Locked out of own house -- Update Success

[John Chapman]

Many thanks to all those who gave me useful tips and advice when my front door mortice lock got jammed in the locked position. I contacted a number of locksmiths one of whom advised me that it is possible to cut through the locking bolt even if it has steel rollers in it provided that you use an angle grinder and not a hacksaw.You also need a thin metal cutting blade. Duly purchased said thin blade from Screwfix only to find that my cheapo basic model angle grinder cannot hold tightly a very thin blade so had to use standard blade. Made a few trial cuts in door frame and door at site of locking bolt and then investigated with new rechargeable torch that gives 1 million candle power (excellent purchase ) which lit up the recesses of lock like daylight. This showed bolt not fully in keeper plate and was able to get screwdriver at end of bolt and force it back enough to open door. Just a bit of making good to do as I fit new Chubb 5 lever. Many thanks. Hope there is something in the above which will help someone else. John Chapman

[rob]

couldnt stand the suspense of waiting for screwfix to deliver a grinding disc to get started. can honestly say that in 17 years, I have never taken a grinder to a door yet. One good thing has come of it - no bill to pay, for craftsman to open door ! Well done for having a go, glad you got there in the end. rob owen

[BigWallop]

I think the locksmith meant you to cut the bolt out of the keeper by sliding the blade between the door and the frame. I think you picked him up wrong somewhere. When a lock has been bolted through and jams, the easiest way to get it open is by sliding a hacksaw blade between the door and the frame and cutting the bolt in half. You don't go cutting the door or the frame with an angle grinder.

[PoP]

A hacksaw blade isn't going to cut the mustard where there are hardened rollers in the bolt - as described by the OP.

As I read the OP's comment I think the plan was to put a thin blade between door and frame to cut out the bolt - but the angle grinder couldn't hold the blade firmly enough.

Faced with that situation another option is to put the angle grinder in thru the door, damaging the door as you go.

Perhaps I misread this though.

PoP

Sending email to my published email address isn't guaranteed to reach me.

[Michael McNeil]

That's how I suspect it too. A little packing would have held the blade. I'd err on the frame side as patching it with a bean tin or something would strengthen overall security.

[Ed Sirett]

The locking nut is reversible and you turn it over for to hold thin cutting discs. I think you'll find it just fine afterwards.

[Lurch]

Or you could buy a proper grinder and save all that bother. Not all locknuts are reversible, some wont centre the blade properly.

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

[John Stumbles]

Keep the next standard thickness blade that's worn down too much to be useful and wear it down even more to the metal disk in the middle on something (e.g. steel or iron if it's a masonry disk) and then you can use it as a washer to pack out the thin blade so you can grip it in the angle grinder. (Reverse the locking nut so it centres the disk/washer, as long as it still grips the blade.) You'll need the same trick to use a diamond disk.

Of course you can buy another angle grinder for next to nothing, but then you'll find you can keep one grinder for the diamond disk and t'other for the metal disk. :-)

John S