Escaping With MacGyver Style

MacGyver is my favorite character in the 90s. He is smart, quick-thinking American that can solve things or escape in every situation. So now I am writing this scenario :

It was a breeze, sunny day before 5 armed terrorists took over our office. Groups of workers were locked in separate rooms and one of the terrorists took over the control room. The office doors were digitally locked. They only took the cash money and other valueables and then they just left the building or staying for more ransom money.

What should we do? Waiting for the police? What about trying to escape with MacGyver style?

Talking about electronic locks, there are mainly two types: Fail-Safe and Fail-Secure. Most public places that have many visitors like offices, schools, gyms or museums they use Fail-Safe system where it uses electrical current to keep the door locked and removing power disengages the locking mechanism. Fail-Secure system is just the exact opposite of the Fail-Safe. The door remains locked until it is given electrical current to unlock. This kind of system is mostly used in private properties where the valuables are kept secure in times of emergency.

There are a lot of electronics in the office.

1. Pick any mains plug, either an extension plug, coffee machine, printer, computers or a phone charger adaptor.
2. Get a paper clip (bare without jacket).
3. Put the paper clip so that it touches both terminals of a mains plug.
4. Plug it in any wall wart socket.

We are interrupting the building's power with short circuit. If we are lucky to have the Fail-Safe lock then the door will unlock and we are free to go. If the building is equipped with backup battery, we have to wait until the battery dies.

Things to get :

• Ruler.
• Papers.
• Tissue papers.
• Battery (from TV or HiFi remote control or wall clock).

MacGyver always has a pocket knife (Victorinox Swiss Army Knife) with him all the time, so I have my Leatherman Skeletool. Also does he has Doublemint bubble gum in his pocket most of the time.

Shred the paper and wrap it at one end of a ruler. We are making a torch here. Wrapping with tissue paper is also a good idea. Peel into a thin single ply and wrap around the paper.

Shape the aluminium foil gum wrapper to be skinny in the middle.

Put the aluminum foil gum wrapper touching the positive and negative posts of a battery and the fire will start from the skinny part of the gum wrapper.

Note: This photo is edited. I never succeed starting the fire this way but many videos and tutorials out there prove that this can be done. And I believe this can be done. Aluminium foil does transfer current, proven with the next photo with multimeter set to continuity test and the red led lights. Current increases at the slim part of the wrapper and if it is hot enough, it will light up the thin paper at the other side of the aluminium foil. Then why can't I light it up on my test? Doublemint has a new packaging. They print the label right on the aluminium foil to save another wrapping paper. It is the printing material blocking the current being transferred.

Start your fire and trigger the fire alarm and hope that the Fail-Safe lock will unlock the door on emergency. If it is not, the find another way around. Look at the exhaust fan and thank to today's multitool you can unscrew the fan and get out from there.

Incase the terrorists are not leaving the building yet, you should prepare yourself with weapons. Look what I found : WD-40 Multi-use spray. People used it to lubricate the cupboards, drawers, fans or printers. You can also use mosquito repellent spray in this case, only that WD-40 has a perfect nozzle pipe.

Ohhh, if only I found this lighters earliar, there must be a smoker in this office.

1. Get a lighter.
2. Get some rubber bands.
3. Get some papers.
4. Align the lighter below the nozzle pipe.
5. Use papers to get a steady base for the lighter.
6. Wrap the lighter and paper with duct tape or any adhesive tape.
7. Put some rubber bands from the lighter's gas release button to the spray can head/neck where the rubber bands can sit properly. These rubber bands keep the gas button pressed all the time

Your weapon is ready.

Light up your lighter. Move slowly to keep the lighter lit.

Press the spray to burst the flame.

Note : These photos are edited. I won't risk the fire in my office and so you are. Try it outdoor but be very safe doing this experiment. I am not responsible for any damage you cause in this kind of experiment.

Don't forget to hold a pen or two as they can be a deadly weapons when you stab at the critical spots such as neck, eyes, ears. Wait a minute, you have your pocket knife, don't you? But I had never seen MacGyver using his knife to kill, so this is combination of MacGyver and John Wick ^^

After all.. this is just my imagination, my scenario. Hope to see MacGyver coming back soon on TV serials in Indonesia.