to polish this guide off let's quickly cover the typical measurements of most retail wrenches.

Most tension wrenches fall between .020" and .030" thick.

Additionally, there are typically three widths of wrench:

• Thin: 0.1“ or 1.5mm
• Medium: 0.11“ or 2.75mm
• Thick: 0.13“ or 3.5mm

This being stated, there are many other widths available, but in general, most manufacturers offer some variation of a thin, medium, and thick wrench.

Here are some aspects to consider when choosing your lock picking tension tools:

• Type of lock: Different locks require different tension tools. Familiarize yourself with the lock types, such as pin tumbler or wafer locks, to choose the appropriate tension tool. 
• Size and shape: Tension wrenches come in various sizes, lengths, and styles. The right size and shape is crucial for effective lock picking.
• Bottom or Top of Keyway (BOK and TOK): The tension wrench is commonly used at the bottom of the keyway (BOK), but some lock pickers prefer top of the keyway tension wrenches (TOK). 

Here are some recommended lock picking tension tools for various situations:

Remember that practice and experience are crucial for effectively using lock picking tension tools. Select a set that caters to your skill level and the types of locks you plan to tackle. With the right tools, proper technique, and patience, you'll be well on your way to becoming a proficient lock picker.

For those who want to create their own tension tools, there are several materials and methods that can be utilized. Here are a few DIY options:

• Saw blades, which can be cut and bent into the desired shape
• Coat hangers, which can easily be bent and manipulated
• Wiper inserts and bike spokes for crafting more durable tension tools

When creating your own tension tools, it's important to ensure that the material you use is both strong and flexible enough to apply the necessary tension.