Regardless of a professional locksmith’s level of expertise, delivering quality service is impossible without the right tools. Even worse, your toolbox must always be updated, given the world’s never-ending need for new security systems that require specialized tools.
That’s why we’ve curated a list of 31 essential tools for resolving customers’ locksmith-related challenges. They include hand tools, electronic equipment, and software for handling vital business operations.
Let’s get to it.
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What Tools Do Locksmiths Use?
Locksmiths use multiple tools, from basic lockpicks to modern electronic devices, to deliver their services efficiently and successfully manage their businesses. These tools fall into six categories.
Essential hand tools
Lockpicking tools
Key cutting and duplication tools
Electronic and specialized tools
Safety and misc. essentials
Locksmith business software
We will explore each category in detail, revealing the different tools that fall under it.
Essential Hand Tools
We’re starting with the essential hand tools. They are valuable additions to the toolset or toolbox and assist in delivering basic to complex locksmith services.
1. Screwdrivers (various types)
The screwdriver is as essential as a locksmith tool gets. They help loosen or fasten screws from door locks. Experienced locksmiths also use them to pry open locks.
Screwdrivers come in multiple sizes and shapes. Locksmiths need a flathead of different sizes for basic jobs. Precision and specialty screwdrivers may, however, be required to handle special or rare screw types.
Budget: $9–$49
Where to buy
2. Wrenches (adjustable, socket)
Generally, a wrench is used for loosening nuts and bolts.
Although many wrenches exist, locksmiths typically need adjustable and socket types.
Adjustable wrenches are useful for loosening or tightening bolts or nuts. They come in different arm sizes, with the longer ones providing more torque.
On the other hand, socket wrenches are useful for changing lock pins or removing bolts in tight, hard-to-reach areas that an adjustable wrench can't access. Some also have a dial you can flip to loosen or tighten fasteners and extensions for accessing even tighter areas.
Budget: $9–$20
Where to buy
3. Pliers (needle-nose, slip-joint)
Pliers are helpful when working with some types of locks.
The needle-nose plier helps manipulate or remove objects in inaccessible areas during lock installation or repair. The slip joint has an adjustable jaw for holding or cutting objects and serrations for manipulating nuts and bolts.
Budget: $6–$24
Where to buy:
4. Hammers
Locksmith hammers help professional locksmiths force pins out of locks when rekeying or resetting delicate parts of a lock.
Unlike traditional hammers, locksmith hammers are very light and have tapered heads, making them perfect for delivering controlled strikes without damaging delicate lock components.
Budget: $14–$34
Where to buy:
5. Vises
Vises are used to hold automobile, double-bit, and cylindrical locks in place when training locksmiths. They are also useful when rekeying, assembling, and disassembling locks.
Budget: $15–$36
Where to buy: Amazon
6. Files
Locksmiths sometimes manually reshape keys to fit a specific lock’s internal mechanism or pin (this is called impressioning). In such situations, they rely on round, piping, or warding files to gently chip away parts of the key to create ridges and grooves on the key without destroying it.
Budget: $12–$15
Where to buy: Amazon
7. Tension wrenches (different sizes)
Tension wrenches are a must-have tension tool.
Usually made of stainless steel and shaped like tweezers, they hold lock plugs, cylinders, and keyways in place so the picks can slide into the lock and reach the sheer line unobstructed.
Budget: $9–$13
Where to buy: Amazon
Lockpicking Tools
Many locksmiths' day-to-day activities involve manipulating locks to open them without a key. To achieve this, they use different lockpicking tools, including picks, rakes, broken key extractors, and plug spinners.
8. Picks (hook, half-diamond, snake, etc.)
This is an essential part of a locksmith tool kit. They help manipulate lock mechanisms to pry them open, making them useful for handling lockouts.
Lock pick sets usually contain multiple picks for the common lock types. However, locksmiths may have to purchase extra picks for rare lock mechanisms such as the dimple and disc.
Budget: $8–$30
Where to buy: Amazon
9. Rakes (city, Bogota, etc.)
Aside from picks, rakes are also used to open locks, particularly wafers and tumblers. They open locks quicker than picks and are perfectly suited for novices and DIY enthusiasts.
Budget:
Where to buy: $10–$50
10. Broken key extractors
This thin metal bar has a serrated or flat edge and is handy for removing broken keys stuck in padlocks without destroying the padlock itself.
Budget: $19–$27
Where to buy:
11. Plug spinners
Every locksmith’s nightmare is finishing picking a lock and discovering they turned the spindle or core the wrong way. They will have to pick the lock from scratch or forget about opening it.
Plug spinners forcefully rotate the lock’s core in the right direction until the spring holding the pins gives way, allowing the lock to open. This way, the locksmith doesn’t need to pick the lock again.
Budget: $30–$100
Where to buy: Lockpicks
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Key Cutting and Duplication Tools
These are tools for creating new keys, with or without the original. Below are the different locksmith tools belonging to this category.
