The invention relates to a lancing device (1) for taking blood samples, having a housing (2), an axially displaceable lancet holder element (32) for holding a lancet (12), a lancing spring element for accelerating the axially displaceable lancet holder element (32) in a lancing direction (18), and a release element (13) for initiating a lancing procedure, in which the axially displaceable lancet holder element (32) is accelerated in a lancing direction (18) by the tensioned lancing spring element, wherein the lancing device (1) comprises a locking apparatus (20), which can be released by the release element (13), for locking a lancing spring element tensioning procedure.