Why are some people so %$^$ weird?

[digital_blue]

I'm not sure I understand what happened here. So why is it that the lock can't be picked in this position? Does that mean the key would not work then?

db

[vector40]

Seems like it completely kills the lock -- just deadens the mechanism.

[Chrispy]

It's called a nightlatch around these 'ere parts. It also stops the key from working.

[toomush2drink]

Normally its not a big problem if they have a letterbox as you can use a tool to lift it up again but in this case the type of letterbox prevented me doing this. It deadlocks the latch and stops the key working so when i was picking it and thinking it was caught on some spools it was actually picked but couldnt turn because of the snib.

[Chrispy]

I can remember one morning coming home from work at 6am and the nightlatch was on. Grrrrrr...

Had to climb the freakin' balcony and pick the screen door on the second floor.

[digital_blue]

So how does one end up on the outside of the door when this "snib" is in place (in efffect, working, in use, turned on, whatever...)?

db

[NKT]

In a perfect world, never!

However, in practise, a heavy door slamming will often jam the latch back and lock the door if the snib has been set to hold the bolt in the locked position, especially if the gap round the door is quite big. The other reason is that someone (like a burglar) has put the snib on to avoid being disturbed whilst robbing the house, or the owner has died or doesn't want you to get in, and is therefore still inside!

Of course, the way to avoid all this is to always use the snib to catch the bolt back when you don't want the door to lock shut.

(Just a heads up: Yale night latches are two part. The locking bit is in a hole in the door, facing the outside, and can be any brand, as long as it is the right size (32mm hole, cylinder type) whilst the inside part can be anything from a simple £3 latch right up to a set of boltwork on a cog system. They are connected via a bar cut to length, and the lock cylinder can spin infinitely without something on the back to stop it.)

[Shrub]

If the door isnt fitted right ie has a big gap down the side or if the frame isnt up to much the door can be slammed (hard) with the snib down and it will push past the keep, hey presto one locked door with a snib on,

Another reason is the afore-mentioed customer with a coat hanger which happens more often than you think

[toomush2drink]

Also they can be old and worn and just drop as the dor is slammed but you normally know this is the problem straight away as the customer has a key but it wont open the lock.As shrub says in this instance the customer caused the snib to drop by fishing through the letterbox trying to get in.

[Rick-the-Pick]

I've had a few of them. 3am Saturday morning, turn up and the customer's seem's worst for wear, intoxicated to the eye ball's.
They cant seem to open the door with their key's. I take the key's & open the lock.
Another call i got, said they lost their key's. i got them in, when emptying their pockets to pay me, their key's dropped out!

It will always happen, that's the nature of working with the direct public!

[Shrub]

I had one where the customer had 2 keys on a ring, she couldnt open the door, i took that key out and put the other in to open the door!!

I regulary get them where all the customer needed to do was pull the door towards them or push it away from them for the key to turn in a mortice lock!!

What do you charge for things like that? i know theve still called you out but i cant bring myself to charge full rate and usually say give me a fiver for fuel and go home, thats not afterhours though.

[toomush2drink]

They pay me full price im not running a charity im running a business.

[Chrispy]

They pay me full price im not running a charity im running a business.

[devildog]

Cantankerous old fart......

[NKT]

Hey, if you drag me across town because you are an idiot, you can pay for being an idiot.

Being stupid should hurt, then perhaps there would be fewer idiots!

Of course, if it's a little old lady, or a nice customer, they are going to get the full service for the usual low cost, whereas the old git might be told that the price is about to go up. This, truely, is one of the joys of being employed by ones' self!