12. Key duplicator machine
Key machines are manually or electronically operated devices that cut key blanks in a shape and size that matches the original or template. They generally consist of two vises to accommodate the original and the blank, a blade or cutting wheel, and a motor.
Some also have a deburring mechanism for removing sharp edges and ensuring a smooth finish.
Budget: $300–$1,800 (the basic types)
Where to buy:
13. Key blanks (various types)
Key blanks are uncut keys. They lack ridges (or blades or bitting) and come in different shapes, sizes (depending on the keyway), and styles, such as Schlage, Kwikset, master key set, and Arrow.
Additionally, blanks are designed based on the device or purpose they are meant for. There are those designed for cars (they usually have transponder chips), cabinets, doors, motorcycles, etc.
Budget: $9–$54
Where to buy:
14. Depth keys/gauge
These are a type of key blank created with code cutters and numbered from 0 to 9, representing ridge depths. Locksmiths use them to originate keys without an expensive key-cutting machine.
Budget: depends on the device or keyway
Where to buy: Lockpick
Electronic and Specialized Tools
Most tools we’ve covered are used for basic locksmith tasks and do not require electricity. The following tools are the direct opposite, as they are electrically operated and designed for specialized and complex locksmithing tasks.
15. Electric pick gun
Locksmiths don’t always have the time or expertise for single-pin picking. That’s where electric pick guns come in handy.
Electric pick guns are non-destructive machines with needles that open locks by applying consistent, tremendous pressure to the pins. They save time and allow locksmiths to handle more jobs, leading to more revenue.
Budget: $59–$300
Where to buy:
16. Tubular lock picks
This cylindrical tool assumes the shape of the key to pin tumbler locks, allowing locksmiths to pry them open. Depending on the lock's shear lines and purpose, they usually possess 6, 8, or 10 pins.
Budget: $50–$200
Where to buy:
17. Auto jigglers
Also known as trios, skeleton keys, or jigs, this tool is used for opening car doors and some wafer and pin-cylinder locks.
Locksmiths who use this tool employ a lock-picking technique called jiggling. They vigorously shake the key in the keyhole to agitate all the pins simultaneously until the lock opens.
Budget: $25–$102
Where to buy:
18. Key decoders
Locksmiths don’t always have the luxury of having a template or original to make a new key. Keys can go missing or break. In such situations, locksmiths use key decoders to create a new key using the broken one or the internal configuration of its lock.
Key decoders are subdivided into various categories based on lock type. For example, there are smart keys, tubular, and wafer decoders.
Budget: $10–$600
Where to buy:
19. Rekeying kits
Locksmiths use rekeying kits to alter the arrangement of lock pins so they can be opened with another key. This is useful for people who want to restrict access to the holders of the old keys without replacing the locks completely.
Rekeying kits are restricted to a specific lock type. For example, a kit meant for a Kwikset won’t work on a Schlage lock.
Budget: $11–$210
Where to buy:
20. Lock installation kits
As the name implies, this locksmith tool is used to install locks. The kit includes lock components like face plates, deadbolts, and turn buttons.
Budget: $10–$500 (depending on the lock type)
Where to buy:
Safety and Misc. Essentials
Locksmiths encounter multiple safety hazards on the job, whether it is injuries from sharp edges and burrs or flying metal pieces from drilling holes.
Below are the safety and miscellaneous tools locksmiths use.
21. Safety glasses
Metal shavings can become airborne when filing keys or drilling holes. This can damage the eyes immediately or in the long term.
To avoid such, locksmiths use safety glasses or goggles to protect their eyes without impairing visibility.
Budget: $1–$20
Where to buy:
22. Gloves
Locksmiths wear gloves to protect their hands from nicks and deep lacerations from the sharp edges of tools and keys that haven’t been deburred.
Budget: $9–$50
Where to buy:
23. Headlamp/flashlight
Headlamps and flashlights are used to illuminate dimly lit working areas. Locksmiths also use them to see into locks, find lost screws, etc.
Budget: $10–$100
Where to buy:
24. Lubricant
Locksmiths use lubricants to prevent friction between a lock’s internal components, making it easy to manipulate them until the lock pops open.
Lubricants are also applied to locks after they’ve been rekeyed to prevent corrosion and reduce the effort needed to open them.
Budget: $4–$10
Where to buy:
25. Portable workbench/tool bag
Because locksmiths spend a large portion of their workdays moving from one job site to another, they carry hand tools and other essentials used in portable workbenches or tool bags.
Budget: $50–$150
Where to buy:
Locksmith Business Software
Above, we’ve identified various locksmith tools and equipment. However, although they are important and serve crucial roles, they are insufficient for running a locksmith business.
Software is still needed to manage key business processes so that inefficiencies don’t cause a company to lose more than its income.
We built ServiceTitan, a robust, comprehensive locksmith software tool, to help companies minimize or eliminate operational inefficiencies. Over 100,000 contractors nationwide use the software to grow their businesses with the help of the following features.
