Removing Locked Mortice Lock

[Rob]

With access from the inside, and about a 3mm view of the 'bolt' between the striking plate and the door, what's the best and least destructive way of removing this (lost key) external door lock?

Thanks, Rob

[Bill]

In message , Rob writes

Angle grinder..........

Seriously an angle grinder with the guard removed and a thin disc, maybe a shade suicidal but it works well. I removed a window rack bolt this way only a few weeks ago. If you have 3mm gap you should be able to get the disc in without damaging the door or frame.

I'm sure some one will come up with less dramatic methods though.

A slightly more sedate method would be to remove the hinge pins if you can and lift the door out that way,

Failing that a GOOD locksmith should be able to pick it for you in a couple of minutes.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Can you tap the hinge pins out? (assuming no hinge side deadbolts)

[fred]

In article , Bill writes

All good stuff but I don't think there is any reason to remove the guard, it should rotate when loosened and there should be plenty of depth with a new 115mm disc.

A thin (1.6mm) disc will certainly make it less of a drama, more clearance and less metal to cut out. Treat the striker plate as sacrificial and cut close to it, you'll get a free replacement with the new lock. If the bolt has (internal) hardened rollers, just keep going, they'll give in eventually.

IME, the hinge pins are usually masked by the cut into the door but the o/p may be lucky.

[Geo]

If you have any idea what the lock type, is a locksmith would probly use something like this and drill a single hole.

suspect that few (current) locksmiths would spend too much time picking a mortice lock - although the tools to do so are still available.

[chudford]

I suceeded in removing the hinge pins on my daughter's door but it still wasn't possible to get the door off with it locked.

I used the dreaded angle grinder in the end and fitted a new lock. This was far quicker than removing the hinge pins.

[The Medway Handyman]

I don't suppose many people have a clue about what make a lock is.

[The Medway Handyman]

SF do them as thin as 0.8mm

[Bill]

In message , fred writes

Fair enough, I was going on my recent experience, but that was in an awkward alcove of a shuttered window. Probably slightly safer not to as well :-)

[Archie]

When the mortice lock stuck in our office, I watched a joiner get in by banging in some wedges between the door and frame. There was enough give between them to spring the bolt past the striker plate.

[RobertL]

Have a locksmith pick it open? how many levers does it have?

Robert

[RobertL]

:

house was damaged while they were away. Somebody had drilled 8 holes near the lock. I now realise they must have been working their way through all the positions on a template like that.

Robert

[Andy Dingley]

Angle grinder!

Thinnest cutting disk you can get (Aldi's stainless steel ones are great for this) and go through the bolt, leaving the lock body unharmed. You can even swap the bolt afterwards to repair it and leave the keying unchanged.

If the bolt is just brass, not with hardened rollers, then a Fein Mutleymaster will do it too.

[Rob]

Many thanks all - plenty to go on. it's actually a mate's front door - been that way for over 10 years. I've volunteered to sort it out for him. He has no money so a locksmith's out, not sure of the levers or rollers. Hinge pins look very awkward - sort of recessed.

I had hoped for something less than an angle grinder but it seems it going that way. Scary things ;-)

Rob

[NT]

If the lock's a good one it'd be cheaper to cut the hinges, with the door out the lock can be removed and new keys cut for it.

NT

[Andy Dingley]

What's top price on a mortice lock, even the best?

Now a good auto-deadlocking rimlock is 50 quid plus, but I can't think of any reason to spend more than 20 on a 5 lever mortice

[Geo]

Agreed - but if it is the original door/lock the a bit of social engineering with the neighbours should find a similar type. If it is a simple 3 lever lock then these /might/ solve the opening problem:-

[Jon Fairbairn]

the packet is A4, could one reconstruct the template from the image accurately enough to be useful?

[Geo]

These are credit-card size and there is a short video at the bottom right of the page showing roughly what you achieve - you still have to use a crude pick to withdraw the bolt but the levers no longer stop the movement:-