Open door with jammed mortice lock

[conor1n]

Hi guys,

Quick one here.. i've just been trying to access a door with the following type of lock.

It looks like somebody has tried to pry it open but in the process bent the "bolt" meaning even with the key, the bolt won't slide back into the main housing.

I suspect that given how they were trying to open it, the bolt might be angled forward towards the front - if I can hammer it back to alignment, it might be enough to slide it back into the housing (and subsequently replace it).

How would you go about opening it?

 

[RobCox]

I thought the standard locksmiths technique was to knock the pins out of the hinges, enabling the door to be removed. Depends on the hinges I guess.

 

[angellonewolf]

can you see the bolt ? if so just cut it then lever the latch back a credit card works fine for this

 

[8ob]

Thin disc in an angry grinder

Bob

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Personally I'd take the hit on the door frame (assuming it's wood and not upvc!!!!) and just cut out a section neatly with an oscillating tool....then slit disc the mortice bolt with an angry grinder as Bob says...and then refit the frame piece and make good.

Picture of the actual door might help us all I reckon?

 

[conor1n]

Thanks all. Was a little dark this evening so I'll try and get a pic later.

I can see the bolt, and I can see that it is part receeding into housing.

Pins on the hinge could be good shout too. I would really rather avoid the carpentry side of things. If that's needed, i'll be letting a locksmith make that call.

It's not my place so i'll leave it up to the owner if it is more complex.

I'll see what I can do in daylight tomorrow.

 

[angellonewolf]

if theres pins on the out side that can just be knocked out its pritty **** poor but nice for you

 

[gaz1]

you need a 5" grinder and slit it

or need a 9" just to cut it off as ive done it often but you need a new lock straight away

 

[conor1n]

if theres pins on the out side that can just be knocked out its pritty **** poor but nice for you

I just remembered, the door opens inwards so pins would be on the inside.

 

[gaz1]

its grind them from the inside or as stated from outside using the 9" grinder

glue and fill the wood with sawdust and wood glue after on frame you just have to know its depth of the door

so measure from the center of the handle towards the door frame

most locks are standared 3", 3 1/2" you get the idea but you need to rough guess it if done from the outside

also another way is to drill a pilot hole roughly where you think the gap is pilot drill if it drops through quick and deep your in the gap if not your still drilling the wood so in the wrong place

 

[pedrobedro]

Thin disc in an angry grinder

Bob

That's what I did on our back door when the lock jammed.

 

[zzr1200]

A Paddys Motorbike will sort it, the door and frame as well if your not careful.....

 

[hermetic]

Try getting a knife with a sharp sturdy point and try to push the point into the bolt and use the knife to lever the bolt in or out of the lock whilst jiggling with the key, sounds like the internal lock mechanis has disconnected from the bolt. Sounds flakey but I have succeeded with this method on several occasions

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@conor1n Do you have access to both sides of the door?

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Personally I'd take the hit on the door frame (assuming it's wood and not upvc!!!!) and just cut out a section neatly with an oscillating tool....then slit disc the mortice bolt with an angry grinder as Bob says...and then refit the frame piece and make good.

Picture of the actual door might help us all I reckon?

I had to exactly that when the mortise lock broke inside the housing and no other way of opening the door.

 

[conor1n]

A Paddys Motorbike will sort it, the door and frame as well if your not careful.....

A con saw? LMAO!

@conor1n Do you have access to both sides of the door?

I didn't have access to inside no.

I managed to open it this morning .. I just used a chisel and hammer and a bit of fooling around. To be honest I didn't think I had made much difference, but the key turned, so happy days. €75 lighter for a new lock now. Thankfully it's not me paying this time.

Some not so great pics of it.

 

[conor1n]

Thanks for the help everybody.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I didn't have access to inside no.

What you need is a 'big red key' .
I'm guessing that's not a house with the plywood facing (and the spider webs), so was there anything worth stealing in there? Unless the legitimate owner failed in his attempt to gain access?

 

[zzr1200]

A con saw? LMAO!

Many years ago my mate who worked in a small hire company was asked to repair a Paddys Motorbike as it had crashed........

He questioned why, until he was given the item for repair, it had a circular saw blade installed and the guy was cutting up railway sleepers....

PS. He repaired it and the shop asked the customer to collect it.

The saw blade was cabled tied to a side handle, they fitted and charged them for a diamond blade...

 

[Alan Reynolds]

You were lucky! When the bolt has rollers in it, life gets difficult.

My neighbour has twice locked himself in both of his karseys and I’ve had to cut the bolts. His doors were solid oak, as were the frames, so I couldn’t damage anything. I used a pad saw with a hacksaw blade.. the doors were also bare wood and they’d tried WD40 and stained the wood. I had to carefully scrape them because glass paper gave a different finish.