preventing locks being glued

[NKT]

So the answer is, heat up the face of the lock a bit, then heat up the key and hammer it into the lock!

Then you drill the lock out as normal.

Seriously, though. CA does "melt" many expanded plastics. It also melts thermosetting plastics, but it melts them on a chemical level. This is how you then glue them together. Once they cool off, and the solvent dries off, they are melted together. Lots of chemicals do this. Superglue remover, for instance, and Acetone.

Epoxy/bondo won't melt again once set, and light heat actually makes it stronger. Anyone who can't "inject" epoxy into a lock with the mixer tool is obviously dangerously stupid. You won't ever get it out, even with a warm solvent bath.

As for data on acetone, try http://www.jmloveridge.com/cosh/Acetone.pdf which mentions nothing about your liver/kidneys/spleen, but does mention you shouldn't drink it, nor bathe in it, nor wash your glass eyeball in it. If there was a real link, would it still be sold to remove nail varnish?

[7mazrik]

Acetone can disolve the super glue

[devildog]

If I wanted to be annoying I'd use superglue, but if you've really got me PO'd at you, then I'd mix up some J-B Weld ( !!!!) and jam it in the keyhole with a Qtip, penknife, stick, whatever, but with that stuff on there that lock will be DONE SIR, DONE!

[Tim_Z]

Kinda on topic.

Many years ago some dimwit put locktite in a lock keyway of my work lock. I mean the keyway was filled to the surface with blue locktite (threadlocker). Working for the City and having access to many different things, the first thing I tried was NAPA gasket remover (and rubber gloves). I seem to remember it only took about 20 minutes for me to have all the gunk out and relubed with whatever lubricant (LPS1 I think) I had at the time. All I used was the key and the gasket remover. This was way before my awakening to locks and locksmithingso I didn't have all the fancy gadgets or knowledge most of us now posess. It went really smoothly and was rather easy to restore.

Tim

[zinger]

Small blowtorch took care of locktite for me in about 5 minutes - 3 minutes to start smoking, then another two for it to stop. Very effective. Ended up icing down the lock afterwards, which probably wasn't that smart of me.

JB Weld - game over. I've seen engine block cracks "repaired" with that stuff.

[ldnlksmth]

all of this seems like a lot of extra work... quick and easy fix is to remove the lock and replace it. Save some labour for now and take the 'solidified' lock back to the shop (or basement or whatever) and clean it out properly. Last one I dealt with had to be completely disassembled to get all the remimants out of it. Replaced driver springs, all the pins (just to be safe and not cause any future binding) and (since it was a moritse lock) the cam, which had also succumb to the attack. In the end, it was just not worth the work.

[vector40]

How'd you get PAST the lock in the first place?

[NKT]

I've just come back from a nightmare job.

Superglue in the locks, on a roller shutter. Easy, thinks me.

I get there, have a look, and the lock is solid. The keyway is clear, though, so I heat up the first lock and a bit of wire and give it some.

Nothing. The lock is totally and utterly not moving. Not one little pin, nothing.

So I play about with it, and still nothing. I bend a wire, and a pick. I've sprayed it with pen. oil too, of course, and then I heat it again. Still nothing!

Ok, so I grab the drill - except it isn't there! Like a retard, I took it in for charging, and didn't remember to bring it out again! Argh!!!!

Quick phonecall, and it is on it's way. Meanwhile, I try the EPG, but that just bends the blade.

I feel I am getting a little movement, though, so I take the key (which has a 50% chance of being the right one) and hammer it into the lock. Still won't turn. Try the other key - you guessed it, it still won't turn!

Ok, so out with the drill. First security pin snaps the head off the bit! Change bits. Try again. I get through the pins, and I still can't turn the lock! Glue all around the plug. A bit of beating and turning, and out pops the plug.

So now I have a solid, fairly smooth lump of brass in front of me, and not a lot to grip. Well, nothing at all, in fact...

For my next trick, I pull the catch down, and manage to grab the bullet from behind, pushing back hard. I get a slight movement, and slowly work it out. Eventually, I get a grip from the front, and it comes out. Glue all under the bottom of the bullet, which had left it solid in the hole!

1 down...

The other side was exactly the same, so I dodged the security pin, hit the lock with a hammer before starting to drill, and got it out in 5 minutes flat.

2 down, and in! Thank god the ERA 5 lever behind the shutter wasn't touched, though...

Took just over an hour and a half - I was there so long the police actually arrived! Not bad - an hour response time from the city's main station, 350 yards away.

If the $%^&* who bunged up the locks gets caught (it would appear to be a hate campaign) they are going to have bigger problems than I did with that first lock!