how to picklock an old doorlock?

Question

hi, as owner i rent a studio and the tenant has 2 months to appear, he probably left for good, but for some reason, he took the keys with him and locked the door (this is not a joke altho it sounds like one)

i was wondering if i can picklock it with a pin or something, the door locker is a classical old one and it requires normally a large classic key, like the ones used to open steel gates in cottage houses

Answer 1

It takes special tools to pick a lock and if you do not know what you are doing you can damage the lock. You are better off calling a locksmith and have him/her pick the lock. Yes it may be expensive to have them out there but it will be a lot more expensive if you damage the lock and they cannot pick it. At that point they may have to break the door down and that will be real expensive. The only other thing I can suggest is that you have described what they call a skeleton key. You might try going to a hardware store and see if they stock them. There are several styles so you may have to buy a few and maybe return the ones that do not work. I'm not sure where you live or if the store can even sell them but it might be worth a try. Hope this helps, Roy

Answer 2

Picking a lock (in real life) does not work' as it is often depicted on television. I always chuckle when I see the actor jiggle the lock for a few seconds and VOILA, it opens.

Even an experienced locksmith can spend an easy half hour with specialized 'pick tools' getting all the tumbling pins inside the lock aligned so that the door can be opened.

Either hire a locksmith, or try the suggestion of buying an assortment of older style keys at a hardware store and try them until you find one which works. These old locks were substantially simpler in tumbler variety (length) than are current models.

Answer 3

Attached is a site that has video instructions on how to pick various locks. http://www.metacafe.com/tags/lockpicking/