How to open a locked door the Macgyver way.

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introHow to open a locked door the Macgyver way.

I learned how to do this when i got locked out of my dorm at BYU-Idaho and it works great!! and all it takes is things you can find in your friends room or from the hall.

Supplies needed:
Paper
Floss
Vacuum Cleaner
(the pictures are from different doors because my camera is acting wack, but you should get the idea)

How to open a locked door the Macgyver way.

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step 1tie floss to paper

take your floss and tie it to your piece of paper

tie floss to paper

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47 comments	Add Comment

1-40 of 47

Jun 25, 2010. 10:47 PMdorian_rpg says:

bravo!

Jun 13, 2010. 6:13 PMpeanut man says:

you go to BYU-I! it rocks! my dad teaches there and its always great to go and do things up there like the library, the concerts, the gym, the planetarium. OOOO and locking the collage students in their dorms with rope. :-) That is hilarious, but the boys just get ticked, the girls flip out and its way funny. :-)

Dec 19, 2008. 2:07 PMBright Shadow says:

I'd rather just pick the lock.

May 30, 2010. 1:14 PMpaise says:

I was thinking the same thing. It was one of a few trade skills learned from my youth that have had some benefit, though lawfully, in my adult life. LOL!

May 15, 2010. 6:18 PMnosut says:

I just thought I should point out but a method that would prob be easyer on this door is to actually just use a credit card or some type of card like that. Since the doors latch has the curved side facing the outside of the room simply slipping a card into place between the door latch and the jams hole and the door will open with just a push. I have used this method many times on that style door.

Aug 24, 2008. 2:06 PM

Weissensteinburg says:

Mythbusters had a Macgyver episode, where they tested things he did. They were able to pick a lock with the filaments from a light bulb.

Feb 5, 2010. 8:48 PMunjust says:

iirc not the filament, but the wires that support it. subtle, but significant difference.

Feb 6, 2010. 1:25 PM

norad says:

it was a halogen light bulb filaments.

Feb 27, 2010. 9:23 AMunjust says:

i believe you misunderstood, or they misspoke. the filament wire is *very* fine(1-2 thousandths of an inch), , where as the wires that support them are reasonably rigid and more along the lines of 28 gauge spring steel.

look at a clear household light bulb, and you'll see a few heavy wires, and if you look very closely you'll see the filament is actually a twisted coil of very thin wire. halogens are functionally the same.

as a locksport enthusiast, and lighting designer, and having dealt with more than my share of broken lamps (bulbs) in that line of work, i can't imagine what you could use the filament for as it's not rigid or strong enough to do anything constructive in a pin tumbler lock. the supports however could be excellent.

Feb 16, 2010. 1:59 PMsleepykisser says:

Tthis is ingenious, but is mostly for dorms. They have the doorknobs that always turn on the inside, but are automatically locked on the outside. (so the school can avoid fire safety and theft lawsuits)

Plus, you have your choice of pals from which to borrow the vacuum, floss and paper.

Feb 6, 2010. 3:06 PMlobo_pal says:

Good method and very creative, but my door has a handle that points down. Just curious if you've ever run into something like that.

Feb 7, 2010. 8:41 AMDuke-dAlverstoke says:

I suspect your door handle plate has been taken off at sometime (maybe just to confuse any house-breakers). When you unscrew the door plate you will probably be able to withdraw the square (usually) shaft that goes thru' the door and goes into the other handle socket. Simply withdraw the shaft, turn it round to the desired position and screw everything back as it was! Job done! (You may find the shaft is 'captive' on one side or the other of the door. It will only be held by a little screw. Undo it. Turn the shaft to desired position. Put back together again. Don't forget to put the little locking screw back!) Hope that solves your problem.

Feb 8, 2010. 7:56 PMlobo_pal says:

No, it's made that way, so you can just coat hanger it from the outside. Looks like this.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
vvvvv                       vvvvvv
vvvvv                       vvvvvv
vvvvv                       vvvvvv
vvvvv                       vvvvvv
vvvvv                       vvvvvv
      vvvvvvvv            vvvvvv
                  vvvvvv   vvvvvv

Feb 8, 2010. 7:57 PMlobo_pal says:

Downward handle as apposed to horizontal handle.

