We get asked about this more than you'd think. Someone picks up a flashlight, sees a lockpick set in the case next to the register (or the "you might also like" row online), and asks the same two questions every time: is this legal, and does it actually work.
Short answers: yes, in almost every U.S. state, and yes — but "works" depends entirely on which set you buy and whether you put in the reps. Here's the actual breakdown, no mystique.
The legal question, answered once
In the overwhelming majority of U.S. states, owning and practicing with lockpicks is legal. Locksport — picking locks as a hobby or sport — has an active community (TOOOL is the name to search if you want to go deeper) built entirely around this being legal recreational skill-building, the same category as woodworking or lock collecting. A small handful of states restrict possession if it's tied to intent to burgle, and a couple require you to not carry picks with criminal intent or prior burglary convictions. The rule of thumb that covers 95% of it: picking locks you own, or locks you have explicit permission to pick, is a hobby. Picking a lock you don't have permission to open is a crime, with or without a lockpick set — a screwdriver works too. Check your state's specific statute if you're unsure, but don't let internet rumor talk you out of a genuinely legal hobby.
What's actually in a set
Every kit boils down to two tool types. Picks manipulate the pins inside the lock — hooks for single-pin picking, rakes for fast raking across all the pins at once, half-diamonds and snake rakes for specific pin configurations. Tension wrenches (or "tension tools") sit in the bottom of the keyway and apply light rotational pressure while the pick does the work — without one, a pick alone does nothing. A pin tumbler lock (the standard doorknob/padlock mechanism) opens when every pin is pushed to the shear line at once; picking is just finding and holding each pin there one at a time, or raking fast enough to catch them together. That's the entire mechanical concept. Everything else is set size, tool quality, and how many pick profiles you have to try before one fits the lock in front of you.
Which set matches how you carry
We carry four, and they're built for different people, not different skill tiers.
If you want picks that live on your keychain or in a pocket without announcing themselves, the Folding Pocket Lockpick Jackknife Set is the one. Seven tools — a tension wrench and six picks covering the common profiles — folded into a single jackknife-style body, so it carries like a pocketknife instead of a loose handful of metal. It's a limited-run item and stock is thin, so if the form factor is what you're after, don't sit on it.
Want something flatter for a wallet? The Pocket/Wallet Credit Card Lockpick Set is credit-card sized — four of the most-used picks plus a turner, punched out of a card blank the same size as anything else in your wallet. It ships with a transparent practice padlock, which matters more than it sounds: a see-through lock lets you actually watch the pins move while you're learning tension, instead of picking blind and guessing why nothing's happening.
Stepping up in tool count without stepping up in bulk, the Foldable Lock Sport Tool folds a wider spread of picks into one compact locksmith-style body. It's the middle ground — more profiles to try when a basic rake isn't cutting it, still small enough for a bag or drawer rather than a full case.
And if you're going past EDC into actually building the hobby, the Lockpick Locksmith Essentials Set is the full spread — the broadest range of picks and tension wrenches we carry in one kit, organized and portable. This is the one for someone who wants to work through padlocks, deadbolts, and everything in between rather than just keep something in a pocket for the novelty.
How to actually get good
Start with your own padlocks, or a clear practice lock like the one that ships with the wallet set. Single-pin pick a cheap 4-pin padlock until you can feel the difference between a pin that's "set" and one that's just stuck — that feel is the entire skill, and no amount of watching videos substitutes for doing it with your own hands. Once single-pin picking clicks, raking gets fast lock openings but teaches you nothing; treat it as a party trick, not a skill goal. Keep practicing on locks you own or that a friend hands you specifically to practice on. That's the whole ethical line, and it's not a hard one to stay on.
Which one to actually buy
Pocket carry, minimal footprint, want it to look like a knife: the folding jackknife set. Wallet carry, want a practice lock included: the credit card set. More tool variety without more bulk: the foldable lock sport tool. Going all-in on the hobby: the locksmith essentials set. All four do the same basic job — the difference is how much you're carrying and how deep you want to go. Pick the one that matches how you actually EDC, not the one with the most pieces in the photo.