Lishi Tools by Vehicle Make — The Full Breakdown
Automotive locksmithing is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying segments of the locksmith trade. A lost car key call can earn anywhere from $150 to $400+ depending on the vehicle, and Lishi tools are how the pros handle those jobs quickly and cleanly — without a tow truck or dealer visit. Here's a detailed breakdown of the tools you need for the most common vehicles on the road.
15 Pro Tips for Using Lishi Tools Like a Veteran
Theory is great, but field experience is what separates good locksmiths from great ones. These tips come straight from real-world use on residential and automotive calls — the kind of knowledge that doesn't come in the box.
Always Use Less Tension Than You Think You Need
Over-tensioning is the #1 mistake beginners make. Too much tension overshoots the pins past the shear line. Start feather-light and increase only if nothing is moving. Most experienced locksmiths use barely enough to feel the plug rotate.
Practice on a Cutaway Lock First
Before touching a customer's lock, invest in a transparent or cutaway practice lock. Seeing the pins set in real time is the fastest way to build muscle memory and understand what you're feeling through the tool.
Keep Your Tools Clean and Lightly Lubed
Debris and grit kill precision. After each job, wipe down your Lishi tools with a clean cloth. A tiny drop of quality lock lubricant on the working parts keeps them smooth and extends their lifespan significantly.
Work in Good Lighting
Decoding requires reading small markings on the scale. A headlamp or flashlight aimed at the lock face makes a real difference — especially on automotive locks in parking garages or at night.
Verify the Keyway Before Inserting the Tool
Forcing the wrong Lishi into a lock can damage both the tool and the lock. Take 10 seconds to confirm the keyway with a reference guide before you insert anything.
Record Your Decode Every Time
Even if the customer doesn't need a key cut right now, write down the bitting. You now have data you can use to cut a key later, upsell a duplicate, or reference if you come back for rekeying.
Don't Rush the Process on High-Security Locks
Higher-security locks with tighter tolerances require even more patience. Security pins (spools, serrated) require you to release tension slightly as they set. Rushing will reset all your progress.
Use the Correct Tension Bar Side
Most Lishi tools have two tension bars — top of keyway (TOK) and bottom of keyway (BOK). Experiment with both on new locks you encounter. The right choice can cut your open time in half.
Keep a Printed Keyway Reference Chart in Your Kit
When you're on a job and unsure of the keyway, having a laminated quick-reference card beats pulling up your phone. Speed matters when a customer is watching you work.
Lubricate the Lock, Not Just the Tool
If a lock is stiff or corroded, a quick spray of graphite or Teflon-based lubricant directly into the keyway before picking can make the difference between a 1-minute job and a 15-minute struggle.
Track Which Tools You Use Most
After 3–6 months, review which Lishi tools you reach for on every call. Double up on those — having backups of your highest-use tools means a broken or lost tool never stops your day.
Store Tools in a Proper Roll or Case
Tossing Lishi tools loose in a toolbox scratches the decode scales and damages the tips. A good tool roll protects your investment and keeps tools organized by type so you can find what you need fast.
Watch the Decode Scale During the Entire Pick Process
Don't wait until the lock opens to read the scale. Watch it throughout the picking process — pins often telegraph their position as you work, and you can build your bitting code progressively.
Know When NOT to Use a Lishi Tool
Severely corroded locks, locks with foreign objects inside, or damaged keyways can cause a Lishi tool to bind and break. Assess every lock before picking — sometimes drilling is the right call, and protecting your tools means protecting your income.
Join the Community
The locksmith community on platforms like Reddit (r/lockpicking, r/locksmith), YouTube, and locksmith forums is incredibly generous with technique advice. Watching experienced locksmiths demonstrate Lishi use on specific vehicles accelerates your learning faster than any manual.
What Lishi Tools Are Really Worth to Your Bottom Line
Let's talk numbers. A full set of the top 10 Lishi tools for residential and automotive work will run you roughly $300–$500 total. That sounds like a real investment — until you think about what a single automotive lockout job pays.
