When you find yourself locked out of a room or even your entire place without a key, what do you do?
Ideally, you call an emergency locksmith since professional services are your best bet at getting in without damaging your lock or door.
If you’re locked out of your home or office, or car in Vancouver, give a call to Vancouvers Locksmiths for any lock and key needs.
However, if your home locksmith will take some time getting to your home or you need to get in super urgently—it’s time to get creative.
A paperclip is one of the handiest gadgets, so why don’t we tell you how to use that?
Here is a brief and easy guide for how to lockpick with a paperclip.
Picking A Lock – Paperclip Edition
First, assemble your tools:
- 2 paperclips (metal, not plastic!)
- A pair of pliers
Got these? Great!
Step 1: Make A Tension Wrench With The First Paperclip
If you’ve seen a professional lockpick set, the kind carried by home and car locksmiths, you will know that the two main tools are the Allen wrench (the tension wrench) and the pick itself.
To make a tension wrench, straighten out one of the paper clips completely (use your pliers to avoid injuring your fingers).
Curve the edges on one end to turn it into an L shape (with the lower part not longer than 1.5 inches.
Crimp the curved edge (use the plier to press the metal together).
Curve the crimped part to make another L shape (this time, the raised metal should be about as long as the tip of your pinky finger).
You can view this video for a demonstration of how to turn your paperclip into a wrench.
The first purpose of this wrench is to apply tension to the pins and keep them in place when you pick (we’ll talk about this later).
The second purpose is that the wrench alternates for the key that you need to turn and open the lock.
Step 2: Make A Pick With The Second Paperclip
This part requires attention to detail since you will need to bend the paperclip several times.
Straighten out the larger section of the paperclip, and bend the tip downwards about half a centimeter.
Make another bend of the same length in the opposite direction (use your pliers for the entire process).
Keep repeating the small 90-degree bends at intervals; essentially, you want a zig-zag design comprising 4-5 bends.
Step 3: Use Your Makeshift Lockpick Set On the Keyhole
Place the paperclip fashioned into a tension wrench in the keyhole toward the bottom.
Use small turning motions in the same direction in which your lock turns to place tension on the pins inside the lock.
Tip from an emergency locksmith: do not apply so much tension that your paperclip bends out of shape, but also do not over-withhold tension either, or you won’t hold the pins.
It may take a while for you to find the right amount of pressure—so be patient and work carefully.
Once you’ve got control over your wrench, insert your pick into the keyhole with the hook facing the pins.
Locate the pins with the hook end and use tiny upward motions to probe the pins to push them into place.
Most locks have at least five pins, and each will feel different against your pick, depending on its length.
Make sure to continue applying pressure with your pressure wrench; increase the pressure slightly each time you probe a pin.
The first pin is the binding pin and the trickiest to get past, while the rest of the pins feel easier to lock.
When a pin is pushed back to the shear line (the path for the key), you will feel a give.
If you feel resistance, continue the small jiggling motion and adjust the tension.
Once you pick your first pin, move on to rest till you can rotate the lock completely.
Mimicking the turning motion of the key, rotate the wrench and disengage the lock.
And there you have it, a way to open a locked door with a couple of paperclips.
In theory, it may sound easy—but know that picking a lock is about precision and patience.
Call A Home Locksmith To Get Out Of A Jam
If you have the option to get a locksmith to your home without delay, go for it.
It will save you the hassle of trying to unlock the door or the pain of damaging the lock in the attempt.
As a leading locksmith company in Vancouver, we have the tools and resources to unlock your door when you lose or damage a key.
We pride ourselves on prompt service; call Vancouvers Locksmith today!
And if you found our guide on how to lockpick with a paperclip helpful, take a look at our website for more valuable tips and tricks!
