Picking a desk lock

David WE Roberts · 2019-11-09T18:44:10+00:00

I bought a two drawer wooden filing cabinet (well, one filing drawer and one shallow drawer) on Gumtree. No key, but checked it out and all looked good.Now we have lugged it up to the office it won't open.It seems to be locked.I assume the mechanism may have shifted during transit.Does anyone know how easy these office furniture locks are to pick?I could always drill it out, I suppose, but it would be nicer just to be able to undo it.The furniture is labelled "Project" and the key number is 125 and (we think) 78 on top. Could possibly be 7R?Bloody typical!CheersDave R

Nov 09, 2019 Last reply: 6 years ago 21 Replies

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Bob Eager 6 years ago

Or just tip it up and move the locking bar back to where it was.

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Alan J. Wylie 6 years ago

I've had a metal "Bisley" filing cabinet for 30+ years. After a recent house move the drawers were stuck closed. Wiggling a steel rule down the side of one of the drawers released the stuck locking bar.

I've just discovered what was causing the problem. I'd placed some magnets recovered from old hard disk drives on the side of the cabinet, and they were preventing the bar from sliding!

Anyway, coffee break is over, must get back to restoring the old bathroom door.

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