Picking a 1920s Mausoleum Lock

[Gorgo]

I'm working with a Cemetery's management to open a 1920s mausoleum so cleaning and maintenance can be performed. The key has been lost for many years. We were able to take pictures of the lock from the inside since earlier vandalism had broken part of a stain glass window. The rim lock is brass and measures about 3.75 by 3.75 inches on a side. The center of the Keyhole is about 2.2" from the edge of the door and about 1.125 inches above the bottom of the lock. The lock bolt is about 1.25 inches high and starts just above the keyhole top edge. The lock is about 0.5 inches thick.

From the outside. the nose of the lock is beveled and protrudes 0.125 inches (perpendicular to the door for 0.0625 inches and then beveled. The outside diameter of the nose is 0.75 inches and the inside diameter is 0.5 inches.The keyhole width is in the range of 1.3 to 1.5 mm. The barrel of the lock appears to be recessed by about 0.25 inches from the outer edge of the nose. The bronze door jam seems about 1.5 inches thick. We believe the lock mechanism involves levers.

The locksmith we tried was unable to pick the lock. We found a web posting by steveslockout.com that stated he had opened a similar lock by drilling a hole in just the right spot and then picking the levers. We would like to open the lock without drilling. Can anyone suggest the best tools? One posting suggested using two L shaped wires with a loop at the end for manipulation.

[Squelchtone]

I'm working with a Cemetery's management to open a 1920s mausoleum so cleaning and maintenance can be performed. The key has been lost for many years. We were able to take pictures of the lock from the inside since earlier vandalism had broken part of a stain glass window. The rim lock is brass and measures about 3.75 by 3.75 inches on a side. The center of the Keyhole is about 2.2" from the edge of the door and about 1.125 inches above the bottom of the lock. The lock bolt is about 1.25 inches high and starts just above the keyhole top edge. The lock is about 0.5 inches thick.

From the outside. the nose of the lock is beveled and protrudes 0.125 inches (perpendicular to the door for 0.0625 inches and then beveled. The outside diameter of the nose is 0.75 inches and the inside diameter is 0.5 inches.The keyhole width is in the range of 1.3 to 1.5 mm. The barrel of the lock appears to be recessed by about 0.25 inches from the outer edge of the nose. The bronze door jam seems about 1.5 inches thick. We believe the lock mechanism involves levers.

The locksmith we tried was unable to pick the lock. We found a web posting by steveslockout.com that stated he had opened a similar lock by drilling a hole in just the right spot and then picking the levers. We would like to open the lock without drilling. Can anyone suggest the best tools? One posting suggested using two L shaped wires with a loop at the end for manipulation.

If you are a total beginner, this is not the time to learn how to pick lever locks, it is not an easy task and one has to have an intimate understanding of the various internal parts and how they work in concert.

Aside from all these measurements you posted, a photo or two would do so much more. Please take one and upload it to http://tinypic.com/ and Copy/Paste the link here of the whole door, a close up of the key hole, and a photo of the inside of the door as taken from the broken window. This will be most helpful in us giving you any sort of reliable advice.

I honestly recommend you find another local locksmith shop or a trusted mobile service (too many fly by night cowboys say they're locksmiths and run their 'shop' from the trunk of the '85 Buick) so make sure to get a real local locksmith to show up. Do not call first locksmith you see in the phone book , make sure you are dealing with a real locksmith who either owns a shop you can visit, or has a fully equipped van and runs a mobile lockout service.

Being an old lever lock, if you are in the USA, that's a bit of a rare thing these days, so locksmiths may not have the wires/tools needed, but if you are in the UK most locksmiths will have the tools needed to open them.

Squelchtone

[Evan]

@Gorgo:

If you have access through a broken window pane to take pictures of the lock through the door than the solution to entry should be clearly apparent to any locksmith who knows rim locks...

That is all I will say in the open forum...

