Help Please

[dumb_ass]

Just locked the door to my 2 nd floor office with my keys and all the keys for the building in it. Feeling like a real dumbass right about now. I would like to pick it myself instead of making a call to the locksmith. It is a Weiser lock with a push in locking mechinism. Any ideas on how I can do it myself and not have make the locksmith call.

Dumb_ass.

[Exodus5000]

If your only option is to pick the lock, then you would probably have the best luck from "raking it."

First find something to use as a tension wrench, the metal part on the cap of a pen might work. take it off the pen, and bend it into an "L" shape, so that about 1/4 of the metal is on the shorter part of the L. this you will put in the keyhole farthest away from the pins, it is used to put turning pressure on the lock. You wont need a lot of turning pressure, just a very small amount. Think about how much minimum pressure it takes to turn your key normally, and that would be about how much you would need.

A pick can be fashioned out of a paper clip I suppose, try to find something stronger though, maybe a hair pin. something thin enough to fit in the keyhole, but also strong enough to not bend a whole lot.

Put turning pressure on the lock with your wrench, then start to scrape the pick accross the bottom of the pins in the lock, starting at the far back and pulling it out towards you. Start by only pushing a little on the pins, and then do it 10 more times, each time putting more pressure on your pick while maintaining the normal pressure on your wrench. After 10 strokes, if it doesn't work, start over and try again.

Your success will probably be minimal, but you have a chance I suppose. Your best option would really be a locksmith, or an alternative key. My explanation is a little shabby, so if you need to reference something look up "MIT lockpicking guide" on google or something. Good luck.

[dumb_ass]

Makes sense. I will give it a shot.

[digital_blue]

You never know, you might just get it. The first lock I ever picked was a Weiser deadbolt. I managed it in under 10 minutes with only a rudimentary knowledge of lock picking. In hindsight, I was probably lucky.

Normally I'm inclined to just tell people not to bother with picking and to just call a locksmith if it's a one-off situation like this, but I saw your post in the introduction thread and it seems you may actually have a bit of an interest in picking, so my guess is if you manage to get this one open, you'll be hooked, and we'll have a new inductee.

Do check out the MIT Guide to Lockpicking if you're stumped. Happy picking, I hope it works out for you!

db

[Peaky]

Is it possible that security have a key?