I used my front door key to open a parcel last night, shoved said key in the front door lock (euro type) this morning and it didn't feel right. Withdrew it and noted it was somewhat laminated in sello/parcel tape, cleaned it off but there is obviously some in the lock as the key won't turn.
Hopefully someone will come up with a stroke of genius before I set about 'fixing' it.
Although not normally recommended, can you spray WD40 into the lock and work it with the key? That might soften the gum and dislodge it.
Next level would be brake cleaner (Halfords should have) - very powerful solvents and may damage your paintwork or uPVC so don't spray it everywhere.
After that, if it clears it enough to open, I'd be inclined to take the lock barrel out, and give it a good blast through with brake cleaner from all angles which should clear all the gunk out.
Oh and next time, use your work key for opening parcels!
I'm a lover of the citrus smelling label removers. Seem to work on most of this sort of self adhesives without damaging anything else.
Got a few aerosols of it in Lidl - almost gone, if Lidl reads this. ;-)
I have a metal (credit card sized and shaped) multi tool in my wallet that has an edge just exactly for this purpose. No works key for me.
+1, they free up the gum but unfortunately won't soften the substrate, which is what I suspect is causing the problem. Agree with other advice too.
Being it's a Eurolock and generally removable with one screw, could the OP remove it (assuming it would be ok to leave the door insecure during the process [1]) soak it in something like petrol or acetone, flush / blow it out and re-lube with graphite lock-lube?
Cheers, T i m
[1] I keep a spare Euro lock just in case one of us loses our front door key and need to ensure the door is still secure (till it's found etc).
BEWARE This is a trick used by burglars to gain entry. They put a sticky stuff in the cylinder so that the pins do not drop to locked position when your key is withdrawn. The lock can then be opened without a key as the pins remain aligned for opening. So the burglar comes back later and gets in easily.
Study a lock and you would find this would not work, as you remove the key pins all move out of unlock position and if they stayed up it would still be locked. so whoever told you this was telling porkies.
Of course that can only be done once it's unlocked. Otherwise the tongue is in the wrong position to come out. I'd consider the barrel a writeoff.
NT
Silicone spray is less messy.
Which I believe is the OPs situation.
Quite.
With it out and soaked in a (plastic) solvent and then dried and properly (graphite) lubricated I don't see any issues. It's only 'mechanical stuff' after all?
Cheers, T i m
Not to replace a lost key it isn't. ;-)
The problem with spraying anything *into* the lock is where it leaks out (within the door frame) and if the debris stays in there and re-hardens when the solvent evaporates.
What you really need to do is dissolve the foreign body in a suitable solvent (easy to test outside the lock) and then ensure it is flushed out afterwards.
Not tried it myself mind but that's what I would try before buying a new lock or potentially making matters worse.
Cheers, T i m
Around £10 at Screwfix for a replacement cylinder .... :)
I do.
NT
+1
On 28/05/2016 15:24, Tim Watts wrote: ...
That is one of the many things a Swiss army knife is for.
Exactly. I have a small one on my key ring.
(and several others; even a SwissCard)
You have tried it? Did you do it 'properly'?
All I know is I have successfully cleared all sorts of cr*p from all sorts of things using the right solvent and flushing process. [1]
YMMV of course. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
[1] The one I didn't try (for several reasons) was the spare wheel carrier / lift mech from daughters Transit Connect van.It seemed to be seized solid and after I striped it down, most of the problem seemed to be the ally drum corroding and jamming the steel (possibly stainless) wire.
Now I know how it works (and assuming it hadn't already been damaged by being 'forced' by someone prior to her ownership) I would have removed the fitting from the vehicle and then soaked / worked it in something that would have dissolved the ally corrosion but not touched anything else (ally wheel cleaner possibly). I am pretty confident that given time it could have been recovered and certainly worth the
75 quid the replacement cost her.
Or a Leatherman PST II that I would think gets used for *something* at least once each and every day.
Most commonly used implements (in no particular order): Pozi screwdriver, pliers, blade, file, flat blade screwdrivers (all 3 sizes), rule, scissors and bottle opener. ;-)
It can even be used as a light hammer for tapping things in, on or off.
I thought I lost it for a while and daughter treated me (as a surprise, bless her) to a Leatherman Juice XE6 but whilst it covers all of the tools on the PST II, it's a bit bulkier and just not the same. ;-(
Luckily the PST II turned up a few days later in the back of the car and I was a happy chappy again. ;-)
Because I'm often doing 'stuff' I really use it all the time and feel lost / naked without it (as I wear it on everything except my PJ's). ;-)
Cheers, T i m
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