Q&A for How to Pick a Filing Cabinet Lock

If there is a large object jammed inside the drawer, use a long, thin dinner knife or other dull item, such as a metal ruler, to gently jiggle the item back into place so that the drawer can open freely. Open the drawer as far as it will go without harming the structure of the drawer and keep working on changing the position of the object.

Push-button locks generally present on the outside of the door as a small, round hole centered in the middle of the knob. To pick this kind of lock, select a bobby pin or straightened paperclip.

Yes, picking any lock will leave microscopic scratches inside the mechanism. Also, using the wrong tool or technique may significantly damage the mechanism mechanically.

Yes, in most cases, the old lock can be removed and replaced with a like one.

Push-button locks generally present on the outside of the drawer as a small, round hole centered in the middle of the knob. To pick this kind of lock, select a bobby pin or straightened paperclip. Pressing in on the knob slightly during picking might reduce internal friction against turning the key cylinder.