Euro cylinders

[Welderpaul]

Next door got their car nicked to order last week. Broke in through their patio door, lifted his keys and a few other bits and drove off. Real nice couple; shame. It's shaken them up quite a bit

Anyhows, got talking to him the other night, turns out the reprobates in question gave the euro cylinder in his french doors a whack, which snapped the screw and let them pull the cylinder out and get in. New houses, so obviously same locks in all, including mine. He tells me that the euro cylinders can be changed for a type that can't be removed, even if they manage to break it loose. Like a 'fail safe'? Anyone know the full SP on this one?

Not a fan of euro cylinders in any event. I've drilled a few out on site when the site lads have been stuck, lost keys and the like, cordless drill, couple of mins and yer in, very little noise.

 

[Hitch]

Snap secure locks?
Alright against twisting 'lock snapping' the barrels, not sure about punching through....

PM coming your way

 

[rtbcomp]

Euro cylinders have been featured on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours. West Yorks Police condemmed them as useless. The problem is insurance companies replace them like for like so the burglars wait a while and come back.

 

[Welderpaul]

Just had these recommended on another forum.
Seems just the job?

 

[Paul.]

I have replaced mine with something similar, a locksmith mate of mine got them for me, If you buy online get them sent to a different address from where they will be fitted.

 

[Welderpaul]

Good idea TP, you never know do you?

 

[Welderpaul]

OK, got three euro cylinders out easy enough to measure the length of them, ze french doors have a euro on each leaf, one side, no probs, but how do i get to the other one? I took the locking strip off which runs full height of the door, and despite a nasty cut out behind, no visible means of removing the cylinder, no screw etc. How do i get it out?

 

[ford34/2]

Euro cylinder

you may need to insert the key then turn maybe an eigth or so , or if it has a turn butten on the inside that will do, I was a bit perplexed at this thread saying a bang with the hammer shears the retaining screw and out pops the cylinder, nothing we have ever fitted would do this as there is a locating security pin that wont let the cylinder through the door, will try and sort some pics if I can
Stan

 

[Paul.]

That cylinder could do with being 5mm shorter so its flush with the handle, locksmiths and bad boys have a twisting tool machined out to a euro profile, it only needs a slight protrusion to use it, suspect thats how your neighbour was done.

 

[ford34/2]

here ya go, pic with the key removed and security pin in place to stop the barrel been withdrawn, key inserted and turned a wee bit to remove cylinder, or use the thumb turn if it has one.
Stan

Cylinders come in different lengths and its important to have the right length depending on the handles or Escutcheons-- how far they stick out of the door face, Yale Cylinder locks are and have been popular for years, they too are easily drilled, but so is any lock that has a Barrell-

 

[Welderpaul]

here ya go, pic with the key removed and security pin in place to stop the barrel been withdrawn, key inserted and turned a wee bit to remove cylinder, or use the thumb turn if it has one.
Stan

Yeah, but...i can't find the screw that holds that cylinder in. I know how to get them out once the screw is removed

 

[Welderpaul]

That cylinder could do with being 5mm shorter so its flush with the handle, locksmiths and bad boys have a twisting tool machined out to a euro profile, it only needs a slight protrusion to use it, suspect thats how your neighbour was done.

It protrudes just shy of 5mm. They are available in multiples of 5mm, this is a 50/50. If i get a 45/50 it may just be a touch too short.

 

[ford34/2]

got to be there in the end of the door, all the cylinders I have dealt with-- hundreds secure in the same way
Stan
maybe 12mm below the centre line of the round euro cylinder bit where the key goes in-- all the same dont matter if its keyhole or oval type--all the same.

 

[Welderpaul]

Just fitted the new cylinders. Got them a bit shorter so they finish flush on the inside and outside faces, nothing to get hold of to twist them. A nice lock, slightly pricey at 30 quid a go, but at least she feels a bit safer now. Lesson learnt not to have euro cylinders sticking proud.
I need to take the glass out of one of the french doors to get to the screws to take the centre bar out to change the other cylinder...but not today. me glass lifters are at work.

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Good god i s**t myself when i saw 2 gimps wearing masks on the video on the site you reccomeded!

our french doors are euro cylinder and i will have a go at breaking in and then replacing them with the same as yours some time

 

[Shox Dr]

The key things to look for are

Is the lock sticking out more than 3-4mm
Does the barrel of the lock (you'll have to move the lock to do this) have a steel strengthener the full lenght, and or also have break lines about 15mm from the ends


If not then you need to replace them, I found them on ebay for £16. I bought one the same with 3 extra keys for £22.

 

[cecotto479]

Search for "Klom Pick Gun" on YouTube. I use one occasionally for broken locks, lost keys and absconding tenants. The gun itself costs about £100. The full set of new anti pick, anti bump locks that you will buy the next day will be a little more.

This thing opened our front door lock silently in 5 seconds! And locked it again just as quickly.

 

[Welderpaul]

Frightening how useless euro cylinders are particularly when you consider how many are out there.
When i've had cause to open doors where people have lost keys, i can drill it and be in within a couple of minutes. Obviously there is better/quicker ways to break them.

 

[madkayaker]

Going to be invention in some of those locks. I knew that euro cylinders were not quite as good as proper locks but not that useless!

 

[Woody.v8]

Got me thinking enough to order half a dozen proper ones.