Eyeglass screwdrivers can work, and some people swear by Spam keys if you still have any of those laying around. Try widening that 'hole' with some type or pry bar. Are you looking for how to unlock a door with a key? This will require a tension wrench. They also tend to be on an angle, and they may come with a small plunger that either allows or prevents the latch bolt’s moving. I remember someone saying long, long ago that you could supposedly unlock the door via that hole (we were kids and they had that type of knob). They are available in many different styles — from round to egg-shaped — and various finishes to match you style. It does sound like you have a kwikset smartkey , the hole should be about an eighth of an inch and just to the left of where the key goes in the hole. Paper Clip is the first on our list today, to get started, look for metallic paper clips at least two big-sized paper clips and then a plier for bending the paper clips. Directly opposite you should feel a little lever that you can push on to unlock the door. Ah, the fun times we had when we learned that trick....scaring the shit (heh) out of each other in the bathroom just by rattling the knob, because they'd think you were trying to open it since we figured out how. I remember someone saying long, long ago that you could supposedly unlock the door via that hole … Take the screws out of the faceplate and the knob so you can slide the knob off the pin. These pins all have breaks in them at different levels, and when those breaks are lined up with the turning axis of the lock, you can turn the knob. On either side will be a tiny hole. The door did not have a small screw inside but a button that I could push to release the lock. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. From resetting interior door locks to picking a lock, there are several things you can try before you start breaking things. Slide the faceplate off after it, and you should have access to the interior workings of the knob. If you can’t get the knob off and you have access to the hinges on the door, your screwdriver may still come in handy. any ideas.? Some knobs may not have screws at all on either side of the door. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Knobs with a slot inside the hole lock by pushing the button on the knob and turning. Try to tilt the card towards the doorknob so that it touches the door knob. The knob on the outside has a small hole in the center of it. This next method may do some damage to your door frame, but it does work for exterior doors that are meant to be locked. A quick poke and the door was open. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. If you’re dealing with this style of locked knob and you know the angle is facing away from you, a coat hanger could help you out. The coat hanger should hook on the latch bolt and force it backward, releasing it from the strike plate and allowing you to turn the knob. Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time. Request service from us today and keep your home safely locked. MEF!! Inside this, there’s a small reset button you’ll need to push. This is designed as an emergency way to open interior doors with locks such as a bathroom or bedroom door. You may have seen people in movies using a credit card to break into a locked door. The non-locking side of the door should have a small hole, likely on the face of the knob. Your California Privacy Rights | Do Not Sell My Personal Information There is this story my parents like to tell of the time I locked myself in my room when I was young. All your stuff is in there, you need your stuff, and you can see the key just sitting there on the kitchen counter taunting you. Use a credit card on a spring lock. You should feel pins start to pop up one by one, and after several passes, you should feel the lock give way to the pressure of your tension rod. One last note: never ever ever try to break down a door using your shoulder. Ars may earn compensation on sales from links on this site. Like picking a lock, kicking in a door is not as easy as they make it look on TV. The "thin metal object" is usually a spam can opener for me -- View image here: http://episteme.arstechnica.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif -- That's the perfect size and length to go into most doorknobs that rely on interior locking.I used to carry one around with me everywhere for just that purpose.-Danger Mouse. You’re going to need a lot of force behind that blow, and it may take you several tries. This method should be an absolute last resort if there is a child trapped inside a burning room or no other tools are available to you. From there, you can take the door off its hinges completely and deal with the locked knob more easily. If you have a drill handy, you can use it to destroy those pins we just talked about picking. ♦ Insert the card between the door frame and the door, near the handle. Here, you need the star-head screwdriver having a small mouth tip. But the real trick takes a good bit more finesse. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Just poke a long, slender object into the hole. It was merely in jest, Wingfooted. It will destroy the door, and depending on the construction, it may destroy the door frame, too.