There are 4 main types of doorknobs (and lever doorknobs): keyed entrance, privacy, passage, and dummy. Passage and dummy knobs don’t lock, while keyed and privacy locks are easy to distinguish! Before you get too far with this method, ensure the doorknob you’re opening has a regular keyed entrance lock. A keyed lock has a keyhole and requires a key to unlock it.
Avoid over-bending the pin. It’s not a 90-degree angle like before; it might look like a small curve, but that’s to be expected.
Don’t unfold this hairpin. Leave the pin as is, so both sides are bent 70 degrees.
While the closed end of the pin is in the keyhole, use the open end as your handle, allowing you to grip and turn the lever inside the lock.
The locking mechanism for a keyed entrance doorknob contains pins that need to be manipulated into place for the lock to disengage. This is what your lockpick (or your makeshift bobby pin pick) is for. Be sure you’re still applying pressure to the lock using your lever bobby pin while you do this.
Trust how the pins feel on the pick and allow it to direct your movements. It might take some practice, but eventually, it’ll be easy to tell when you’re on the right track just from the feel of the lockpick.
If the lock doesn’t open, you may have pushed one of the pins too high. Allow the pin to fall back down by easing the pressure on your lever. Be aware that releasing some pressure on your lever could also allow other pins to fall—meaning you might have to start over.
This trick will work with both types of door lock—keyed entrance and privacy lock! No need to differentiate before picking the lock. However, it’s important to note that this won’t work on a deadbolt lock. Only use it for doorknob locks and not the stronger deadbolt.
The card will have to bend slightly to squeeze into the door frame and door crack. Just be careful—you don’t want too much pressure to break the card.
A door latch has a smooth side sloped at an angle, which is why you can slide the card up along that smooth side and push the latch inward.
Creating a hooked card (and sliding it into the door facedown) allows you to quickly catch the latch and pull it away from the door frame. Keep in mind that this will definitely ruin your card—but it’ll also make it a lot simpler to open if you haven’t mastered the credit card technique!
Privacy doorknobs are commonly found on interior doors like bathrooms and bedrooms. Look for the pinhole to verify it’s a privacy knob. If you don’t see it in the center of the knob, check the knob’s stem or the area where the knob connects to the door.
If you don’t have a paper clip on hand, you can use a hairpin, wire coat hanger, or any thin item that will fit inside the pinhole as an alternative.
Keep in mind that a keyhole (with an irregular shape) isn’t the same as a pinhole (which is tiny and round). Keyholes have more complex locks, while you can open privacy knobs with a paper clip. If you’re worried about locked bathroom or bedroom doors, you could invest in an emergency key, which is a simple metal “key” designed to fit interior privacy doorknobs universally.
Screwdrivers are a good alternative if you don’t have a paper clip handy.
Keyed entrance and privacy locks can be shaped like traditional doorknobs or lever doorknobs. The shape of the knob shouldn’t matter so long as there’s a visible keyhole or pinhole!
Keep in mind that this is definitely more time-consuming than picking a lock, so it should only be done if you have the tools and time to do a more extensive fix.
The tension wrench is your lever; it will rotate and put pressure on the lock while you manipulate the pins in the keyhole with your lockpick. Like the bobby pin method, use lockpicks and a torque wrench on a keyed entrance door (basically, a doorknob with a keyhole).
Rake picks have a jagged shape that allows you to pick multiple lock pins simultaneously but don’t always work on complex high-security locks. Keyhole locks are typically made with 5 spring-mounted pins inside. The pins move up and down, though each is a different length. That way, the correct key pushes them into the proper formation, while the wrong key won’t work.
Hook picks have a curved shape and only pick 1 pin at a time, but work on any lock. Choose from either a rake pick or a hook pick to unlock your door—or learn to use both! If you’re unsure which to choose, many lockpicking sets come with both types of picks. Though the average household probably doesn’t have lockpicks and a torque wrench lying around, you could always invest in these tools to be prepared for anything.