26. Call booking tool
Most customers’ frustration with companies can be traced to a negative phone call experience due to long wait times and disorganized call trees. This frustration may spill over online, leading to negative reviews that portray your brand negatively.
ServiceTitan’s Call Booking platform allows locksmith companies to make a positive first impression on callers, boosting customer satisfaction.
The platform has a cloud-based phone system (VOIP) that helps users answer calls outside the office instead of leaving customers on hold or ignoring them entirely. This helps locksmith companies to be always available to assist customers with emergencies such as lockouts.
ServiceTitan’s Call Booking software also automatically displays the names of returning customers and has dropdown menus that prompt CSRs to ask the right questions and collect the right information. Field technicians can access this information and listen to the intake call recording from the Mobile App when they need to clarify some details.
This streamlined call booking process helps you satisfy customers from the first interaction and gives technicians sufficient information to tackle each job exactly as the customer expected.
27. Marketing tool
We built the Home Services Marketing software to help service companies, including locksmiths, to easily create and manage their promotional campaigns with one tool.
The software also solves the revenue attribution problem that almost every business owner battles with.
Users can assign unique tracking numbers to each marketing campaign, so ServiceTitan’s system can automatically attribute each call or message to the source. This way, you can rank and optimize campaigns based on the revenue they generate, not on basic and unimportant metrics like clicks.
Once a campaign is active, ServiceTitan’s Home Services Marketing platform automatically tracks its performance, ranks it using generated revenue, and identifies the zip codes with the most calls. It then displays them all using a colorful dashboard that’s easy to understand.
Companies can use this detailed performance report to identify wasted ad spend early and reallocate their budgets appropriately.
28. Scheduling tool
ServiceTitan’s Service Scheduling helps service companies optimize their schedules to accommodate and complete as many jobs as possible daily.
CSRs can view each tech’s availability in real time and queue up jobs for those rounding up their current work order. This way, no technician stays idle, preventing underutilization, which boosts profitability.
ServiceTitan’s Service Scheduling software also empowers CSRs to book jobs weeks and months ahead, attaching color-coded tags to those requiring special technician expertise or tools.
This allows technicians to see their potential workload and ensures each person is sufficiently qualified to handle the job.
29. Dispatching tool
One major cause of schedule disruptions and inefficiencies is no-shows, when technicians arrive at job locations to discover that the customer is unavailable. Dispatchers must re-plan the entire schedule to fit that work order.
ServiceTitan’s Dispatching tool resolves this by sending customers automatic appointment confirmation messages before the technician arrives. Such messages contain the appointment time, a picture and brief description of the technician, and a tracking link.
This allows customers to confirm their availability for the appointment and track the real-time location of their technician, which, in turn, boosts customer satisfaction.
30. Payroll tool
Employees are the life of any thriving business. It’s vital to compensate them fairly so they can give their best daily and go above and beyond to satisfy customers.
Recognizing this, we designed ServiceTitan’s Payroll Software to assist locksmith companies and other service providers in effortlessly managing their payroll. This increases employee productivity and retention while reducing wage-related disputes.
With the software, you can track each technician's time driving to the job location, purchasing materials, and fixing locks. This allows you to craft strategies to improve employee efficiency, such as outsourcing unproductive tasks.
ServiceTitan’s Payroll Software also has a robust pay system that can be configured to accommodate special incentives such as overtime, bonuses, and commissions. It also tracks the hours spent on each job and displays the cost using a Project Profitability Report dashboard.
This ensures you compensate employees fairly while still operating at a profit.
31. Field service app
After interacting with successful service companies, we discovered the potential revenue that can be generated from maximizing field technicians’ interactions with customers. That’s why we built the Field Service App.
The software empowers technicians to close sales and deliver quality services without engaging in unproductive back-and-forth calls with office staff.
Due to its integration with ServiceTitan’s CRM, technicians can access every customer detail from the application. This includes the intake call recording, customer names, property details, and service history.
Technicians can use such information to spot potential upsells and craft personalized sales pitches that the customer will be interested in.
Finally, the Field Service App allows technicians to build tiered estimates and promote them to customers using a display interface resembling traditional shopping platforms.
Customers simply swipe to select a tier matching their budget and pay using credit card, cash, or checks.
This puts customers in control of the entire process and helps technicians who are not proficient with crafting pitches to close sales.
Over to You
Tools are integral to every locksmith’s success, as they help resolve basic and complex customer problems.
However, remember that having the right tools is only one part of running a successful locksmith business. There’s still a need to monitor revenue generation, ensure other aspects of your business run smoothly, and promote your services.
To that end, check out multiple guides we have written to help you manage your business.
You can also lighten the load of running your business by using ServiceTitan to automate vital tasks.
ServiceTitan is an all-in-one software that handles key locksmith company operational processes, like customer management, invoice processing, and job scheduling. Over 100,000 contractors nationwide use it to boost profits.
ServiceTitan Software
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 25% in just their first year with us.
