Lock picks. Small batch. Made in USA.
Your feedback drives every batch.
Launching Spring 2026
View The EssentialsBatch 000 drops April 12, 2026
The Essentials
Core Set
7 picks. 3 tensioners. Waxed canvas roll.
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
7 Picks
3 Tensioners
What's Included
Waxed Canvas Roll
Holds all 10 tools. Brass hardware. Rolls tight, carries easy.
Black Oxide Finish
Tumbled and coated. Reduces glare, resists corrosion.
Maker's Mark + Batch #
Every pick stamped. Feedback tied to batches is how we iterate.
5% from every set funds DC831 — hands-on security education in Monterey Bay.
Transparent Materials
No marketing names. Published specs.
Profiles shaped by research, not guesswork — practitioner feedback, red team experience, locksport forums, and decades of published knowledge.
Pick Profiles
Shaped by practitioner knowledge — locksport forums, red team experience, DEF CON workshops. The Core Set evolves with feedback. Every batch is a refinement.
FAQ
Questions we get asked
Why $125?
Because that's what it costs to do it right. Quality materials, USA manufacturing, and 5% to the community that helped design them.
Is 10 tools enough?
Most people use 5-7. We made the 7 picks that cover 90% of locks, plus 3 tensioners for the rest.
Why not titanium?
Steel is stiffer and gives better feedback. Titanium flexes more. (It's coming as a future batch.)
Learning in Public
How batches work
We don't mass-produce. Each batch is a small production run—numbered, tracked, and tied to specific feedback.
When you tell us the short hook needs a slightly higher apex, that goes into the next batch. When enough people ask for thinner tensioners, that becomes Batch 001. Your feedback drives the next iteration. That's the loop.
Handle texture, profile geometry, tensioner width. Real refinements from real use. Some designs become staples. Others are one-run experiments.
The Core Set isn't frozen. Batch numbers track the changes.
Batch Timeline
Batch 003
You decide.
We're planning ahead. Help us decide.
Voting opens at launch.
Need more?
Popular batches may return. Need 10+ sets for a team or training program? hello@montereytool.com
Build Notes
Documenting the process
We're documenting the process as we go. Check back for updates.
Finalized the 7 pick profiles. Short hook, deep hook, medium hook, offset hybrid, triple peak, city rake, S-rake. Based on what practitioners actually use.
Chose 301 SS Full Hard for the steel. Stiffer than titanium. Stronger than 302. Industry standard for a reason.
Started sketching the first set. Goal: one set that covers 90%.
About
Monterey Tool makes lock picks and tensioners for locksport enthusiasts, security researchers, and red team practitioners.
Started by a security practitioner learning to pick locks and building a community in Monterey Bay.
USMC veteran. Cybersecurity practitioner. Learning alongside you.
Legal
Lock picks are legal to own in most US states. We ship to all US states except Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, and Virginia due to local restrictions.
By purchasing, you confirm you are legally allowed to own lock picks in your jurisdiction and that you will use them lawfully.
We do not ship internationally at this time.
Questions: hello@montereytool.com