Misplacing a key can be frustrating, so don’t worry; we have a perfect solution for you. This article will teach you how to unlock a file cabinet. So if you have a locked cabinet and a misplaced key your life can be easier through this guide. It will be very efficient to unlock a locked file cabinet.
Methods To Unlock A Locked File Cabinet
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There are many ways to deal with your problem. We will focus on each of them to unlock a locked file cabinet. It is, however, your choice to choose between two options.
Destructive Method – It involves breaking down the cabinet lock so that you cannot use it in the future. These methods destroy the whole functioning of the cabinet. Use these methods when you don’t want to use these cabinets after unlocking.
Picking Method – Like an expert, you can pick a lock. There is no/ minor hindrance in the whole structure, and the lock is unlocked. You can manipulate a cabinet lock very quickly. One requires patience and expertise to conduct a successful pick.
To make it easy, we will try to list every possible way with steps, tools, and time it takes one by one.
Total Time: 16 hours
Method 1: Prying (Destructive Method)
Step 1 – Wear your protective layers and gloves to avoid any injury. This method requires a lot of strength.
Step 2 – Keep hitting till you break the cabinet and get access to all your files inside. Make sure you remove the broken cabinet before getting rid of your PPE.
Method 2: Drilling the Drawer (Destructive Method)
Step 1 – Fix and screw up your bit in the drill. Test the working of the drill. Make sure you are in your protective clothing.
Step 2 – Drill into the part where you know no files are stored. The idea is to drill without damaging the items inside. Dispose of the cabinet after the work. Don’t hurt someone.
Method 3: Poking and tilting the cabinet (Picking Method)
Step 1: Start with asking your buddy to lift the front of the cabinet upwards.
Step 2: Touch through the right and left of the drawer to find a hole.
Step 3: Get your bar or finger inside and look for a cabinet holder.
Step 4: Try pushing it downwards or upwards as per the lock. The cabinet unlocks as soon as the lever is moved to the other side. The poke helps open the cabinet like a mimic key. This process will give you access to the cabinet easily.
Method 4: Using A Spare Key
If you have a lock-in file cabinet, you will have spare keys. These keys will open the cabinet for you, just like your original key. There are no tools needed, no damage to the property, nothing.
If you are in an office setting, ask the HR or office help staff about the same. They usually have number-based keys for emergencies.
Method 5: Drilling The Lock (Destructive Method)
Step 1: Get into your PPE and fix your drill with bits. Ensure the working of the drill
Step 2: Start drilling as it may take time to break off the lock. You get access to the files as soon as the safety falls off.
Method 6: Use Of Knife (Picking Method)
Step 1: Get a knife that may quickly go into the lock.
Step 2: Point it towards the lock and insert it straight.
Step 3: Twist it clock and anti-clockwise simultaneously. Make sure you give slow but constant jerks while twisting it.
One can also consider using a Nail Cutter Filer instead of a knife. The process is the same, and there is a way you have to twist the lock. On removing the holder from the path of the cabinet, the door unlocks.
Method 7: Paperclip
Step 1: Straighten the clip so that one part is in a folding position and another part is 180 degrees.
Step 2: Insert the paper clip inside the lock. You can use a plier to twist and create tension.
Step 3: After twisting the lock in the cabinet to the right. Pull the cabinet out.
Method 8: Ask The Manufacturer
To deal with this problem, contact the manufacturer. They can help you get new keys, spare ones, or hacks. This process may take more time than usual. You will contact them, and the solution may take time to reach you.
Method 9: Hire A Locksmith
The best short-term solution is hiring a locksmith. They will study the lock or understand the design using the manual. Then, they can make the exact copy of your key, with or without seeing the key.
Tools:
- Crowbar/Pry Bar
- Gloves
- Drill With Bits
- P.P.E.
- Spare Key
- Bits
- Knife
- Paperclip
- Plier
Materials: NA
Unlocking A Locked Fireking File Cabinet:
A fireproof cabinet that protects your files indeed functions differently. It has fire insulation inbuilt and also protects files from water. In addition, it has latches that make it possible for you to access some cabinets.
The other cabinets remain locked till the time you open them. To unlock it, start with drilling. Then remove the lock from the cabinet. Next, firmly grasp the top drawer handle and give it a jerk a few times.
Unlocking A Locked Ikea File Cabinet:
This cabinet uses a number pattern to unlock. The best way to open it is the easiest step you would see. Start with giving pressure on the level that you pull after the combination. Then while constantly pushing it, start applying for numbers from 0 to 9. One should do this in the closest panel to the lever.
You will notice that a certain number gets locked in the panel. That number is your first combination number. Do this for the other panels as well. If the picking doesn’t help, one can always use destructive methods.
How Do Filing Cabinet Locks Work?
In addition to keyed locks, there are push-button locks and locking bars. Each cabinet lock has a lever that functions the same as your door lock. The key(teeth) pattern pushes and rolls the levers into position. This action occurs when you insert the key into the file cabinet lock. If the correct key is used, the levers stay at the open place, allowing you to turn the key.
This turning makes your safety go in an open state.
1- Horizontal Cabinet – Buy this type if you have various types of paper and file sizes in use.
2- Vertical Cabinets – As the name suggests, this takes less area on the floor and more in height.
3- Long Horizontally/ Flat File – Big cabinets with a lot of horizontal space.
4- Small/ Compact – There are a lot of new sizes that have come up in the market. Some are made as per your need. The locks can also be of the design and coding you want them to be. A combination of fire-proof, water-resistant, and good security.
FAQ
Is It Legal To Unlock A Locked File Cabinet With A Key?
Yes, it is legal to unlock a locked file cabinet with a key. It should belong to you. The cabinet is closed for a reason. Hence there should be a reason to break into as well. There are laws of privacy that one must follow at all times. Without a key, the permissions should be intact. The person whose cabinet it is should be present.
How Do You Remove A Locked File Cabinet Without A Key?
The process has easy steps but would require a lot of expertise. First, get a nail filer with a curved edge. Make sure you wear a glove. Next, insert the filer inside the Keyhole whole to ensure that most of it is inside. Next, do the jiggle wiggle and get to the pins in the lock mechanism. Keep the twisting game on at all times. Mostly it is a clockwise direction that these locks follow.
Can You Rekey A File Cabinet Lock?
The chances of it getting rekeyed goes for around seventy: thirty. Seventy per cent are the chances that one can rekey a lock. This chance is because file cabinets with locks come connected. However, there is a thirty per cent chance of rekeying it successfully. But this will be done by your local locksmith. The locksmith should also have related tools that function correctly. In many scenarios, we cannot rekey it. In that case, you should prefer a new magnetic draw lock for your cabinets.
Final Talk
The guide to unlocking a lock without a key has given every detail you would require. This article solves the problem for your immediate solution. Though the methods need expertise, people have used all of them somehow or the other. So yes, we make mistakes and lose our keys. But we now know how to deal with it. This article mentioned steps that are very likely to be used.
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