Average Job Revenue With Lishi Tools
A $350 investment in Lishi tools pays for itself on your second automotive call. After that, every job you run is generating higher margin, in less time, with less physical wear on the lock. Over the course of a year, a mobile locksmith doing just 4 automotive calls per week is looking at an additional $30,000–$50,000 in revenue directly enabled by these tools — revenue that either didn't exist before or went to competitors who showed up faster and more capable.
Pro Move: Bundle the Decode Upsell Into Your Pricing
When a customer asks how much to get into their car, quote a lockout + key cut package. The Lishi decodes the lock for free while you pick — cutting a spare key costs you 5 minutes and $3 in materials, and you charge $75–$100 for it. That's pure profit.
Lishi Tools vs. Traditional Pick Sets — Which Is Better?
Traditional pick sets (hooks, diamonds, rakes) have been the locksmith standard for decades. They're versatile, relatively cheap, and work across many keyways. But they have real limitations compared to Lishi tools for professional, time-sensitive work. Here's the honest comparison:
| Feature | Lishi 2-in-1 | Traditional Picks |
|---|---|---|
| Decodes key bitting | ✓ Yes — while picking | ✗ Separate decoder needed |
| Non-destructive entry | ✓ Consistently yes | ✓ Yes, when done right |
| Works on automotive locks | ✓ Purpose-built per vehicle | Varies — difficult on many |
| Learning curve | Moderate (hours–days) | High (weeks–months for consistency) |
| Works across all keyways | ✗ One tool per keyway | ✓ More versatile per tool |
| Average open time (practiced) | 30 sec – 3 min | 2 min – 15+ min |
| Cost per tool | $25 – $60 each | $5 – $20 each |
| Enables key cutting upsell | ✓ Built into workflow | ✗ Requires separate decoder |
| Customer-facing professionalism | Very high — single precise tool | Moderate — multiple tools visible |
"Lishi tools didn't replace my pick set — they became my first choice on 90% of jobs. My pick set is backup."
— Common sentiment among experienced mobile locksmithsThe bottom line: Lishi tools and traditional picks are complementary, not competing. Start with Lishi tools for your highest-volume keyways and automotive applications. Keep a quality pick set for unusual or older keyways where no Lishi exists. The combination covers nearly every call you'll encounter in the field.
The Complete Lishi Starter Kit — What to Buy First
When you're building your Lishi collection from scratch, the temptation is to buy everything at once. Don't. Start lean with the highest-volume tools for your market, master them, and expand as you grow your call volume and confidence. Here's the recommended phased approach:
The Core 6 — Cover 70% of Your Calls
These six tools handle the vast majority of residential and automotive calls in most U.S. service areas. Master these first and you'll be operating at a professional level from week one. Includes: KW1 (Kwikset), SC1 (Schlage), GM-HU100 (GM/Chevy), Ford-H75 (Ford), TOY43 (Toyota), HON66 (Honda).
Add the Next Tier — Cover 85% of Calls
Once you've built comfort and call volume, expand to cover Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep (CH1), Nissan (NSN14), Hyundai/Kia (HYN11), and additional residential keyways like Defiant (KW10) and Kwikset Titan (KW1-TT). These additions cover most remaining high-volume applications.
Luxury & Specialty Vehicles — Premium Jobs
BMW (HU92), Mercedes (HU64/HU66), VW/Audi (HU66/HU162T), and Subaru (DAT17) open up premium-priced jobs that many locksmiths turn away. These tools pay for themselves on a single call — one BMW lockout often covers the cost of the tool three times over.
Don't Forget the Accessories
Ready to Build Your Lishi Kit?
Grab your Phase 1 starter tools and get picking this week.
Lishi Tools for Residential Locksmithing
While automotive gets a lot of the attention, residential lockout calls are the backbone of most mobile locksmith businesses. They're high-frequency, geographically concentrated, and often lead to additional work like rekeying, lock upgrades, or security consultations. Lishi tools make these calls faster and more profitable.
