Any locksmith out there?

[Tedx]

Not long back home to find that my back door key will turn / unlock-lock from the inside but not from outside.

The key goes all the way in front both sides and works perfectly from the inside. It wont turn from the outside. I've tried different keys.

It's a 4 or 5 year old UPVC door with 5 point locking. I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

Google suggests the lock may be goosed?

[Urbandreamer]

It's a 4 or 5 year old UPVC door with 5 point locking. I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

Google suggests the lock may be goosed?

Sounds like it to me. I believe however that a Euro Barrel lock is relatively easy to change, if you can unlock one side of it.
A search of Youtube will show how.

ie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqdv1awLnLI

Ps, I'm not a locksmith, just your standard geek who likes picking locks and finding out how they work.

[monabri]

Not long back home to find that my back door key will turn / unlock-lock from the inside but not from outside.

The key goes all the way in front both sides and works perfectly from the inside. It wont turn from the outside. I've tried different keys.

It's a 4 or 5 year old UPVC door with 5 point locking. I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

Google suggests the lock may be goosed?

Is there any warranty on the lock...might be worth checking.

[jfgw]

Euro lock cylinders are very easy to replace. You have to remove the screw that passes through the cylinder: look at the new cylinder to see where it is. Once the screw is out, turn the key slighty to line up the cam and withdraw the cylinder.

A vulnerability of Euro cylinders is that they can be snapped at the screw hole. For this reason, get a replacement the right length. If it sticks out too far, there is something to get a grip on to snap it. Higher security cylinders have slots cut in them so that, if they are snapped, part of the cylinder remains in place and the lock cannot be undone with a bit of bent wire, e.g., https://www.toolstation.com/yale-platinum-3-star-euro-double-cylinder/p35564?store=HA&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dm&pcrid=&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxKeBlNKp_wIVE_jtCh1RcADqEAQYBCABEgJ5fPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds.


Julian F. G. W.

[Tedx]

Thanks chaps.

I followed the video and had the lock out for inspection in seconds.

Measuring up as per the video, it seems I need a 95mm 55mm / 40mm replacement.

Screwfix and Amazon seem to do replacements for not much bucks. Some have a thumbwheel for the inside (obvs!) Which saves us having to find the key for locking up at night but makes it easier for a burglar to get out with your video recorder.

Or am I being too paranoid?

[kempiejon]

Some have a thumbwheel for the inside (obvs!) Which saves us having to find the key for locking up at night but makes it easier for a burglar to get out with your video recorder.

I prefer a thumbwheel. You won't need to struggle in a panic finding the key when looking to make an emergency exit. If you leave the key in the inside lock you can't use the key from the outside to unlock the door. These factors are not necessarily a problem for some but we use out back door as a 2ndary entrance/exit rather than just a route to the back garden.

[UncleEbenezer]

Trouble with a forum like this is that you never know when you're teaching granny to suck eggs ...

I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

It's the bits you can't see that are likely to be seized up.

I've fixed locks from that kind of situation a few times by applying oil liberally not to the lock but to the key. Then push the key in and out a few times, turn it backward and forward as soon as it'll move, and you've lubricated the bits that matter most. With a bad case, repeat until it's consistently smooth.

[Tedx]

Trouble with a forum like this is that you never know when you're teaching granny to suck eggs ...

I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

It's the bits you can't see that are likely to be seized up.

I've fixed locks from that kind of situation a few times by applying oil liberally not to the lock but to the key. Then push the key in and out a few times, turn it backward and forward as soon as it'll move, and you've lubricated the bits that matter most. With a bad case, repeat until it's consistently smooth.

All input is welcome.

I think what is mildly alarming is that it was fine yesterday, a wee bit stiff when I left the house this morning and un-turnable without potentially breaking the key.

So I have ordered an Amazon Prime best seller as a temporary replacement. I will then take out the old lock and let it sit thoroughly lubed up for a few days and try again. If it works I'll keep the amazon as a spare.

[Urbandreamer]

Trouble with a forum like this is that you never know when you're teaching granny to suck eggs ...

I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

It's the bits you can't see that are likely to be seized up.

I've fixed locks from that kind of situation a few times by applying oil liberally not to the lock but to the key. Then push the key in and out a few times, turn it backward and forward as soon as it'll move, and you've lubricated the bits that matter most. With a bad case, repeat until it's consistently smooth.

Indeed. Obviously the outside is... outside, hence subject to rain. Locks are usually made of material not prone to oxidation or corrosion, but it can happen.
Back before electronic car locks I use to regularly fill the key slot with spray oil during winter. I never had a "frozen" lock, unlike others.

In this case I do recommend changing the lock, as it's fairly cheap to do.

However were it me, I'd then work at disassembling the lock to find out how it had failed. Ie drill out the lugs retaining the springs operating the pins and check the pins. Remove C clip that retains the cylinder that the key is inserted into.

Oh, if anyone is interested you can buy transparent versions to play with from Amazon, or specialist suppliers like this,
https://uklockpickers.co.uk/transparent ... inder.html

[rabbit]

Not long back home to find that my back door key will turn / unlock-lock from the inside but not from outside.

The key goes all the way in front both sides and works perfectly from the inside. It wont turn from the outside. I've tried different keys.

