History Main / ImprovisedLockpick

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'', Jiminy tries to free Pinocchio from his cage by climbing ''inside'' the padlock, and opening it with his umbrella, but does not succeed.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', [[{{Snowlems}} Snowman]] Olaf uses his carrot nose to unlock the door behind which [[spoiler:Princess Anna]] is dying of her frozen heart.

** ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'': A stray feather from Zeng's body lands near where Tai Lung is being held as prisoner. He scoops it up with his tail and uses it to pick the lock of the acupuncture device that's holding the rest of his body immobilized.

* ''Film/USMarshals'': Mark Sheridan breaks the arm off the sunglasses of his arresting officer and later uses it to unpick his handcuffs after the transport plane crashes. The next day Agent Royce does the same thing after Sam Gerard handcuffs him during an argument. Gerard, who witnessed Sheridan's escape attempt, immediately notes that he's [[ChekhovsSkill seen the skill before]], foreshadowing the reveal that Sheridan and Royce used to work together and received similar training.

-->*THUD*
-->'''Skye''': Door: Unlocked.
-->''The handle falls off of the door''
-->*CLANK*
-->'''Flamel''': Along with, Door: ''Never to be locked again.''

* ''[[Manhua/BraveSeries Brave Animated Series]]'': Sick Demon's body can reshape itself like goo, including turning one fingertip into the shape of Dragon Brave's cell key for a [[GreatEscape jailbreak]].

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': During his first encounter with Anthony Lupus, Batman was left manacled on a construction site at the mercy of a rampaging werewolf. Batman manages to locate a bent cotter pin in the mud and, holding it in his teeth, uses it to pick the lock on his manacles. A text box at least attempts to justify this by pointing out that Batman has spent countless hours teaching himself how to pick very complex locks with extremely crude tools.

* In ''Franchise/XMen'', Gambit does this while trapped by Cameron Hodge. He is hanging by his hands trapped in manacles and frees himself by curling up, using his teeth to pull out a metal spike that had been shot through his leg, and using it as a lockpick -- with his feet.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "[[Recap/TheProudFamilyS2E22ThelmaAndLuis Thelma and Luis]]", when Suga Mama, Penny, [=LaCienaga, Sticky, Dijonay and Zoey=] break into an okra farm masquerading as a retirement home to rescue Papi, they find him in a locked cell. Dijonay fails to unlock the cell with her {{hairpin|lockpick}}, so Suga Mama uses her long toenail to pick the lock of the cell.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "Thelma and Luis", when Suga Mama, Penny, [=LaCienaga, Sticky, Dijonay and Zoey=] break into an okra farm masquerading as a retirement home to rescue Papi, they find him in a locked cell. Dijonay fails to unlock the cell with her {{hairpin|lockpick}}, so Suga Mama uses her long toenail to pick the lock of the cell.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "Thelma and Luis", when Suga Mama, Penny, [=LaCienaga, Sticky, Dijonay and Zoey=] break in to rescue Papi from an okra farm masquerading as a retirement home, they find him in a locked cell. Dijonay fails to unlock the cell with her {{hairpin|lockpick}}, so Suga Mama uses her long toenail to pick the lock of the cell.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "Thelma and Luis", when Suga Mama and Penny break in to rescue Papi from an okra farm masquerading as a retirement home, they find him in a locked cell. Dijonay fails to unlock the cell with her {{hairpin|lockpick}}, so Suga Mama uses her long toenail to pick the lock of the cell.

* ''Series/{{Farscape}}''. Deconstructed in "The Hidden Memory". Deconstructed; Stark has spent two cycles building a device that can open his cell if only he can find the correct sequence for the door lock. Problem is he can only try one sequence at a time (with a likely infinite number of potential combinations). When John Crichton (stuck in the cell with him) responds to this revelation with laughter, he retorts that it's not like Crichton has come up with anything better. Fortunately, Aeryn turns up to rescue them both. Ironically in the first episode Crichton and Aeryn were able to escape from their cell on Moya using just a CutleryEscapeAid.

