Antique china cabinets can be a beautiful addition to your home, but often the keys have been lost and the cabinet stuck in the locked position. Opening the lock may be easier than you think, as most were just made for ornamentation and, with a little patience, can be unlocked in no time.
Nov 28, 2018 - How to Open a Locked Door Without the Key. If you're desperate enough to break the door, a good, old-fashioned SWAT-style kick may do.
Unlocking the Antique China Cabinet
Prepare to 'pick' the lock. Many antique china cabinets used the old skeleton keys and are relatively easy to pick. Even if you are not a professional lock picker or even haven't tried this before, you may be surprised at the results. Have an assistant shine a flashlight into the locked mechanism. If the detail is not clear, have your assistant hold the magnifying glass or loupe over the lock, so you better can see what you are doing. Once you can see inside, you will imagine an old skeleton key with a barrel base and flat insert prong going into this mechanism.
Identify the position of the lock. Insert the miniature screwdriver gently into the ball area where the ball of the skeleton key would go. It is natural to feel a springing sensation; this may be pushing back of the tumblers or barrels if this lock is this sophisticated. Using a paper clip (bend it straight) or bobby pin, insert it into the flat area where the flat part of the key would normally go. You should now have two different hands each holding a tool into the lock. Turn counter-clockwise at the same time, gently but firmly and applying the same pressure as if you are unlocking the cabinet with a key. If one or the other area isn't gripping, replace one of your tools with the Allen wrench and try again, turning both areas as the same time, the way in which you would unlock your front door. This may require some jiggling and patience, but should move the tiny bar mechanism and unlock your door. If not, spray lightly some WD-40 inside. Wait a day, and repeat these steps again.
Locate and purchase a standard key that is used to open these type of locks. According to James Hanna, owner of J&M Lock, it is commonly referred to as a 'Warded Lock Key.' Made to open most old furniture locks, these keys cost only a few dollars. A standard part number is CompX D8890--which can be cross referenced for years to come. Check your local hardware store, perhaps in the antique restoration hardware section. If one is not available, it may be special ordered. Otherwise, you can order this key online with a quick Internet search and cost is a fraction of paying a locksmith.
Try the key. If it works, now you have a functional lock and key and know how to get replacements.
Hire a locksmith. If the above steps haven't worked for you, prepare to locate a professional locksmith with references that specializes in antique hardware to pick the lock. A locksmith will know the best route in finding a replacement key.
Tip
If you are having problems finding a locksmith who specializes in antique furniture, call your local antique mall or antique furniture store as it most likely have someone in mind who can assist.
Lock-picking kits are available for purchase, but you have to know how to use them in order to be successful. It may be just as cost effective to hire a trained professional to prevent you from doing damage to your cabinet.
Warning
Replacing the original lock with a restoration hardware kit with new lock and key, may decrease the value of your cabinet.
I show how pin-tumbler locks work and how they can be opened using lock picks. This is a fairly basic view about lock picking but I wanted to make it comprehensive to give people a good idea of the concepts. As well as a foundation for beginners in lock picking to get a better view of how a lock works and how it can be exploited. The pin-tumbler is a very common lock mechanism that uses pins of varying lengths to prevent the lock from opening without the correct key. Most locks around the home or office are simple pin-and-tumbler locks and can be relatively easy to open using a pick and a tension wrench.
While the process is simple and can be mastered with practice, picking such a lock requires a great deal of patience. It can be a hobby as well as a practical skill. Locksmiths define lock-picking as the manipulation of a lock's components to open a lock without a key. To understand lock picking you first have to know how locks and keys work. Most locks are based on fairly similar concepts but they do come in all shapes and sizes, with many design variations. As this is just to cover the basics I don’t go over security pins or more advanced techniques. This is for educational purposes only.
Lock picking is the art of unlocking a lock by analyzing and manipulating the components of the lock device without the original key. In addition, ideal lock picking should not damage the lock itself, allowing it to be re-keyed for later use, which is especially important with antique locks that would be impossible to replace if destructive entry methods were used. Although lock picking can be associated with criminal intent, it is an essential skill for a locksmith, and is often pursued by law abiding citizens as a useful skill to learn or simply a hobby. The move towards combination locks for high security items such as safes was intended to remove the weakest part of the lock: its keyhole.