Aussie needs help with old-fashioned intra-house door lock

[faito anto]

Hi,
I live in Perth Western Australia.

I recently moved into my house - it's an old house from the 1960s i guess. One of the internal doors is locked and i don't have the key. It's one of those old-fashioned style keys/locks that were popular to put on interal doors back then. My grandparents' house has those same type of locks.

Anyway, i know nothing about lock-picking, but as fas as locks go, it looks like a RELATIVELY easy one.
Does anyone know the name for that type of lock?
If so, any advice (a website or something)?
I am more than happy to destroy the lock if necessary.

Alternatively,if you live in Perth (especially near Yokine area), may be you could come around and pick the thing, and have a frosty beer on me.

[sivlogkart]

Can you post a photo of the lock or key? At the moment I am guessing a lever lock.

[skold]

Can you post a photo of the lock or key? At the moment I am guessing a lever lock.

I'd say a 2 or 3 lever or its possible that its a warded lock..

Easy to pick with two "L" shaped wires..if you cant be stuffed searching give me a PM and i'll give you a step by step guide to opening it.

[faito anto]

I think it might be called a skeleton key (although i think that term can also be used in a different way). Trust me, it's the type of lock that I imagine most people on this forum could pick in their sleep.

I don't have a picture of the lock at the moment, but doing a net search, i believe it is called a skeleton key. I can't take a picture of the key coz either my house-mate or myself lost it must have lost it

Here is a picture of a key that i think (from my completely ignorant perspective) that looks a bit similar.



I have read that if i can find another key of this type, it might be able to open the lock, even if it isn't the correct key. Is that probable? I could may be check to see if my grandparents have a key like that, but I doubt they would have kept one.

[sivlogkart]

That is a lever lock.

[skold]

certainly is

[helix]

viewtopic.php?t=8627

Dude, take a look at this, if you are interested in picking.
PM me about the picking of your lock or msn me by clicking
the msn button in my profile or at the bottom of this post.

I'm normally up for a good pick

[vector40]

Cuts are at the same height; could it just be warded?

[Mad Mick]

Cuts are at the same height; could it just be warded?

Assuming the OP has the same lock as the key pictured, it looks like a simple lever lock to me. The cuts are at the same height, and symmetrical, so that the key can be used from both sides of the door. If the lock was warded, there could be cutouts on the leading/trailing edges of the key blade, intricate cutouts within the blade itself, or case wards along the flank.

Refer here:
viewtopic.php?t=7620

HTH.