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How to Open a Deadbolt Lock Without a Key

How to Open a Deadbolt Lock Without a Key

Picking a lock to someone else’s premises or home without getting their written consent is criminal trespassing. You are most likely to face trouble or even a civil lawsuit if caught trespassing on another person’s property.

People are incredibly concerned about the security of their homes; hence, they are ever looking for perfect and secure locks for their doors. When you lose or misplace your keys, it would be best to look for a professional locksmith to help ensure that you open your door faster and safely.

The article below is for information purposes only. Reaching a professional locksmith is almost always the best idea. Never try to pick someone’s else locks without their recorded permission as this could amount to burglary

Best Ways to Open a Deadbolt Lock

Walking to your door and realizing that you have misplaced your keys can be frustrating. If you need to access your house and do not have a spare key, the fast and effective solution to open a deadbolt lock without a key is to call a professional locksmith to help you.  However, if you don’t have access to a locksmith or money to pay one, these practical techniques could save you.

A professional lock picking set is definitely the most efficient way to open a lock without keys. However, most jurisdictions will investigate your ‘intent to use’ while others downright frown upon ownership unless you are a licensed locksmith.

How to Open a Deadbolt Lock With Bobby Pins

It would be best to determine the type of lock you have before attempting to unlock it with bobby pins. The success rate of using bobby pins to open older and less expensive locks is higher compared to newer and expensive ones.

If you want to master the art of bobby pin lock picking, it is best to practice constantly. However, it would help if you didn’t practice on doors that you need to function because you could damage them permanently. If you want to perfect the art of picking a deadbolt, you should consider buying or salvaging practice locks.

You will need at least two bobby pins for this procedure. Here is how to pick a deadbolt using bobby pins:

  1. Fold the bottom of a regular bobby pin for about 2cm to create an L-shaped bobby pin. You will need to remove any rubber balls found at the end of your bobby pins to ensure that it fits into the deadbolt lock.
  2. Completely unfold the other bobby pin and remove any rubber balls at the end. Doing this will create a simple locking tool, which you will use to lift the pins inside the lock.
  3. Insert the L-shaped bobby pin into the bottom part of the keyhole.
  4. Apply some slight sideways pressure on the L-shaped bobby pin.
  5. Insert the unfolded bobby pin into the lock.
  6. Slowly drag the unfolded bobby pin along with the pins in the lock outwards
  7. Repeat procedure (6) above until the keyhole rotates slightly.
  8. Remove the unfolded bobby pin when the keyhole rotates slightly.
  9. Continue trying to rotate the keyhole until it’s unlocked. Be patient because this process can be complex sometimes.
  10. Remove the L-shaped bobby pin as soon as the keyhole is almost in an unlock position.

You can also use two strong paper clips and follow the above procedure when removing a deadbolt without bobby pins.

How to Open a Deadbolt Lock With a Drill

Drilling a deadbolt lock should only be done as a last resort during an emergency. Before you begin drilling, you should understand that the drill will destroy the lock’s internal components, and it will be unusable. You will have to replace the lock and other door parts after the drilling act is complete.

If someone requires immediate assistance or is in danger, drilling might be your best option. Follow this procedure to open a deadbolt lock with a drill:

  1. Place a drill bit into the tip of a power drill and tighten the power drill’s tip.
  2. Cover the drill bit with lubricant by spraying a considerable amount of lubricant on it.
  3. Spray the lubricant around the outer edge of the keyhole and inside the deadbolt. Once done, place the drill bit’s tip onto the center of the keyhole.
  4. Pull the power drill’s trigger to spin the drill bit.
  5. Apply gentle pressure on the drill to force the drill bit into the keyhole. Apply lubricant as soon as the drill bit infiltrates the keyhole. The lubricant will prevent friction from breaking the drill bit. Repeat this procedure until the drill bit breaks via the lock’s rear, and all tumbler pins fall.
  6. Stick a screwdriver into the keyhole and turn the lock to unlock it as soon as you finish drilling the deadbolt.

How to Open a Deadbolt Lock With a Screwdriver

A screwdriver is a must-have tool for fixing screws and nails in your home. This helpful tool is also useful when unlocking doors, especially the flathead ones, because they can easily fit on the flat end of a keyhole.

You can open a deadbolt lock with a screwdriver using the following steps:

  1. Understand the type of lock you are dealing with because it will determine the amount of time you will need to complete the task. For example, if you discover that you are dealing with the mortise or pin tumbler locks, you will have to imitate the action of a key to open them.
  2. Ensure the screwdriver you choose has a short handle because this gives you more control of the tool. It should also have a small tip to facilitate easy entry into the keyhole and prevent any unforeseen damage to the deadbolt lock.
  3. Insert the screwdriver’s flat edge into the keyhole.
  4. Move the screwdriver from side to side inside the deadbolt’s keyhole. Glide the edge in between the pins in the lock. Always ensure that the tip is long enough to keep the tumblers up.
  5. When all tumblers are up, twist the screwdriver. You are very likely to succeed in unlocking the deadbolt lock with a single attempt. If you fail, reposition the screwdriver to hold the pins up before applying any more pressure in twisting it. Use more force than you did to click the lock open.

How to Open a Deadbolt Lock With a Knife

Using a knife to open a deadbolt lock might sound destructive. However, if you use a butter knife carefully, you can achieve the end goal in several ways. You can handle different locks with a knife in several ways once you understand what you are dealing with. For example, household doors have a simple flat keyhole. You can place the tip of the knife in and turn to open the lock.  Follow these steps to open a deadbolt lock with a knife:

  1. If your door has a complex lock, you can open it by bypassing it entirely. If there is adequate room between the door jam and the door, you can slide a thin knife blade between them. Once there, slide the knife up and down where the striker plate should be until you find the deadbolt.
  2. Push the knife in an attempt to get it around the bolt.
  3. Push the bolt out of the unlocked position.

Check this too: Wyze Lock How-to & Troubleshooting Guide

A key is the best item for opening a deadbolt lock. If you misplace yours, you should consider calling a professional locksmith to help you. However, you can use the above techniques to open a deadbolt lock if you have misplaced your keys and can’t access a locksmith or can’t afford one. Always try to use methods that will not damage your door or lock.