broke my lock trying to pick it

[visormiser]

I've been messing with Masterlocks and other padlocks over the past few weeks, and I've gotten bored with most of them b/c I can pick them in under 2 seconds now.

So, like an idiot I thought I'd try picking the bolt lock for my front door. Bad idea! After 2 minutes of messing with it, I managed to do something wrong. The key now won't fit entirely into the keyhole now and I'm faced with having to replace the entire thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't have much time (less than 24 hours) to fix this problem or buy a whole new lock.

Tx in advance everyone. I am new to this forum but plan to be a regular member/contributor as I learn more stuff.

VM

[WhiteHat]

can you describe the orientation of the plug when it stopped working?

if
it rotated 180 degrees and then stopped,
then
possibly the drivers are preventing the rotation - the MIT guide has a section on drivers and master wafers falling into the keyway.

else
could you describe what happened just before it stopped working?
endif;

[visormiser]

the orientation of the plug was vertical - as in, exactly the way it would be if you were trying to open a locked door (with the flat side of the key on the bottom. I had the door open, with the the sliding bolt all the way out. I was merely trying to turn the plug 180 back the other way to get the bolt back into the lock.

so the problem is now the key won't fit. And I don't know what else happened. i tried like 4 different picks, but none worked. when I put the key back in, it would only go like 90 percent of the way.

[master in training]

sounds like the last pin isnt moving for some reason, so the key isnt going under it like it should, try taking a hook or 1/2 diamond, putting it right to the back of the lock and pressing up the last pin in the lock.

failing that, someone else will have to suggest something! other than call a locksmith or fit a new lock yourself, which is usually the best plan to be honest.

~ Master in Training ~

[visormiser]

tx master, yeah, I was hoping not to have to go to the hardware store and replace it and then have to tell my wife i totally hosed the lock. but it's increasingly looking like I will have to do just that.

for the record, I have successfully picked several padlocks, as well as my file cabinet. this was my first try on a door lock - it is a Titan Kwickset deadbolt.
can someone tell me whether that's a particularly fussy/difficult lock for a newbie to deal with?

[master in training]

i know kwikset's are reknowned for being easy to pick and not very good locks, but they dont have them in the UK, so i dont know if the titan is a better model than normal or not.

did you actually pick it or couldnt you get it?

[stick]

Titan is supposed to be Kwikset's higher quality line. It still sucks though, although on average, it's a little better than the standard kwikset. Sometimes.

[visormiser]

no, that's the worst part - i still haven't managed to pick it

[MrB]

You said the orientation of the plug *was* vertical, but how is it now? Is it jammed in one position or is it free to turn?

If you took the lock off the door, you could dismantle the cylinder and reassemble it in working order. It's a bit fiddly if you haven't done it before and you would need to allow a couple of hours figuring out how it comes apart (easy) and how it goes back together (harder). You would need a bit of half-inch dowel as a plug follower, and search for posts on diassembling or rekeying a pin tumbler cylinder. There is an infamous thread somewhere, where someone showed a spectacular inability to understand how to do it, but hopefully you would do better.

[master in training]

if it is a kwikset thats not brilliant, you should be able to rake it to open it quickly. got yourself a hook and go through each pin individually, checking its movemt, to make sure they all move how they should, then take a 1/2 diamond and rake it and it should open. if you find a pin doesnt move how it should, you will probably end up having to take out the lock and taking it apart, then putting a new lock on, but at least you get a new practise lock!

[hzatorsk]

Kwikset Titans (at least mine) have double stacked pins and allow are initially keyed to a builder key, later a control key allows some pins to fall into a chamber that is about 30 degress of center of the plug effectively rekeying it to lockout the builder keys.

Some cute tiny little pellets also came from the lock that may have originated between the pins in several positions. Three per pin-well if I counted correctly.

I have one of these apart and am trying to fully appreciate (understand) how I might rekey it back to a builders key if so desired.

The problem with this lock is there are lots of wafer thin pins than can actually turn vertical (like an uncooperative penny in a penny roll).

I'd rake the back pins vigorously and failing that... perhaps a moderate smack with block of wood on the face of the lock (to get it's attention).

Do not disassemble this lock unless you have a good week to screw with it as it don't go back together like it should.

Anyone having more insight to this lock... please, share some wisdom.

hz

[master in training]

knowing my luck, if i hit a lock with a piece of wood, i'd be picking up the bits of lock from all over the place on the other side of the door!

i like you're way of getting things attention though!
just remind me not to ignore you if you ask me a question...

[visormiser]

thanks everyone for the suggestions, especially you hzatorsk

btw, where in Va are you? I'm in Annandale, northern va. we should start a lock exchange

you know what? I went to homedepot and picked up a replacement lock. in the process of taking the broken one off the door, something fell out of the keyhole (i have search all over the floor but cannot find what it was, I just heard a little 'dink' as whatever it was hit the floor.) When I put the plug back into the door and tried the key in the keyway again, it fit right in and the lock works just like before now.

like a true idiot who doesn't learn his lesson, I'm back at trying to pick it 10 mins after getting it reinstalled!

i'm determined to pick this s.o.b ...so far I have tried using the curved pick, a diamond pick, and a rake. nothing works. i think i'll skip the woodsmack trick, as tempting as that is

I assume this lock has security pins of some sort?

keep the tips coming please!

[digital_blue]

You don't happen to be missing the end of one of your picks, do you?

db

[raimundo]

I don't know this particular lock, but reading haztorsk post, here is a possiblity, when you turn the lock 180 degrees with the key, the whole keyway is filled with key and nothing can drop into the lower edge of the keyway when it is turned up, but if you picked it and turned it 180 degrees, Thin wafer master pins can and will drop down into the area that would be filled by the lower edge of the key but is now open because you turned it 180 degrees without a key. use a light and a broken key remover to find this piece. The fact that the key will no longer go into the keyway, indicates that the keyway has some obstruction in it and that could be one of these. if you drag a small part out of the lock, it is possible that your key will now go fully into the lock, and if you are lucky you can still turn it as well, but that is not a given. If the key does turn, then your lucky and the lock will not need further work to replace the little part. What youre having is called a learning experience, don't get frustrated, try to understand the problem, and perhaps visit that other member who is in your state, bring the lock with, you will come out of this with a lot deeper knowlege of the whole subject of pin tumbler locks when its all over. That is not to say that it won't cost something, but hireing a locksmith will probably cheat you of the learning experience because he won't likely help you understand the problem and the solution.