Have you ever been in a situation where you desperately wanted to get inside a house or office but didn’t have the keys? It could be a case of a lost or misplaced key. Such a situation is heart-wrenching.
Our article will be covering how to open a door lock from the outside in detail using different methods.
In general, for the easiest method follow these steps to open a door lock from the outside.
First, take a credit card. Slide your card inside the gap between the door and jamb. Continue sliding it until it comes into contact with the door lock’s barrel. As you slide the card in, move the handle up and down for it to move down a little with the continued exertion of pressure against the lock’s barrel using the card. As long as you exert enough pressure, your door will open when the knob moves just a little.
This article shows you how to open the door lock from the outside in three super-fast ways without the key.
Method 1: Using a Bobby Pin
Bobby pins have been used in the place of keys by many locksmiths. You need a bobby pin, and getting it isn’t tricky either. Bobby pins are suitable for lock picks due to their flexibility. I bet you’ve seen people use them to unlock doors in movies. Do you wish to actualize it in real life? It’s possible. Below are the necessary steps when opening doors with pins/pistons. (1)
1. Get rid of the plastic knots on the ends of the bobby pins. They might get in the way if left there.
2. Using tweezers bend one end of the bobby pin slightly to make a few millimeters hook. It’s the piece you’ll use to locate and move the pins inside the lock.
3. Bend the other end over itself to create an L key. You’ll also get a handle that will facilitate an enhanced grip.
4. Take the second pin and open it up to form a right angle. You don’t have to make a hook for this bobby pin. It will be a pressure key for pressing the mechanism when unlocking the door.
5. Insert the first bobby pin as low as possible in the keyhole. Insert the curved part with the tips outside.
6. Turn the bobby pin as if you were using the key and hold it. The objective is to turn the cylinder while making way for the next door to unlock.
7. Insert the other bobby pin and try to feel as many pistons as possible. The idea is to give you a mental image of the number of pins you working with.
8. Up and down movements based on the available pins help to move pins from their position to free the cylinder.
9. Pay attention to the sound the pins make as you manipulate them. It will come in handy.
10. Maintain light pressure with the lever while avoiding excessive pressure.
11. After you’ve unlocked all the pins, take the pin you used to press and rotate it as if opening with a key.
12. With a little help from your shoulder, push your door open.
Method 2: Using a Credit Card
A credit card is a known and widely used lock pick. How do you go about using it?
- Identify a credit card you don’t mind losing if it suffers a bend or something else.
- Do you see the space between the door and the jamb? Slide your card inside the gap.
- Continue sliding it until it comes into contact with the door lock’s barrel.
- As you slide the card in, move the handle up and down for it to move down a little with the continued exertion of pressure against the lock’s barrel using the card.
- As long as you exert enough pressure, your door will open when the knob moves just a little, resulting in more space for the credit to go through.
Note that the credit card method cannot work on dead-bolted doors. (2)
Method 3: Using a Screw Driver
The screwdriver method entails removing the doorknob. You only need a screwdriver. Note that this method isn’t appropriate for high-security level doors, and most probably, you cannot fully rely on it to open your home’s front door. Also, you must be willing to invest the effort and time. Depending on the door type, there are two ways of unlocking a door using a screwdriver.
- Some doors require locating the mounting screws and removing them to break the door lock using the head of the screwdriver.
- You must first remove the shank, rose, or other door pieces on some doors to finally locate the mounting screws and unlock them. If that’s the case, look for a flathead screwdriver and get down to business.
You shouldn’t fret if this technique doesn’t work on your door. For instance, if your door has a button lock inside, a screwdriver won’t save the day.
Wrapping Up
Be careful not to misuse this incredible skill. Only apply it when you are unlocking a door in your home or helping someone unlock their door with their permission, and more so in their presence. You could also use the above lock pick techniques in case of an emergency, and there isn’t another way into the house. Using it any other way can get you into legal trouble.
Take a look at some of our related articles below.
References
(1) bobby pin – https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a36731490/how-to-use-bobby-pins/
(2) credit card – https://www.cnbc.com/select/what-is-a-credit-card/