This afternoon, my wife and I were about to head out. We had just stepped outside and hadn’t even made it downstairs when I realized something awful: I had changed jackets and left my key behind.
My wife was ready to call a locksmith through an app, but I remembered that the door in our rental uses an older-style lock. I figured there might be a chance I could open it myself instead of paying someone to come out for what would probably be a very simple job. So I pulled out my phone, searched around for ways to open this kind of lock, and found a method that looked straightforward enough to try.
The first step was to make sure the lock type actually fit this approach. For the kind of door lock with a spring latch like the one below, a stiff plastic card can work. But that only applies to this simpler structure. If you’re dealing with a more advanced security door or a deadbolt-style lock, it makes far more sense to call a professional than to force it.
Once I confirmed what kind of latch we had, I opened the map app and found a stationery store nearby. I bought a plastic writing mat used for schoolwork for 3 yuan. The material needs to be somewhat stiff, but not too thick. An old gift card or something similar could also be worth trying. A plastic bottle, on the other hand, is a bad idea—I tested that first, and it can snap off in the gap between the door and the frame.
On the way back, I stopped by a parcel pickup station and borrowed a pair of scissors. I cut the plastic sheet into a shape that would fit the door seam more easily, with the width adjusted to match the gap around my own door. Then I slowly worked the plastic into the crack, moved it from top to bottom to catch the latch, and kept gently shaking the door back and forth while pulling the plastic back toward me. It didn’t open instantly, but after a few tries, the door finally gave way.
Honestly, it was a little unsettling. If someone with no training can get an old latch open this easily, then our place really has no meaningful security to speak of. The only reason we apparently haven’t had trouble is that we’ve been lucky.
After this, one thing is certain: when it’s time to renovate or move, I’m picking a more reliable lock. Preferably one with fingerprint access, so forgetting my keys doesn’t turn into this kind of problem again.