Help, locked out of bedroom!

[Synumbra]

Dear Baord Members,

I've locked myself out of a room in my 1916 house, and was hoping to get advice on how to get back in, before I have to break down and call the locksmith. The lock is a flush mounted rim lock, and it worked both opening and closing the deadbolt with the key when the door was open, now that I've used the key to lock the closed door, it will not unlock, the key will not turn past a certain point. I wouldn't even consider myself a novice here, although I've repaired old brass and wooden movement clocks, and am somewhat mechanical, locks are uncharted territory. Also, I've read the FAQ's, on rules of etiquette, if this post violates either, please excuse my faux pas, it was unitntentional. I'd include pics, but received message stating the board attachment quota has been reached

[MBI]

If you have the key, and you know it's the correct key, lubricate the lock and try the key again.

If something is broken in there though, you might have to break down and make that phone call to a locksmith after all.

[Darkness1569]

Maybe the alignment is off between the door and the frame. Have you tried pushing the door in while turning the key, pulling the door out while turning the key, push down on the door while turning the key, or pull out on the door while turning the key?

Did it work before and you took the lock apart?

[catsoup]

Maybe the alignment is off between the door and the frame. Have you tried pushing the door in while turning the key, pulling the door out while turning the key, push down on the door while turning the key, or pull out on the door while turning the key?

Did it work before and you took the lock apart?

Definitely try this, it can require a good deal of force pushing or pulling.
One of the doors on my house is like this, you need to really put your weight into the door to unlock it.

Also, its a pretty easy fix once you have the door open, to make sure that it doesnt happen again.

[Squelchtone]

Dear Baord Members,

I've locked myself out of a room in my 1916 house, and was hoping to get advice on how to get back in, before I have to break down and call the locksmith. The lock is a flush mounted rim lock, and it worked both opening and closing the deadbolt with the key when the door was open, now that I've used the key to lock the closed door, it will not unlock, the key will not turn past a certain point. I wouldn't even consider myself a novice here, although I've repaired old brass and wooden movement clocks, and am somewhat mechanical, locks are uncharted territory. Also, I've read the FAQ's, on rules of etiquette, if this post violates either, please excuse my faux pas, it was unitntentional. I'd include pics, but received message stating the board attachment quota has been reached

After 8 years of user uploads the server is full, please use a free host site like tinypic.com and upload there and then paste the [IMG] link or URL:http here.

If that fails, you're sleeping on the couch tonight.

=)
Squelchtone

[Synumbra]

Thanks for the speedy replies,

Tried pushing and pulling while turning the key, and no have never taken on of these box locks apart, although when this is settled this one's getting cleaned and lubricated. If I hadn't been so dutiful about locking the bedroom windows, I would've solved this problem cat burglar style.

Do have a couple of doors that need re-keyed, so I'll try again tomorrow, and then it's time to support my local hard working locksmith.

Will get some pictures up, even if I solve this before hand. The lock is nothing special, sure it was the budget lock of the time, no maker's mark visible, and the key is what I've always heard referred to as a "Skeleton Key."

[lunchb0x]

Try lifting the door, I get a lot of them where the door has dropped a little and the latch is binding in the strike, get something like a screwdriver to lever it up while lifting the door, it could even be the opposite and binding on the top of the strike and need to pull down on the door to take the pressure off.

Another thing, what type of lock is it, here in Australia we have a Lockwood night latch with a lockable snib on the inside, if this locks the key on the outside will not work at all, you either need to damage the lock to get in or find another way.