Can I saw a lock off from the outside with a saws-all (or is there a better way)?

Unless it is a very strange house, closet doors open outward and have hinges with the hinge pins on the outside of the closet. Remove the hinge pins and pull the door off, then you can replace the lockset or disable the locking mechanism.

Are we talking a padlock, knob lock (as soon as I typed that, I was immediately trying to think of a multilingual pun involving garlic, but I digress) deadbolt or other?

If a padlock, the easiest ways to get it off are bolt cutters and/or an abrasive cutoff wheel.

If a knob lock, unless it is a very high quality one, you can probably just kick the knob off.

Deadbolt... not sure?

I'm assuming from your post that it is a knob lock... can you jimmy it with a credit card or other stiff yet flexible piece of plastic? You shouldn't be able to if the thing was installed correctly, but half the time they're not and that will pop the door for you.

nate

We got locked out of a rented condo last summer - at midnight. The deadbolt worked but the knob lock wouldn't.

The locksmith drilled through the keyhole then used a pair of pliers to unceremoniously rip the innards out of the lock until he could grab the latch bolt and pull it towards the hinge side to open the door.

$182 later the condo had a new knob, keyed to the original.

Of course, first I had to convince the guy that all the proof I had that I was actually renting the condo was locked *inside* and that I would show it to him as soon as he opened the door. One locksmith company refused to come out unless I could proof to them - beforehand

- that I was allowed inside.

Interesting. The house was built in the 1950s and then remodeled before I bought it and one room was converted into a funny shaped walk in closet.

This closet is the size of a small bedroom. The door opens inward (into the closet). You push to door, to get in.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear. It looks like a normal outdoor "knob" style lock. It has a keyhole on the outside and the hand-turned lock mechanism on the inside.

It's not a padlock.

Are you sure of that? I would think hitting it with brute force would destroy the flimsy hollow inside door (which is in pretty bad shape anyway, so one of my options is just to cut a huge hole in the center of the door!).

Wow. You're really thinking. It was my bad for not being specific. No, it's not a deadbolt. Just a normal outdoor knob lock.

I haven't yet removed the molding. I'm examining my options which is why I ask you guys for ideas. I am going to throw away the lock, so that's why I thought of cutting it off with my saws-all - but others ideas may be better.

Thanks Nate for the ideas!

OMG! That's a GREAT idea! Even easier than the saws-all!

I don't care about the lock (I will replace it anyway because it's too much trouble having a lock on this particular door) but that's a GREAT IDEA!

Much better than a saws-all. I wonder what size. My biggest drill bit is probably a 3/8" (for my 3/8" drill chuck) ... do you think that's large enough?

Note: I have wood bits (that flat type) that are larger but I don't think they will work.

when i had a door that i needed to open, the locksmith just took a large pipe wrench and twisted it off, then reached in and pulled the latch manually.

Nope, you need a split point drill for metal. a little lube (whatever you have, anything oily) will help it stay cool and drill better.

nate

How about making a bump key for it?

The drill is a better choice than the sawsall. A 3/8 bit is big enough. But use a small flat bar or screwdriver and try to jimmy the door first. The worst damage this will do is scratch the paint on the jamb. I never meet a knob lock I could not open in 3 minutes or less and you don't even have the weather stripping to contend with.

Let us know how it turns out.

Colbyt

Google, Lock Bumping

Hell Toupee wrote in news:ietqoh$b3q$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:

wikipedia also has explicit details on bump keys. :-(

I'd drill out the lock cylinder. that's what our apartment maintenance men do.

Harold Lathom wrote in news:ietkbo$nfu$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:

use a stiff but flexible piece of plastic(one cut from a a laundry detergent bottle works good) to push in the latchbolt,as it's sprung to push in when closing. you push in and pull out on the doorknob while pushing in the plastic at the bolt. eventually,the bolt slides back into the door and the plastic covers the hole in the striker plate,allowing the door to open.

Cut it off with an angle grinder. Go after the screws that hold it together. Once those are cut, you can push the back lock off. Or just cut it pieces until it can be turned. Destruction can be done creatively.

If it isn't a deadbolt, you may try sliding something under the bolt.

Jeff

so,

"We"?

It's all out there whether "we" mention it or not.

I'd be willing to bet that teenagers, sex offenders, burglars and kids are not browsing a.h.r. looking for ways to break into houses or will suddenly decide to simply because they stumbled upon the idea while reading a thread about using a "saws-all" (sic) to cut off a door knob.

In fact, I'd be willing to bet that 2 out of those 4 groups aren't even reading a.h.r.

I'll leave to you to figure out which 2 might be.

BTDT, but with ViseGrips. If the knob was fancy enough to have the rotating outer sleeve on the skinny part, I'd just start grabbing chunks out of the knob itself. and peel it. I'd rather buy a new lockset than trash the door or frame, if making entry wasn't urgent.

Note well that on a 1950s house, you may run into issues with setback and striker hole diameter, so if you destroy the lockset to get in, you are likely looking at some chisel and/or dutchman work. Or do like my office greenshirts do- bondo shut the old holes, and start over six inches down. (But they were converting old standard skeleton-key high- mounted oval doorknobs to modern ADA-height lever locksets.)

(and yes, the old locksets magically vanished, but not with me.)

Back when people used to call me for situations like this on a regular basis (Hey! I know somebody with tools!),I used to carry 24" bolt cutters and a 30" crowbar in the car. I thought about buying one of those fancy multipurpose tools firemen have (that look like an ice axe), but decided all of the above looked too much like burglar tools to keep in the car. But an old canvas bag of carpenter tools, including an engineer hammer and Stanley Wonder Bar, you can carry into church and not raise an eyebrow.

-- aem sends, on Google for another week or so....

I was almost ready for that!

First I tired the suggested bump key but I couldn't figure out why the guy pulled it out one click and my bump key hung up every time. It didn't work for me.

Then, I tried to figure out the channel lock idea - but all I ended up doing was scratching the handle of the lock (which didn't matter because I'll replace it anyway). But I don't see how twisting the handle will do anything.

Then, I drilled out the center twisting piece (do you call that the cylinder core?) - and that finally worked. It took a series of drill bits, but then these mangled pins just fell out. And the lock turned with pliers on a chisel that I jammed into the huge hole left by the drill bit.

That was a great idea!

Much better than the saws-all!

Thanks for all your help!

A burglar wants fast in and quick out, think kick door etc, not drilling out locks.

more likely to break glass and go.......

I doubt any burglar type hang out here looking for advice, they just take a buddy along to show them the ropes

Are there any windows in that room??? Jerry