You can buy lockpicks in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion from a handful of specific NPCs and thieves’ merchants, plus a very handy “black market” dealer outside the Imperial City.

Best place to buy lockpicks (quick answer)

  • Shady Sam (Imperial City outer wall) – A classic go‑to. He stands outside the Imperial City, near Chestnut Handy Stables, along the outer wall at night, and sells a solid stack of lockpicks at low cost.
  • Thieves Guild fences/merchants – Once you join the Thieves Guild, fences and related black‑market traders offer lockpicks in larger quantities and very reliably.

If you want a simple early‑game routine: find Shady Sam for an initial stash, then use Thieves Guild vendors for long‑term restocking.

Main NPCs who sell lockpicks

These are the commonly referenced sellers in Oblivion and its remaster:

  • Shady Sam – Outside Imperial City
    • Location: Just outside the Imperial City , near Chestnut Handy Stables , along the outside of the city wall, usually at night.
* Why he’s good: Always has a batch of lockpicks, cheap, quick to reach from the city, great early in the game.
  • Thieves Guild contacts and fences
    • Early contact: Armand Christophe is mentioned as someone you can trade with during the early Thieves Guild questline, with players reporting being able to buy lockpicks from him when they first join.
* Fences later: As you rank up, various **Thieves Guild fences** will stock more lockpicks than regular merchants and buy your stolen loot at the same time.

  • City-based “shady” merchants (non‑guild)
    A number of guides list specific NPCs in each major city who can sell you lockpicks once you track them down:

    • Ongar the World-Weary – In Bruma , often in his house or at Olav’s Tap & Tack.
* **Dar Jee** – In **Leyawiin** , found in his house, the **Five Claws Lodge** , or near **Three Sisters’ Inn**.

* **Luciana Galena** – In **Bravil** , either at home or at the **Lonely Suitor Lodge**.

* **Orrin** – In **Anvil** , usually in his smithy in **Castle Anvil**.

These NPCs effectively act as local black‑market traders, giving you multiple cities where you can top up on lockpicks while traveling.

Other ways to get (or avoid using) lockpicks

Even if you don’t want to rely on merchants, you have alternatives:

  • Looting and exploration
    • Guides note that goblin caves, mines, and bandit hideouts often drop multiple lockpicks from enemies and chests.
* Lockpicks commonly show up as random loot on bandits and in crates around cities like the Imperial City.
  • DLC / special vendors (late‑game bulk)
    • Players point to Dunbarrow Cove (a pirate‑themed home south of Anvil from DLC) having an upgraded fence who can sell 100+ lockpicks at once once fully upgraded, making it a bulk‑buy paradise.
  • Skeleton Key (no more lockpicks)
    • Once you reach higher levels, you can complete Nocturnal’s Daedric quest north of Leyawiin to get the Skeleton Key , a permanent unbreakable lockpick that also boosts Security.
* This effectively ends your need to ever buy or farm standard lockpicks again.

Mini “new player” checklist

If you’re just starting and typing “oblivion where to buy lockpicks” because you broke your last one:

  1. Travel to the Imperial City , exit to Chestnut Handy Stables , and follow the outer wall to find Shady Sam at night; buy a batch of lockpicks.
  1. Start the Thieves Guild questline when you’re ready; once in, use guild fences for regular resupply.
  1. While adventuring, always loot goblins/bandits and chests – treat lockpicks as high‑priority drops.
  1. Long‑term goal: do Nocturnal’s quest for the Skeleton Key so you never stress about lockpick stocks again.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.