* In the Citalel DLC for ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', Samantha Traynor uses her biotic toothbrush to pick the Normandy's vent lock.

** "Mine is a Long and Sad Tale". In a flashback scene, Beth Kane as a child pulls a nail from the wall and uses it to briefly escape from the basement she's imprisoned in. In the present day Kate Kane is handcuffed in the same room but can't reach the nail, so uses a hobnail from her [[BikerBabe motorcycle boots]].

* In the HistoricalReCreation ''Churchill's Secret Agents: The New Recruits'', the eponymous recruits are taught how to pick handcuffs and door locks with hairpins, bicycle spokes or fence wire. They then have to use their skills in an SOE training exercise where they have ten minutes to uncuff themselves and break out of the courtyard they're in. They do well, but in their final graduation exercise find they can't get through a locked door in time and [[OpenSaysMe resort to kicking it open]].
* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Sansa steals a [[ChekhovsGun corkscrew]] in "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS5E7TheGift The Gift]]" and uses it to pick the lock on her bedchamber in the Season 5 finale "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS5E10MothersMercy Mother's Mercy]]".

* ''Fanfic/AllThatGlitters'': Anna uses a piece of wire included among her adventuring group's supplies to pick the lock on [[spoiler: Hans' cuffs]].

* ''ComicBook/{{Irredeemable''. A flashback shows [[WingedHumanoid Gilgamos]] in a prison with UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat. They are ReducedToRatburgers and Alexander shows him how to pick the lock using the rat's bones. In the present day Gil is in a cell again but there aren't any rats, so ''he tears off one of his wings'' and uses the bones from that.

* ''Manga/MobPsycho100'': When Ritsu and the others need to break out of their cage, Ritsu uses a spoon to unlock the lock on the cage. He has Gou use his [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]] to make the spoon soft so it can stick into the lock and then has Takeshi use his [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]] to twist the spoon so it fits the lock.

** ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'': A stray feather from Zeng's body lands near where Tai Lung is being held as prisoner, and he uses it to unlock the cuffs holding him.

* In the HistoricalReCreation ''Churchill's Secret Agents: The New Recruits'', the eponymous recruits are taught how to pick handcuffs and door locks with hairpins, bicycle spokes or fence wire. They then have to use their skills in an SOE training exercise where they have ten minutes to uncuff themselves and break out of the courtyard they're in.

* In one ''Series/BurnNotice'' episode, Michael [[HeroStoleMyBike steals a motorcycle]] by turning the ignition lock with a penknife, then kicking the handlebars to break the steering lock.
* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Sansa steals a [[ChekhovsGun corkscrew]] in "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS5E7TheGift The Gift]]" and uses it to pick the lock on her bedchamber in the Season 5 finale "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS5E10MothersMercy Mother's Mercy]]".

* ''Manga/MobPsycho100'': When Ritsu and the others need to break out of their cage, Ritsu uses a spoon to unlock the lock on the cage. He has Gou use his [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]] to make the spoon soft so it can stick into the lock and then has Takeshi use his [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]] to twist the spoon so it fits the lock.

* In ''Franchise/XMen'', Gambit does this while trapped by Cameron Hodge. He is hanging by his hands trapped in manacles and frees himself by curling up, using his teeth to pull out a metal spike that had been shot through his leg, and using it as a lockpick -- with his feet.

* ''ComicBook/LabRats'': Trilby picked up lock-picking skills while living in Metropolis' Suicide Slum. Since Quinlan never gives the kids gear or useful information about what they might need on their missions, he usually has to make do with improvsed materials to open safes and doors.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': During his first encounter with Anthony Lupus, Batman was left manacled on a construction site at the mercy of a rampaging werewolf. Batman manages to locate a bent cotter pin in the mud and, holding it in his teeth, uses it to pick the lock on his manacles. A text box at least attempts to justify this by pointing out that Batman has spent countless hours teaching himself how to pick very complex locks with extremely crude tools.

