How To Pick A Camper Lock With A Bobby Pin Like a Pro

How To Prepare Your Bobby Pin Lock

Published Date: August 12, 2020

Last Updated on March 9, 2023 by Camper Front

Even though at some point, we have all been victims of a lockout incident, it’s still not a pleasant tale to tell. Whether you misplaced your keys or your lock unexpectedly jammed, there is no pleasure in experiencing being locked out of your RV.

If you have ever desired to learn how to pick a camper lock with a bobby pin like a pro and save some money, then you should read this guide to master lock picking for preparedness and survival as an alternative solution; you may save yourself from this frustrating experience.

How To Prepare Your Bobby Pin Lock

To pick a camper lock using a bobby pin, you are required to have two basic tools:

  • A tension wrench
  • A lock pick

Tension Wrench: The function of this instrument is to implement a rotational revolution to the lock, as a key would; a windshield wiper blade can be used to make this tool.

Lock Pick: The lock pick can be created with a butter knife and bobby pin. The pick allows the lifting of the bobby pins to the clip line, as seen in the same mechanism as the key. Available are the different fashions of lock picks that a bobby pin can recreate.

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How To Pick A Camper Lock With A Bobby Pin

How To Pick A Camper Lock With A Bobby Pin

Using a bobby pin to pick a camper lock is quite an easy task, simply follow these simple steps.

Preparing the Bobby Pin Pick

The first thing you have to do is to take off the rounded rubber knobs from the straight part of the bobby at both ends. You can carry this out simply with your fingernails, a pair of pliers or wire cutters, or if the other tools are not in reach.

Once the round rubber knob end is gone, we can start bending the straight end of the bobby pin. Start by drawing the first bobby pin apart, so it is a singular elongated, flat, and long metal piece.

And practically straightening to align it as such. This metal piece will serve as your pick that will be inserted into the lock to make way between the bobby pins.

Next, making use of the lock, curve the top of your pin into a pick. Afterward, stick the straight edge roughly one centimeter, it only requires to be curled about a little or about 1/3 of an inch, into the keyhole of your lock with the flat side facing upwards.

Put in ample pressure so that the rest of the pin can be pushed to the left direction, and bend the edge of the pin into a hook.

Curve one end of the pick into a holder. Pick the tip of one of your picks and cross-bend it halfway into it, forming a little spiral or loop. This will make the pick easier to hold on to and put pressure on.

Now that you have formed your bobby lock pick, let’s learn how to create the tension wrench.

Bobby Pin – Tension Wrench

The bobby pin–tension wrench is structured in the form of the letter “L” So when thinking of the tension wrench or lever picture a basic “L” with a simple curve or bend.

To create your tension wrench, start by bending another bobby pin to a right angle. This can be done using your fingers, with a pair of pliers, or by inserting the folded end of the bobby pin into the keyhole of your lock. Then firmly establish pressure downwards until it bends to an angle of 90 degrees; the tension wrench serves as a makeup key.

Now, you have a set of lock-picking pins available for use. But before you go ahead to pick any locks, it is vital to first figure out the mechanism by which a basic camper lock operates; how exactly a tumbler and a pin locking mechanism work.

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How a Basic Pin Tumbler Works

Picking A Camper Lock With A Bobby Pin

lock mechanism is typically made up of two parts: the pins and the barrel. The barrel is the small compartment you insert the key into.

While the pins are small curves like metal cylinders that go through the barrel, firmly setting it up before a key or your pick pushes them off. The pins are sliced in the middle, and when the midway mark lines up to the barrel, you can then turn the lock.

Where you come in as a lock picker is to physically push up every one of the pins into the right position, gradually turning the barrel with them so that they can’t get back into place. When you have all the pins out of the path, the barrel will turn without restriction, and the lock will be open.

So, the two crucial concepts you should understand about basic lock mechanisms are;

To detach a lock, you must first disengage all the pins to the clip line.

Secondly, a key is fundamentally an intricate pick. The clusters are made in such a way that when the key is inserted, all the pins are adjusted to fit and you can turn the doorknob.  Adjusted, and you can turn the doorknob.

Picking the lock

Once again, embed your bobby pin strain wrench into the lock and apply some pressure to firmly bind the first restricting pin. Ensure that all through the whole procedure of picking and setting pins, you should persistently hold pressure on the plug.

When the plug bounds together, you can input your bobby pin lock pick into the lock with the little loop looking into the pins. Beginning from the back, test each pin by lifting it a little and measuring how hard it is to lift.

Most pins ought to be generally simple to lift except for the binding pin, which will feel stiffer and harder to move.

When you have examined around and discovered your first binding pin, the time has come to move it out of the way. Using your pin, apply some pressure to the pin, and once it arrives at the shear line, there will be a slight turn of the plug as the pin sets.

It is usual to feel a little vibration through the pressure wrench, yet as we are using bobby pins, we might not. Likewise, remember that we just pushed the driver pin out of the attachment, so don’t be frightened on the off chance that you feel the key pin wobbling around inside the fitting. Everything is great.

Since we have set our first pin, we have to find and set the following binding pin. Again, you also have to start testing the rest of the pins until you once more locate the firm one. When discovered, you can give it a little prod to the shear line along these lines setting your subsequent pin.

The whole procedure of picking a lock is rehearsing these two stages of finding the binding pin and setting it. When all the pins are set, the plug will completely turn as though you had a key, and the lock will separate. If this happens, you have just picked your first lock.

Now, watch the short video below to learn how to open a lock with a bobby pin in real life:

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Conclusion

If you are locked out in the open, waiting for a professional locksmith to unlock your camper lock, why not try out this simple procedure that requires no special tool to be executed?

Being locked out doesn’t necessarily mean a need for an expensive unlocking service when you are fortunate to have bobby pins.

Always maintain your locks and doorknobs and keep them in good working condition to prevent locking yourself out again.

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