~~ Evan

[beancurd]

ould there be the possibilitý it's a warded lock rather than a lever lock? The only reason I àm suggesting this is because its old and isn't guarding anything of value. Plus it sounds like its open to the elements.
It could be why the locksmith couldn't pick it... He was feeling for levers

[ARF-GEF]

Hi beancurd. Sorry to hijack the topic, I just wanted to tell you that I really like your name!
Every time I look at it I think a T instead of a the C and since I'm a visauly guy I have to chuckle
I know childish, but still
So cool name,thanks for it, it have me a real good laugh the first time I read it


Ok so that I do not anger poor Squelchie too much, here, I contribute too:

ould there be the possibilitý it's a warded lock rather than a lever lock? The only reason I àm suggesting this is because its old and isn't guarding anything of value. Plus it sounds like its open to the elements.

I think that is very much likely. In fact it's not hard to confuse some of those 2 kinds if you are not an expert At lest I still get a bit confused when I just look at a key:)

And yes a photo would be greatly helpful

[MrWizard]

beancurd

Very interested in seeing what this lock on the Mausoleum looks like so please upload a picture. I know what would be perfect type for it to have on the door......ready.....your gonna like this ARF-GEF

A Skeleton Key lock!

Sorry Squelch I couldn't resist that hahaha

Richard

[ARF-GEF]

[GWiens2001]

beancurd

Very interested in seeing what this lock on the Mausoleum looks like so please upload a picture. I know what would be perfect type for it to have on the door......ready.....your gonna like this ARF-GEF

A Skeleton Key lock!

Sorry Squelch I couldn't resist that hahaha

Richard

Give that man a c-gar.

However, the OP is Gorgo, not beancurd. Gorgo - please upload a picture!

[MrWizard]

Thanks Gordon yes my mistake sorry the OP is Gorgo. I guess beancurd got lodged in my mind thanks ARF-GEF.

[Squelchtone]

The OP has emailed me some hi-res photos of the door from the inside and outside, I will be uploading them today and then we can figure out best way of opening these doors.

Squelchtone

PS. The lock by the way is a single nose S&G lever lock from the late 1800's to early 1900's.

I believe the key probably looked something like this: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Locksmithing ... lt-Key.htm

Here is another S&G mausoleum key: (OP emailed this image with suggestion of making one from a hacksaw blade to see if possibly gets lucky and key cuts are correct/close enough to work)

[MacGyver101]

Here is another S&G mausoleum key:

Interesting that both of those keys look to be cut to be usable from either side of the door... I'm surprised that the residents of a mausoleum would have a great deal of need for that.

[phrygianradar]

I know I wouldn't want to be locked up in a mausoleum (unless I were dead, then I would be honored)! Maybe they left one inside hanging on a hook, just in case...

[Evan]

I know I wouldn't want to be locked up in a mausoleum (unless I were dead, then I would be honored)! Maybe they left one inside hanging on a hook, just in case...

It's security to prevent a zombie apocalypse -- if all the dead were locked in mausoleums then no one would have to worry about being eaten by zombies...

LOL...

I can just see the emergency key hanging inside a little cabinet: "Emergency Key, if you were buried in error and are still alive break glass and use key to exit with our apologies..."

~~ Evan

[ARF-GEF]

@Evan:
In the Victorian age people were so afraid of being buried alive that they often buried the people with a rope in hand. That rope would then connect to a bell above the ground.
So if you were buried alive you just start pulling that rope in your hand vehemently so people hear the bell ringing and they would dig you out.

The only creepy thing is: what if the wind blew the rings....

In the very same period other people were equally afraid of the dead coming back. So the put the whole grave into an iron cage...

I guess it depended if you wanted the deceased to come back into your life or not

[MrWizard]

@Evan:
In the Victorian age people were so afraid of being buried alive that they often buried the people with a rope in hand. That rope would then connect to a bell above the ground.
So if you were buried alive you just start pulling that rope in your hand vehemently so people hear the bell ringing and they would dig you out.

The only creepy thing is: what if the wind blew the rings....

In the very same period other people were equally afraid of the dead coming back. So the put the whole grave into an iron cage...

I guess it depended if you wanted the deceased to come back into your life or not

Yes this true.... and where the phrase "he is a dead ringer" came from.

Richard