* ''Fanfic/AllThatGlitters'': Anna uses a piece of wire included among her adventuring group's supplies to pick the lock on [[spoiler: Hans' cuffs]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'', Frank the frilled lizard tries to pick the lock of his cage with his tail. It takes him a while but he succeeds.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', [[{{Snowlems}} Snowman]] Olaf uses his carrot nose to unlock the door behind which [[spoiler:Princess Anna]] is dying of her frozen heart.

* In ''Film/TimeBandits'', Wally uses Kevin's knife to pick the lock of the cage they are trapped in. It works, but the knife's blade is noticeably bent and mangled afterward.

* In ''Film/BloodrayneIIDeliverance'', Muller uses the frame of Piles' glasses to pick the lock on Rayne's manacles.
* ''Film/MurderOnTheOrientExpress2017''. Hercule Poirot uses his L-handle cane to force open the door to the murder victim's cabin by levering it against the door handle until it breaks the lock.
* ''Film/Firestorm1998'': When the convicts are locked in the bus in the path of the fire, one of them attempts to pick the lock on the door with a pen supplied by one of the guards.
* In ''Film/HorrorExpress'', the creature bends a nail and uses it to pick the padlock holding its crate shut.
* ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'': Edward's hands make a fine lockpick in a pinch, which the neighborhood JerkJock uses to try to get him arrested.
* In ''Film/TheAggressionScale'', Owen snaps the arms off Lauren's sunglasses and uses them to pick the lock on the office at the car yard.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov and Creator/JanetAsimov's ''Literature/NorbyAndTheCourtJester'': Ing has a hat/helmet with a thin gold pick. He wears it so that he has an excuse for keeping a lockpick around when he's acting as a ''Theatre/DonJuan''.

* In Creator/RichardScarry's ''Best Christmas Book Ever!'', Lowly Worm uses his foot (technically the tip of his tail) to pick a lock.

* In the ''Series/Vegas2012'' episode "Exposure", Jack forces open a locked desk drawer by using a letter-opener on the lock.
* In ''Series/{{Rome}}'', Titus Pullo keeps one of his thugs in a locked cage, feeding him off scraps, in punishment for trying to steal from him. Unfortunately, the slave picks the lock with a piece of bone and nearly kills Pullo.
* In an episode of ''Series/TheMusketeers'', Aramis picks the lock of some manacles with a cross attached to his rosary beads.

* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Sansa steals a [[ChekhovsGun corkscrew]] in "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS5E7TheGift The Gift]]" and uses it to pick the lock on her bedchamber in the Season 5 finale "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS5E10MothersMercy Mother's Mercy]]".

* In the ''Series/ICarly'' episode "[=IPsycho=]", Sam gnaws on a duck bone into a lock pick to unlock the door out of the recording booth that she, Carly, and Freddie are trapped in by Nora.
* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000:'' In ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E20SpaceMutiny Space Mutiny]]", the Mads are imprisoned in Ancient Rome, and Bobo tries to cough up a key to escape. (Not because he lifted a key from the guards, but because "[[ExtremeOmnivore I've swallowed so many things over the years]], there's bound to be a key in there somewhere!") The best he can get is a hairpin, but that's enough to pick the locks and free the Mads.
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. In "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS4E24HopeAndFear Hope and Fear]]", Captain Janeway removes a microfilament from her commbadge to rewire Seven's cortical implant so she can walk through the ForcefieldDoor, essentially this trope RecycledInSpace.