It's a 4 or 5 year old UPVC door with 5 point locking. I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

Google suggests the lock may be goosed?

Are you enjoying the unseasonably hot English weather at the moment? If so, it could be a case of the door just warping ever so slightly in the heat. My back door does this. The lock works perfectly as a rule but, right now with direct, blazing sunshine in the mid 20s on the door, it gets stiffer. The movement is tiny but it's enough to stiffen the lock. Thankfully it hasn't stuck completely, and I find that pulling the door towards its frame as I turn the key releases the tension sufficiently to enable it to work okay. No doubt a locksmith could adjust the lock to deal with this.

[Mike4]

Thanks chaps.

I followed the video and had the lock out for inspection in seconds.

Measuring up as per the video, it seems I need a 95mm 55mm / 40mm replacement.

Screwfix and Amazon seem to do replacements for not much bucks. Some have a thumbwheel for the inside (obvs!) Which saves us having to find the key for locking up at night but makes it easier for a burglar to get out with your video recorder.

Or am I being too paranoid?

I too agree with the line of thinking that just because burglars find it far easy to get in empty-handed, why make it equally easy for them to get out carrying your bulky and expensive possessions?

Lock all the external doors from the inside and hide the keys basically, when you go to bed. Make sure family knows where the keys are. Lock outside doors with Chubb locks when you go out so any scrotes getting in through say a window, have to get out the same way.

There are probably more and better ideas than these, but you get the thinking.

[Mike4]

Not long back home to find that my back door key will turn / unlock-lock from the inside but not from outside.

The key goes all the way in front both sides and works perfectly from the inside. It wont turn from the outside. I've tried different keys.

It's a 4 or 5 year old UPVC door with 5 point locking. I've just applied lube to all the bits I can see with no success.

Google suggests the lock may be goosed?

With my lock-sport hat on, I'd suggest given the same fault exists with multiple keys, the likely fault is the depth of penetration by the key into the lock. Try putting the key fully in then pulling it out again by a tiny fraction of an inch. Now try turning it. Experiment by pulling the key back out by differing tiny amounts.

If the above doesn't work, try filing down the shoulder stops on one key so it goes in slightly more.

If all this fails, watch some 'lock sport' videos! Euro locks are generally easy to crack.

[jfgw]

Bear in mind what I said about lock snapping, and the availability of anti-snap cylinders.

Spot the obvious error in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKCgsuFpciw


Julian F. G. W.

[chas49]

Bear in mind what I said about lock snapping, and the availability of anti-snap cylinders.

Spot the obvious error in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKCgsuFpciw


Julian F. G. W.

Go on then - what is it?

[jfgw]

Bear in mind what I said about lock snapping, and the availability of anti-snap cylinders.

Spot the obvious error in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKCgsuFpciw


Julian F. G. W.

Go on then - what is it?

It's in the first 16 seconds. He breaks the handle, snaps the cylinder, then opens the door without unlocking it.


Julian F. G. W.

[bungeejumper]

So I have ordered an Amazon Prime best seller as a temporary replacement. I will then take out the old lock and let it sit thoroughly lubed up for a few days and try again. If it works I'll keep the amazon as a spare.

I'd agree that the lube soak approach is worth a try. I'm guessing that the tumblers on the outer side of the lock have got grit in them. Well, it's either that or you've been superglued.

If that doesn't work, we've had no probs with the Assa Abloy (aka Union) euro lock that we installed in a commercial premises about five years back. The thick end of £100, but it's taken all kinds of punishment without complaint.

BJ

[Tedx]

So I have ordered an Amazon Prime best seller as a temporary replacement. I will then take out the old lock and let it sit thoroughly lubed up for a few days and try again. If it works I'll keep the amazon as a spare.

I'd agree that the lube soak approach is worth a try. I'm guessing that the tumblers on the outer side of the lock have got grit in them. Well, it's either that or you've been superglued.

BJ

I did think I'd been superglued for a second...but then I remembered it was 'stiff' to turn when I left the house - so something was probably amiss then. And they'd probably find it easier/safer to superglue the front door rather than coming around to the back.

[staffordian]

Lock all the external doors from the inside and hide the keys basically, when you go to bed. Make sure family knows where the keys are. Lock outside doors with Chubb locks when you go out so any scrotes getting in through say a window, have to get out the same way.

I used to think that but now think a thumbwheel is the way to go. As I see it, if a fire breaks out on the night, we're half asleep and can barely see our hands in front of our face for smoke, I don't want to have to hunt for a key then try to insert it into the lock before escaping.

Our lives trump our (insured) possessions.

[raybarrow]

I'm sure you've tried the obvious 'spare key'. Our back door yale type lock recently became very difficult to open. We have a spare unused key hidden away in the garage for emergencies if front door fails. It worked perfectly. We got another key cut from it and all is well. £4 instead of a new lock, fitting etc. The 'problem' key must just have been worn out, it's been used for years access to garden and the garage.
Cheers,
Ray.

[Tedx]

Yeah, we have 3 keys for that lock and none of them worked.

So the replacement is in (10 seconds job - thanks again) and the old one is in the shed sitting in oil. I might give it a blast of compressed air in a day or 2.