How to Pick a Lock with a Bobby Pin

Co-authored by Mark Spelman

Nobody likes getting locked out of their home. While locksmiths often do a good job, their services can be pricey and time-consuming. If you’re looking for an alternative solution, you might be able to let yourself in with the help of 2 bobby pins.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Preparing your "Kit"

1
Pull apart the first bobby pin so that it is a long, flat metal piece. Bend back the pin so that you have a long piece of metal wire. This will be your pick, and is inserted into the lock and used to move the pins out of the way.
- Strip off the rubber knobs on the ends, as they will only get in the way. You can do this with your teeth, or a pair of wire cutters if you have them.^{[1]
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2
Use the lock to bend the tip of your pin into a pick. Stick the pin into your lock roughly one centimeter. The flat side should be facing up. Push the rest of the pin to the left, bending the end of the pin slightly. It only needs to curl up a few millimeters.
- You'll end up pushing the pin roughly 2 or 3 inches to the left to get the right bend.
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3
Bend one end of the pick into a handle. Take one end of your pick and bend half of it back on itself, creating a little loop.^{[2]
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Research source} This is simply so that the pick is easier to hold and put pressure on.
4
Create your lever by bending a whole bobby pin into a right angle. This is easiest with a pair of pliers, but you can do it with your fingers with a little persistence.^{[3]
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Research source} The lever acts like the key-- turning the actual lock once you've moved the pins (which keep the lock secure) out of the way with your pick. You simply want the bent half off the pin (away from the rubber ends) to be at a right angle from the rest bottom of the pin.
5
Visualize the inside of the lock to understand how picking works. A typical lock is made up of two parts: the barrel and the pins. The barrel is the chamber you put the key into. The pins are small metal cylinders that sink into the barrel, holding it in place until a key (or your pick) pushes them up and out of the way. The pins are cut in half, and when the halfway mark lines up with the barrel you can turn the lock. Your job, as a lock picker, is to manually push up each of the pins into the correct position, slowly turning the barrel so that they can't call back into place. Once you've got all the pins out of the way, the barrel will turn freely and the door will be open.
- A key is basically a complex pick. The groves are tuned so that, once inserted, all the pins are perfectly aligned and you can turn the doorknob.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Picking the Lock

1
Insert your lever into the bottom half of the lock. Stick the bent end into the bottom of the lock, keeping it as low as possible while still getting the lever as deep into the barrel as possible.^{[5]
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2
Turn the lock lightly in the direction you would use to open it. Use your lever as if it was a key, turning the lock as if you were about to open the door. It won't move very far, but this pressure is important. You need to hold the lock throughout the entire process. It should not, however, be heavy pressure. You just want enough to slightly move it, but you shouldn't be straining against the lock at all. Remember, you still need the pins trapped in the barrel to be loose enough that they can move up and down.
- If you're not sure which way the lock turns, try both directions. The wrong direction will make clicking sounds, and you'll feel it slightly grinding.
3
Insert your pick, bent side up, and feel for the pins. Get a feel for the pins by moving them up and down with your pick. They will be on the top half of the keyhole. Push a few of them up, feeling them move and drop back down as you work. You'll have to jiggle your pick up and down to get around to them all, and some of them might not want to move, yet, but that's fine. For now, get a mental count of the pins and note which ones move freely and which seem stuck.
- The bent end should be pointing upwards. You'll be pushing up specific pins with the end.
- If the pins aren't moving at all, you likely have too much tension on your lever. Lighten up and try again.^{[6]
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4
Find your first "seized," or difficult to move, pin and push it up until it clicks. As you test all the pins, find the one that doesn't want to move.^{[7]
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Research source} Keeping consistent pressure on the lever, gently push up the pin until it makes an audible "CLICK." This means you've matched up the split in the center of the pin with the barrel, and the pin will now be out of the way of the lock.
- You may notice that the lever turns a little bit more once you've gotten the pin in place. This is because it has one less pin of resistance.
5
Find and repeat on the rest of the seized pins. Once you've gotten one of the pins out of the way, previously free pins may seize up. This is actually a good thing, as it just instructs you which pins to get next. Repeat this process until the lever can turn the lock completely and the door is opened:
- Find the seized pin, the one that doesn't want to move as much.
- Keep constant pressure on the lever, turning the lock as if you were opening it.
- Gently push it up until it clicks in the lock.
- Move on to the next pin.^{[8]
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6
Adjust the tension on your lever if you're having difficulty. This is the most common stumbling block for new lock-pickers, as it is as much about feel as anything else. If you put too much tension on the lock, the pins will be too seized to move and you won't be able to get them out of the way. Too little pressure, or letting up pressure accidentally as you work, and the pins will slide back down into place and you'll have to start over. The best tip is to start with a little too much pressure, loosening it slowly as you work until the pins can move. This prevents you from losing pins and allows you to find the right tension gradually.^{[9]
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Expert Q&A

Question

What if I don't want to pick a lock with my precious bobby pins?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

You can use a couple of paper clips, instead.
Question

What about a round hollow key lock?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

You can take a little piece of wire and insert it until the button inside is depressed. It should then unlock.

Warnings

Don't just play around to see if this trick works, because you risk breaking the lock, and you will need to have it changed.

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Never pick locks that you don't own without the permission from the owner. This article is meant for people who have locked themselves out or misplaced their keys. Unless, however, it is the only way you are going to survive.

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