Feb 13, 2010. 11:23 PMIan01 says:

So it looks a bit like this?

Door Handle of

Feb 14, 2010. 5:40 PMlobo_pal says:

Yes, but the handle is flat with the door. I'm thinking about a way to use the vent that takes up the lower third of the door.

Feb 10, 2010. 8:51 PMEnigmaMax says:

I'm pretty sure McGyver would have used a paperclip,
but if he ran out, I'm sure he would have done this.

Feb 10, 2010. 8:02 AMchuckr44 says:

This is creative and looks like it will work. Most vacuum cleaner cords are a little sticky and they can grip the doornknob.

Feb 8, 2010. 7:41 PMluvit says:

i once locked my self out of my apartment. i kicked the door in. that was painful. then i locked myself out, again. i kicked the door in, again. my door is really messed up.

Feb 8, 2010. 9:52 AMgreatpanda says:

So...since you've got a vacuum cleaner anyway, you could grab the paper from behind the door by sucking it out, as long as it's got a detachable tube (most do). Makes me want to go lock something...

Feb 7, 2010. 12:29 PMrhino21 says:

Just fyi, in my experience this only works when the lock is one of those that you push button in to lock, not the general twist the bump on top of the knob type of lock. Sorry if thats confusing...

Feb 7, 2010. 9:11 AM

=SMART= says:

Haha inventive,

Other ways;

Find the area with the bolt/catch on the door
Make mental note of this
Stand back
Kick area hard with heel of foot
Make sure you are close enough to follow through the kick when the door breaks.
Bingo

Feb 7, 2010. 8:56 AMDoldrum says:

my dorm room door has a dead bolt on it :( so if I get locked out im skrewed

Feb 7, 2010. 9:04 AMtankguy says:

I have an idea, replace the vacuum cleaner cable with a hook of some sort and hook around the handle of the deadbolt and slide it to unlock the door. I just came up with that and haven't tried it but it just might work.

Feb 7, 2010. 7:05 AMVanquish says:

Good job, not ideal for outside doors as most have dead bolts

Feb 6, 2010. 10:09 AMGreenD says:

Jenius!

Feb 6, 2010. 10:28 PMtamakid says:

Genius*

Feb 6, 2010. 4:55 PMvon rad says:

Pure genius!

Feb 6, 2010. 10:23 AMDraxis says:

Very cool, looks like fun as well XD. Have you ever tried a credit card though? they work if you have enough room to wiggle them where the bolt thing is on the doorknob that connects to the door frame. this is a little faster, but only works if you have the room to slide in the card, your method makes a nice backup plan though :D

Feb 6, 2010. 1:39 AM

TyMan210 says:

I like how this was featured on the same day that it was featured on Lifehacker.

Feb 6, 2010. 1:40 AM

TyMan210 says:

I meant popular, not featured.

Feb 5, 2010. 6:06 PMyour dog says:

wow.. i cant believe this actually works! i tried it my self and it works with both floss and fishing line!

Feb 5, 2010. 5:37 PMtheyangster says:

Haha! I did something like this last year to guy's room to make it 'feminine'...except I went through the peephole and hooked underneath the door handle.

Fun stuff

Nov 11, 2009. 1:43 PMgrodbottle says:

hahha lol that was cool and i tested it but th =e floss kept on cnallin and mines a puch down door nob so i did that but the other way round sounds complicated but it worked

Oct 20, 2009. 7:50 PMsambev says:

That's fantastic. I think I'll have to start carry floss around with me. But if I could remember the floss I would probably remember my keys. Good work!

Mar 23, 2009. 12:16 PMDuFFxP93 says:

HA this is excellent. Nice job

Oct 11, 2008. 9:19 AMfreakshow17 says:

Dude, I am in the Navy and Our Ops Officer just locked the Master key in Admin. It's a Saturday and Public Works won't be available until Monday. I used this method and now I am a GOD!!!!! I am proof, it works.

Oct 11, 2008. 6:20 PMhackzorz (author) says:

that is awesome! im glad it could be of help

Sep 16, 2008. 5:49 PMthe crowing says:

Ha Ha neat improvise.

Sep 7, 2008. 9:07 PMjayro707 says:

thee MACGYVER rocks

1-40 of 47

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