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Author: Subject: OT. jammed door lock?
adithorp

posted on 2/2/12 at 08:49 AM Reply With Quote
OT. jammed door lock?

Off topic but I thought someone here might know...

A friend has got a 5lever mortice lock that has jammed locked. It was apparently jammed unlocked for a while then started working and now won't open. The key turns about 120' then won'tmove. only way I can think of is either brute force and then repair the door frame or possibly cut through the lock pin with a thin blade in the angry grinder (will mark the door and frame but not a lot).

Any other ideas?





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mookaloid

posted on 2/2/12 at 08:56 AM Reply With Quote
In the immortal words of Arkwright the shop keeper "j-j-j-j-j-j-j-jiggle it a bit"





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ashg

posted on 2/2/12 at 09:08 AM Reply With Quote
chances are that the key is worn not the lock. take the key to the cutting shop but get them to oversize it a bit. try the new one in the lock if it still doesn't work then give it a fettle with a file bit by bit.





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JoelP

posted on 2/2/12 at 09:12 AM Reply With Quote
ive used a 1mm grinding disc in the past, yes it marked the brass plate but not the door. Just make sure you have a correct sized replacement before doing it!

Place i go to does locks for £10-£15 so not worth messing about for that kind of money!

[Edited on 2/2/12 by JoelP]






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adithorp

posted on 2/2/12 at 09:16 AM Reply With Quote
Well I've jgg..gg..gg..gled it a lot. Even had the handle off and tried tapping the lock while jiggling.

Also tried 3 different keys; One old one, one slightly worn and one that was new. When it started working after being stuck unlocked all three worked perfectly.





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JoelP

posted on 2/2/12 at 09:19 AM Reply With Quote
The lock is knackered anyway then. If there is much of a gap when closed, you may be able to drill a small dent onto the side of it, then use a small lever to help it across as the key is turned.

Or maybe a liberal dose of oil.






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Peteff

posted on 2/2/12 at 09:33 AM Reply With Quote
What kind of door is it, can you get at the hinges ?





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I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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nick205

posted on 2/2/12 at 10:10 AM Reply With Quote
Might sound daft, but have you tried it from both sides (assuming your not locked in/out)?

Previous front door lock worked perfectly from inside, but was a PITA from outside.






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adithorp

posted on 2/2/12 at 10:29 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
What kind of door is it, can you get at the hinges ?


Lateral thinking... Why didn't I think of that? Best bit is its the bottom half of a split "stable" type door" so a lot easier to man-handle.





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rusty nuts

posted on 2/2/12 at 08:15 PM Reply With Quote
Try giving the lock a squirt of WD40 or penetrating oil
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adithorp

posted on 2/2/12 at 08:55 PM Reply With Quote
What, even more WD?

Going to leave it till Sat' to tackle it in case it all goes tits-up.





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MikeR

posted on 2/2/12 at 09:22 PM Reply With Quote
Is it possible that the door has dropped so that all the weight is on the mortice stopping the lock turning?

Could you try lifting it a fraction and then turning the lock?

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adithorp

posted on 2/2/12 at 09:42 PM Reply With Quote
Tried that.





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Ninehigh

posted on 2/2/12 at 10:04 PM Reply With Quote
Make sure they still make the lock... I had a day and a half trying to find a replacement for mine and ended up with a "nearly the same" one and butchered plates from the old one.






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MikeR

posted on 2/2/12 at 10:46 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
Tried that.
ok, have you tried having someone heavy push hard on the door to 'close' it and try the lock in case its jamming that way? - i'm trying to avoid the cutting options as once you start you have to finish.

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Brooky

posted on 3/2/12 at 01:09 PM Reply With Quote
I had this when the ex naffed off with ALL the keys for the house.
I ended up pusing the pins out of the hinges and opening the door the wrong way as it were.
Try that.

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adithorp

posted on 3/2/12 at 02:31 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
Tried that.
ok, have you tried having someone heavy push hard on the door to 'close' it and try the lock in case its jamming that way? - i'm trying to avoid the cutting options as once you start you have to finish.


Yes. Inserting a knife bade in the gap between door and frame, I can feel the pin start to move up to the point where the key stops, so it's not that that's tight.

For reference, I've wiggled, jiggled, banged, tapped, oiled, pushed, pulled, lifted, pressed, rattled and rolled it.

I'll be doing it the way Brooky did tomorrow.

[Edited on 3/2/12 by adithorp]





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Peteff

posted on 3/2/12 at 05:34 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
For reference, I've wiggled, jiggled, banged, tapped, oiled, pushed, pulled, lifted, pressed, rattled and rolled it.

I'll be doing it the way Brooky did tomorrow.

[Edited on 3/2/12 by adithorp]


I think I suggested the hinge route a bit further up the thread, I had to cut some and put new ones on. The pins don't push out of good hinges.





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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adithorp

posted on 6/2/12 at 04:50 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
For reference, I've wiggled, jiggled, banged, tapped, oiled, pushed, pulled, lifted, pressed, rattled and rolled it.

I'll be doing it the way Brooky did tomorrow.

[Edited on 3/2/12 by adithorp]


I think I suggested the hinge route a bit further up the thread, I had to cut some and put new ones on. The pins don't push out of good hinges.


Yes, you were the first to sugest going for the hinges. The pins do come out... if you hit them hard enough!

Got the pins out on Sat' and the door off that way. The hinge bit remaining on the frame, did get in the way but managed to force the door past it. Once out I removed the lock and found the problem. A bit of key jammed in the wards. Not from any of our keys though so probably been in there since the previous owner 6 months ago.





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