Raking: Fast Sweep Picking for Pin Tumblers
Raking is a style of lockpicking used to quickly open pin-tumbler and wafer locks.
Picks specifically designed for rake picking are commonly known as rakes.
Technique
Insert a rake profile under the pins, apply gentle rotational tension, and move the pick in and out or up and down. Varying tension mid-rake can coax stubborn stacks to set. Success feels like a sudden give as the plug rotates.
Common Rake Profiles
C-rakes, S-rakes, L-rakes, W-rakes, and Bogota profiles dominate pin tumbler work. Wafer rakes are sometimes called auto-jigglers because automotive wafer locks respond well to sweeping motions.
Strengths and Limits
Raking opens many residential locks in seconds when security pins are absent. Spool, mushroom, and serrated drivers catch at the shear line and frustrate naive raking — experienced pickers switch to single-pin work or bypass.
Wafer and Dimple Variants
Wafer locks accept jigglers that rock multiple wafers simultaneously. Dimple locks use wavy or dimpled rake profiles that engage face-oriented pins. See wafer locks and dimple locks.
Learning Path
Raking builds tension control habits useful for all picking. See lockpicking fundamentals and locksport for structured practice.