Superglue in lock

[Mememe]

Just got my hands on a Ruko Euro profile with a thumb turn. The keyway was filled with superglue by some urchin so the 1st 3 pins are solid and the cylinder doesn't budge (thumb turn works). Any ideas on what I can do to free-up the lock or do I have a useless paper weight on my hands?

[Shrub]

Soak it in acetate or somthing, you can get super glue remover and nail polish remover also works sometimes,

[Mememe]

thanks.

[twenty4/7]

Expanding foam gun cleaner works wonders on super glue. http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=A336145&ts=12258&id=12040

[Mememe]

Thanks 24/7 I'll give a go.

BTW: when I tried the acetone, I forget to have good ventilation The result was that I was very freed-up but the lock wasn't

Being a Euro lock with the chamber etc on the bottom, I suspect that the Superglue has also ran down the springs etc

[mrdan]

Thanks 24/7 I'll give a go.

BTW: when I tried the acetone, I forget to have good ventilation The result was that I was very freed-up but the lock wasn't

Being a Euro lock with the chamber etc on the bottom, I suspect that the Superglue has also ran down the springs etc

I like the mythbusters approach to cleaning from the cleaning the cement truck episode. let's say about 10 pounds or so of high explosives aught to free those pins right up!

[mrdan]

Dag'um !! Ought not aught.

[Tattoo Guy]

You could also try heating the lock gently with a blowtorch to get rid of the glue.

[Shrub]

Dont do that,

The heat could damage the springs but more importantly superglue when heated gives off cyanide gas or somthing equally harmful,

[Squelchtone]

Our in house maintenance dept. got an interesting call today. A student poured super glue into a Faculty member's apartment knob set. The knob is a Orbit style Schlage and there is also a paper spit ball shoved into the keyway with super glue on top.

Knowing I'm into locks, I was given the entire lock (score!) while they installed a new one.

Anyone have any updated super glue removal tips since this post was first written? I heard Acetone, which is the one I'm leaning towards, but it will probably eat away the nice brushed brass look on the knob. I can't depress the knob release, since I cannot turn the key.

Thanks for your help!

Squelchtone

[UWSDWF]

varsol or gasoline or anything else you'd not want to dip your hand in

[Biaxial Ranger]

Use a torch to heat the key (make copies first), insert into lock, repeat as needed until lock and then you'll still be able to take the lock, or cylinder in to a lockshop for disassembly and cleaning for reuse.

[Biaxial Ranger]

Use a torch to heat the key (make copies first), insert into lock, repeat as needed until unlocked and then you'll still be able to take the lock, or cylinder in to a lockshop for disassembly and cleaning for reuse.

[Squelchtone]

Use a torch to heat the key (make copies first), insert into lock, repeat as needed until unlocked and then you'll still be able to take the lock, or cylinder in to a lockshop for disassembly and cleaning for reuse.

a lockshop? you mean down the hall to my office where the 3 LAB pinning kits are?

meh... I took a 1/16 inch drill and drilled out the glue, but the pins 1 thru 3 are solid with glue. F-it.. I'm gonna drill the shear line so I can remove the knob, and then fit another Schlage compressible cylinder in the knob assembly. and will someone add Schlage to the BBphp dictionary, it claims to be misspelled.

man am I cranky today.
Squelchtone

[jhl]

Heat's not a great idea. Though the gases from hot superglue can be used to show up fingerprints on surfaces!

While acetone sorta works, apparently methylene chloride is the real deal for removing superglue. Find a paint stripper that's (nearly) pure MC. Careful though, toxic. And will probably trash any stuck-on surface finish...