Kwikset — KW1 / KW5 / KW10
Kwikset is the most widely installed residential lock brand in the United States. The KW1 is your single most important residential Lishi tool — if you only have one, make it this one. KW5 and KW10 cover additional Kwikset variants.
Schlage — SC1 / SC4
Schlage is the second most common residential brand, particularly popular in higher-end homes. SC1 covers the massive majority of Schlage installations. SC4 handles commercial and some residential Schlage applications.
Defiant / Home Depot — KW10
Defiant is the house brand at Home Depot and uses a KW10 keyway. It's extremely common in rental properties and lower-cost housing. Often overlooked but high call volume in the right markets.
Weiser / Baldwin
Common in certain regional markets. Weiser locks are popular in Canada and some U.S. markets. Baldwin is a premium brand found in higher-end new construction. Check your local market for frequency.
Master Lock — MASTERLOCK M1
Padlock applications for storage units, gates, and commercial buildings. Master Lock is ubiquitous — the Lishi M1 is worth having in your kit for padlock calls that come up regularly.
Commercial — Best, Medeco, Arrow
Commercial applications open up higher-paying B2B relationships with property managers and businesses. These require additional investment but commercial lockout and rekey contracts can anchor your monthly revenue.
Know Your Local Market
The most common lock brands in Montgomery County and Frederick County lean heavily Kwikset and Schlage on residential — with a strong mix of domestic vehicles (GM, Ford, Chrysler) plus a growing Toyota and Honda base. Start there and expand based on what you're seeing on calls.
How to Spot Fake Lishi Tools Before You Buy
The market is flooded with Lishi clones — counterfeit tools that look nearly identical to the real thing in product photos but fall apart in the field. Here's how to protect yourself:
Price Is the Biggest Tell
Genuine Lishi tools typically run $25–$55 each depending on the application. If you see a "Lishi" tool listed at $8–$12, it is not genuine. Clones undercut pricing to move volume — don't be the locksmith who learns this lesson on a customer's car door.
Check the Decode Scale Markings
On genuine tools, the scale markings are laser-engraved, sharp, and evenly spaced. On clones, they're often stamped or printed, blurry, or inconsistently spaced. Inaccurate scale markings mean you can't trust your decode — which defeats the entire purpose of the tool.
Feel the Steel Quality
Genuine Lishi tools feel solid and balanced. Clone tools often feel lighter or "tinny" — the steel gauge is thinner. The lifter tip on a clone may feel slightly soft or flexible. Under work stress, these tips bend or snap.
Buy Through Authorized Locksmith Suppliers
The safest route is always to buy through dedicated locksmith supply companies. These businesses have relationships with authorized distributors and their inventory is vetted. Random Amazon marketplace sellers and eBay listings are the highest-risk purchasing channels.
Best Places to Buy Lishi Tools — Our Recommended Links
We've vetted these suppliers and sourced from most of them ourselves. Every link below is an affiliate link — you pay the same price, and we earn a small commission that keeps this content free. Thank you for supporting the blog.
CLK Supplies — Shop Lishi Tools →
Largest dedicated locksmith supply catalog in the U.S. All major Lishi residential and automotive tools in stock. Fast shipping. Trusted by professionals nationwide. Excellent customer service for locksmiths at all experience levels.
The Locksmith Store — Shop Starter Kits →
Great option if you want a curated set of tools rather than picking individual units. Their starter kits are competitively priced and well-chosen for new technicians. Good for residential bundles especially.
Ilco Automotive Lishi Collection →
Ilco is one of the most respected names in the key and lock industry. Their Lishi automotive line is comprehensive and quality-verified. If you're building an automotive-focused kit, start here.
Amazon — Verified Lishi Sellers →
Amazon works if you shop carefully. Filter by sold and fulfilled by established locksmith supply brands. Read all seller feedback carefully. Ideal if you need fast Prime shipping and already know exactly which tool model you need.