Locksmith Instructions

Instead of calling a locksmith, you may be able to handle the job yourself.

If you are ever in a situation where you need to open a locked door or keyed padlock, but have lost the key, you may think that your only options are to break the lock or call a locksmith. The former approach might be satisfying, it can be expensive, but the latter approach can prove even more costly. Fortunately, if the lock is a fairly standard one, it may not be to difficult to open it yourself, saving both time and expense.

Things You'll Need

• Flat thin metal object for pick
• L shaped thin metal wire
• Powdered graphite

Instructions

1. Squeeze a little powdered graphite into the keyhole to loosen the inner workings a bit.

2. Insert the wire into the very bottom part of the keyhole. Firmly apply turning pressure as though you are trying to open the lock with a key. If it is a padlock, you may want to have someone else hold the padlock steady for you as you do this.

3. Insert a flat metal object such as dental pick into the keyhole. While still maintaining the pressure with the wire, feel with the pick to determine which of the pins is the most resistant to being raised. Push that one up.

4. Move on to the next most resistant pin and push it up. Continue this process of raising the pins while maintaining pressure with the wire. Once the last one is raised, the lock should open.

References

• ScribD: Secrets of Lockpicking
• Acme How To: How To Fix a Lock that Sticks