Being locked in your room or in your own home can be stressful if you don't have a spare key. Luckily, you don't have to call a locksmith and spend a lot of money learning how to unlock the door. To do this, you will need 2 bobby pins and a little patience. One bobby pin will function as a pick, while the other will be used as a lever that is used to turn the lock.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making a Pry and Lever
Step 1. Remove the bobby pins and bend them to a 90 degree angle
Spread the ends of the curly, straight hair clips so they can be bent into an L shape. This will be used as a pry to unlock the door.
Step 2. Remove the elastic on the straight end of the bobby pin
Use a knife or razor to remove the rubber attached to the straight ends of the bobby pins. This is the end that will be inserted into the keyhole to open it.
If you don't have tools, remove the rubber with your fingernail or teeth
Step 3. Insert the flat end of the bobby pin into the top of the keyhole, then bend it
Thread the bobby pins until they are about 1 cm in, then bend the rest until they fit into the doorknob. This method will slightly bend the ends.
You will use the bent end to unlock the door
Step 4. Bend the wavy end of the bobby pin so that it can be used as a handle
Take the wavy end of a bobby pin and bend it about 30 degrees to create a grip. This step isn't mandatory, but it can ease the process of prying the door lock and make your hands feel more comfortable. When finished making the handle, the scribe is ready to use.
The wavy ends of the bobby pins will look like the handles of a coffee cup when bent
Step 5. Bend the other end of the bobby pin to make a lever
Take another bobby pin and bend 1/3 of the bobby pin to make a kind of hook. Don't straighten the ends of the bobby pins as before. However, bend both sides of the bobby pin in the same direction.
You need to use the lever to turn the key that has been pryed
Method 2 of 2: Prying the Key
Step 1. Insert the lever into the bottom of the keyhole
Grasp the short, bent end of the lever and insert it into the bottom keyhole. The lever will hang over the front of your keyhole.
You need a lever to adjust the pressure on the lock when it is pryed and turn the lock after it is pryed
Step 2. Press the lever counterclockwise to depress it
Pressure on the lever will cause the locking barrel to rotate so that you can lift the individual pins in the keyhole. Press the lever until you feel the pressure. You don't need to use a lot of energy.
- Keep pressure in the lock while prying it.
- This pressure is necessary so that the pin does not re-enter the locking barrel and the door is locked again.
Step 3. Insert the scribe into the keyhole and feel for the pins
Insert the slightly bent end of the scribe into the keyhole with the sharp side facing up. The lock pin is at the top of the keyhole. Feel for the pin using a scribe by pressing the handle as it is inserted into the keyhole. Press the pry handle to push the pin up.
- Most traditional doorknobs have 5 or 6 locking pins.
- A key will push the pin into position parallel to the lock barrel to unlock the door.
Step 4. Press the scribe until you hear a 'click' sound
Some pins slide in easily when pressed by a scribe, while others feel a bit hard. The hard pins are referred to as retaining pins. Focus on pins that are difficult to pry first. Look for a pin that is hard to press, then gently press down from the part of the scribe until you hear a 'click' sound.
- The 'click' sound comes from a pin attached to the locking barrel.
- You must remove the retaining pin before removing the other pins.
Step 5. Lift the remaining pin in the door lock hole
Continue to locate the pins with a scribe, then press the handle on the tool to lift all the pins. Once the pin is successfully moved to the top of the locking barrel, the door will open.
Step 6. Turn the lever counterclockwise to open the door
Grasp the end of the lever and turn it like a lock until the door opens. The door lock is now open!
- Usually, you need to turn the lever counterclockwise to open the door, but this may vary with some doorknobs.
- The lever lever will only rotate completely if the pin is properly seated in the locking barrel.