* ''Series/Batwoman2019''
** In the pilot episode, Kate Kane palms a paperclip from Bruce Wayne's desk before putting her hands up after being caught breaking into his office. It's no surprise when she gets free of her handcuffs.
** "Mine is a Long and Sad Tale". In a flashback scene, Beth Kane as a child pulls a nail from the wall and uses it to briefly escape from the basement she's imprisoned in. In the present day Kate Kane is handcuffed in the same room but can't reach the nail, so uses a hobnail from her [[BikerBabe motorcycle boots]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]

%%* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoChinatownWars'' uses a car theft mechanic that involves this with low-end cars. - '''ZCE'''
* In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', ''[[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas New Vegas]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/Fallout4 4]]'', a screwdriver is used as a torque wrench while the picking itself is done with bobby pins. In the 2D games, you can get an actual set of lockpicks, but they're not necessary if your skill rating is high enough, [[ImpliedTrope suggesting]] you're using ''some'' random object.

* In ''VideoGame/ZakMckrackenAndTheAlienMindbenders'', the heroes need to access a particular chamber to acquire the crystal that powers their device. The alien who gives them this assignment provides them with the key to open the door, but it disintegrates upon being picked up. They make do by going to a hair salon and cutting down the giant bobby pin hanging outside, then using it to pick the lock.
* Early in ''Timeless: The Forgotten Town'', the player character picks a locked drawer with two wooden hair sticks.

* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'':
** Undead characters are able to pick locks using their fingers as [[{{Pun}} skeleton keys]].
** Through the magic of ItemCrafting, player characters can make lockpicks out of spare nails, needles, or even an old key and a bar of soap.
* In ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'''s third episode, Chloe and Max break into the school to steal some files. When trying to get into the principal's office, Chloe tries to pick the lock with hairpins (claiming she learned how to from [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Frank]]). {{Subverted}}, in that she'll never succeed; the player, as Max, [[spoiler: [[CuttingTheKnot texts Warren how to build a pipe bomb, does so, blasts the door open]], and then rewinds time so she can unlock the door from the inside.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Cataclysm}}'' lets you use hairpins to pick locks. If you don't have one, you can also fashion makeshift lockpicks from scrap metal, which is easy to get in large amounts.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', Tommy is often able to pick locks with his toy screwdriver as easily as he can reach and push latches with it.
* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' subverts this in the Season 4 finale. Viper tries to break the J-Team out of their cell with a hairclip and then with a credit card, but the lock is magically sealed shut.
* In ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'', WrenchWench Gadget occasionally uses her tail as a lockpick.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "Thelma and Luis", when Suga Mama and Penny break in to rescue Papi from an okra farm masquerading as a retirement home, they find him in a locked cell. Dijonay fails to unlock the cell with her {{hairpin|lockpick}}, so Suga Mama uses her long toenail to pick the lock of the cell.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trollhunters}}'', "[[Recap/TrollhuntersS2E5Homecoming Homecoming]]": Gnome Chompsky's [[OurGnomesAreWeirder conical horn]] is used to unlock Claire and Toby's cell.

* In ''Manga/MobPsycho100'', when Ritsu and the others need to break out of their cage, Ritsu uses a spoon to unlock the lock on the cage. He has Gou use his [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]] to make the spoon soft so it can stick into the lock and then has Takeshi use his [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]] to twist the spoon so it fits the lock.

* In ''ComicBook/XMen'', Gambit does this while trapped by Cameron Hodge. He is hanging by his hands trapped in manacles and frees himself by curling up, using his teeth to pull out a metal spike that had been shot through his leg, and using it as a lockpick -- with his feet.

* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'': During his first encounter with Anthony Lupus, Batman was left manacled on a construction site at the mercy of a rampaging werewolf. Batman manages to locate a bent cotter pin in the mud and, holding it in his teeth, uses it to pick the lock on his manacles. A text box at least attempts to justify this by pointing out that [[CrazyPrepared Batman]] has spent countless hours teaching himself how to pick very complex locks with extremely crude tools.

* ''Fanfic.AllThatGlitters'': Anna uses a piece of wire included among her adventuring group's supplies to pick the lock on [[spoiler: Hans' cuffs]].

* In the ''Series/{{Vegas|2012}}'' episode "Exposure", Jack forces open a locked desk drawer by using a letter-opener on the lock.