'Jacking' a door frame.

The Medway Handyman · 2008-02-16T00:53:48+00:00

I bought a book from Amazon recently "How to open locks without picks or keys".Basically rubbish, 23 typewritten pages reduced to A5 with a cheap card cover, cost me a £10.Looks like it was written years ago given the chapter about opening vehicle quarter light windows. First chapter is about slipping a blade between the door frame & the 'moulding strip' to open a Yale type lock. Clearly wouldn't work with a door frame that is rebated - like all modern door frames.However, one chapter caught my eye, jacking or spreading a door frame.The concept is that you use a bottle jack & suitable timber spacers to force the door frame apart enough , so that the lock bolt is free of the mortise in the frame.Since a lock bolt is only about 3/4" long, it seems vaguely possible on some doors. Interesting idea - any thoughts?