Breaking a Lock with a Bobby Pin: Eleven Easy Steps (Includes Illustrations)

1. 1

   Take the first bobby pin and disassemble it so that it is just a long, flat piece of metal. You should now have a long piece of metal wire if you bend the pin backwards. This will serve as your pick, and it is inserted into the lock to move the pins out of the way so that you can open it.

   • Remove the rubber knobs that are attached to the ends, as they will only serve to cause obstruction. You can do this using your teeth, or if you have a pair of wire cutters, you can use those instead. [1]
2. 

   2

   You can turn the point of your pin into a pick by using the lock on it. Insert the pin into the lock approximately one centimeter in depth. The side with the flat surface should be facing upward. The remaining portion of the pin should be pushed to the left, while a slight bend should be made in its tip. It needs to curl up by only a few millimeters at most.

   • To achieve the desired right bend, you will need to move the pin approximately two or three inches to the left.

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3. 

   3

   Make a handle out of one end of the pick by bending it. Take one end of your pick and create a small loop by bending back half of it on itself in the opposite direction. [2] This is done solely for the purpose of making the pick simpler to hold and apply force to.

4. 

   4

   Make your own lever by forming a 90-degree bend in the middle of a bobby pin. You'll have the most success with a pair of pliers, but if you're determined, you can get the job done with just your fingers. [3] Once you have used your pick to move the pins that keep the lock secure out of the way, the lever will function in the same manner as a key, allowing you to turn the actual lock. You only need to make sure that the portion of the pin that has been bent away from the rubber ends is at a right angle to the bottom of the rest of the pin.

5. 

   5

   Consider the mechanism of picking the lock by imagining it from the inside of the lock. The barrel and the pins are the two components that make up a lock in its most basic form. The key is placed into the chamber that is known as the barrel. The pins are small metal cylinders that sink into the barrel and hold it in place until a key or your pick is used to push them up and out of the way. They are held in place by the pins. The pins are cut in half, and the lock can be turned when the mark that corresponds to the halfway point lines up with the barrel. As a lock picker, it is your responsibility to manually raise each pin into the appropriate location, then turn the barrel in such a way that it prevents the pins from falling back into their original positions. When you have moved all of the pins out of the way, the barrel will be able to rotate without resistance, and the door will be able to be opened.

   • A key is essentially a more involved pick. After being inserted, the groves have been fine-tuned to ensure that all of the pins are perfectly aligned, allowing the doorknob to be turned. [4]

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1. 

   1

   Put the lever you're using into the lower portion of the lock. Put the bent end into the bottom of the lock and keep it there as low as you can while still working to get the lever as far into the barrel as you can. [5]

2. 

   2

   Turn the key very slightly in the direction that would take you to open the door. Turn the lock as if you were about to open the door by manipulating the lever as if it were a key and turning it clockwise. Even though it won't move very far, this pressure is very significant. Maintaining pressure on the lock is necessary throughout the entirety of the process. On the other hand, there shouldn't be too much pressure. You only need to apply enough force to make it wiggle ever-so-slightly, but you shouldn't put any pressure at all on the lock. It is important to keep in mind that the pins that are stuck in the barrel still need to have enough slack in them so that they can move vertically.

   • You should try turning the lock in both directions if you are unsure which way it should turn. When you turn it in the wrong direction, you'll hear clicking sounds and feel a slight grinding sensation.
3. 

   3

   Put your pick in, curved side facing up, and have a feel for the pins. Gain a better understanding of the pins by moving them in and out of position with your pick. They are going to be located in the upper portion of the keyhole. Try to raise a few of them, noticing how they shift and fall back down as you continue to work. It will be necessary for you to move your pick around in an erratic manner in order to reach all of them, and while some of them might not want to move just yet, that is perfectly acceptable. For the time being, you should make a mental count of the pins and make a note of which ones are free to move and which ones appear to be stuck.

   • The curved part of the object should be facing upward. The end of the tool is what you'll use to raise certain pins.
   • If the pins aren't moving at all, the tension on your lever is probably too high. Relax, and give it another shot. [6]
4. 

   4

   Find the first pin that is "seized," which means it is difficult to move, and push it up until you hear a click. Find the pin that is resistant to being moved as you continue to test the others. [7] Maintaining a constant pressure on the lever, gently push the pin up until it makes a "CLICK" sound. This indicates that you have successfully aligned the split in the center of the pin with the barrel, and the pin will no longer be in the way of the lock after doing so.

   • After you have successfully positioned the pin, you might discover that the lever turns a little bit more freely. This is due to the fact that there is one less pin providing resistance.
5. 

   5

   Find and do the same thing with the remaining seized pins. As soon as you move one of the pins out of the way, other pins that were previously free may become stuck. This is actually a very helpful feature, as all it does is tell you which pins you should obtain next. Repeat the following steps as many times as necessary until the lever can turn the lock all the way and the door can be opened:

   • Locate the pin that has become stuck, the one that does not want to move as freely.
   • Maintain consistent pressure on the lever while turning the lock as though you were trying to unlock it.
   • Push it up carefully until you hear it click into place in the lock.
   • Proceed to the next pin in the row. [8]
6. 

   6

   If you're having trouble, try adjusting the amount of tension on your lever. Because lock picking relies on feel more than anything else, this is the challenge that is most likely to trip up inexperienced lock pickers. If you apply an excessive amount of pressure to the lock, the pins will become impossible to move and you will be unable to remove them because they will be too seized. If you apply too little pressure, or if you accidentally let up on the pressure while you're working, the pins will slide back down into place, and you'll have to begin the process all over again. The most effective strategy is to begin by applying slightly more force than necessary, and then gradually ease off of it as you continue working until the pins are free to move. Because of this, you won't lose any pins, and you'll be able to gradually adjust the tension until it's just right. [9]

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