Help - Bad decision leads to picks stuck in strangers door

[Matt-the-rat]

This is a question, honestly. I was at a bbq the other day and was reading my book on lock picking by steve hampton. Then one of my friends who was in the SAS came over and said, "Go on then, show me how to lock pick". So I grabbed a cheap padlock hoping this would be easy for him, and gave him my picks. I gave him some basic instructions, hoping he would give up and I would end up saying that it is difficult or something to get me out of having to show everyone at the bbq how it is done. Then he ran of around the house with my picks. I followed him round and in the few seconds it took for me to get to him, i see him ramming my picks into someones front door. I ran over and said you cannt do this as it is illegal. He carryed on and eventually he stopped and said "oops".


I was then faced with the problem that he got one of my picks and the tension wrench stuck in the keyway of someones front door! I yanked on the pick and managed to get it out. I then had to prise and pull the wrench out.

Is there anyway of getting the tension wrench out of a keyway easily when it gets stuck?
P.S.
I have now learnt not to give people my picks unless I can really trust them, and are going to take the time and show them how to do it properly.

edited by Schuyler - I hope I've helped with the topic title issue. I believe it's pretty straight forward now. I wish you the best of luck, but you should have removed him from the door by force if you had to and at the very least I hope this fellow isn't a friend any longer

[freakparade3]

I have never had a tension wrench get stuck but my suggestion would be to grab it with pliers as close to the keyay as possible and pull straight back. Try not to grab right where the bend in the wrench is, this will be the weakest point. I few people I know would like to learn to pick but I have reason to question their motives so I don't show them anything or let them know I have picks with me.

[UWSDWF]

excellent thread title... I'm sure Shrub will be enthralled by it

[Matt-the-rat]

OOOOppps, will he be annoyed? (Like annoyed?? Or just )

[Kaotik]

I have never encounterd this typ of problem either. Though I would sudgest the same about using pliers (prefferably needle-nosed).

In addition to pliers maybe try using something like an awl to help gently pry the tool out. Careful not to do any further damage though.

[Matt-the-rat]

An awl??? Is that what we brits call a Bradawl?

[horsefeathers]

Enjoy yourself on here while you still can Matt.........I can see your future!

[Matt-the-rat]

What do you mean?

[cjames73]

An awl??? Is that what we brits call a Bradawl?

yes, a bradawl. use it to stick in your 'friend' next time he messes near someone elses locks!

[freakparade3]

Enjoy yourself on here while you still can Matt.........I can see your future!

Come on guys. Matt and I have talked through PM's, we have worked out any differences we may have had, I enlist you to do the same. He's a good guy, he's here to learn like all of us. Can't we be nice?

[Matt-the-rat]

Yeah, i think i had enough. I had PM about how long this was how much drivel was in it. But if i had just spouted the question "How do i get a stuck tension wrench out of a lock", people would ask and want to know why. So i decide to tell the readers a bit more, then pose the question, but still i am then critised about how long it is. Okay the title was a bit out of hand.

[JackNco]

"My friend has this rash, its not me its a friend honest"

uh huh, ur friend from the SAS did this....

[raimundo]

shrubs right about titles of course, hes also righteous, in the annoying way, but so what, you mean that you have yet to get this gear out of the door? thats hard to believe, they are right about pull straight out and don't unbend the tensor, as that can break it right off. if no pliers around, use a loop of coat hanger wire under the bend of the tensor, support the far end of the tensor to prevent unbending and pull straight out.
and your 'friend' I thought SAS would be more mature, the guys a dink. expect more uncool behavior and never tell him anything he can possibly use to screw up with. there are some people who are just like this. the only way you can get control is to lose them or if not that, don't confide anything to them or anyone who talks to them and isn't equally cautious with them.

[samfishers]

put some Jig-a-loo or WD-40

[TOWCH]

Wow.


He overtorqued the wrench and bound it in the wards of the keyway scarring up the wards in the process I'm sure. Start by removing the wrench by pulling straight out as suggested. Tap the plug or the wrench with some sort of small tapping device while pulling if it's really jammed in there. The pick should come out with ease. If it doesn't, Try gentle rocking and twisting while pulling straight out.