Tough (and possibly expensive) lesson...

[Eagerpicker]

Well, whooops...

I stayed over at a friend's house yesterday and when I wanted to leave in the morning, I found that on the way to work, she had locked me in. People being creatures of habit, and all. Naturally, I saw an opportunity to put my picking skills to use and before ringing her to ask where she kept a spare key, I tried to pick the lock. This was a Euro profile (double cylinder) lock, officially approved and deemed a 'safe' lock by the police. It took me less than three minutes, I kid you not, to open the lock.

Then I made a big mistake. In my triumphant exhilaration, I NEGLECTED TO TURN THE CYLINDER THE FULL 360 DEGREES. I simply took my bag and coat, went out and pulled the door shut behind me.

Later today I saw my friend and proudly told her how I had managed to get out. She was impressed. Then I get a text message on my mobile, saying 'My lock IS broken' (I had told her that lockpicking does not break or damage a lock) 'I cannot get into my house'. So she has called a locksmith and is waiting for the guy to come and probably convince her to buy a new lock.

So what do you reckon? Is it possible to somehow reach the far cylinder (the one on the inside of the door) and turn it full circle?

I have yet to hear from her and find out how it went, what the locksmith said. I offered to pay the bill -- it won't be cheap, getting a locksmith out in the evening, possibly having to install a new lock.....

(Too )Eagerpicker

[toomush2drink]

Why dont you go back and pick it open or pick open another of her locks to gain entry then you could sort it out ?

Hmmm I can see this topping the £100 mark.................Where do you live im available at the moment

[pinky]

the lock wont be broken, though a cowboy will tell her it is , at most the cam is out of position and the follower.
i would go over yourself and pick entry to another door, then easily sorted.

[Eagerpicker]

Toomush2drink:

Why dont you go back and pick it open or pick open another of her locks to gain entry then you could sort it out ?

I wish I could, but I just got home, which is about 3 hours by train from where she lives. Couldn't ask her to wait that long outside her own house. And, the lock in question is the one on her front door, which is the only entry to her home.

Anyway, I found out how to solve the puzzle: the trick, it seems, is to pick the outer cylinder (the one that still is in position) and turn it slightly. Then, using a pick or tension wrench, stick it in farther than a key can reach (this is not possible when the cylinder is in the locked position) and then turn it, thus making the cylinder connect to the black spacer that sits in between the two cylinder and that makes the deadbolt move. Turn, turn and that should open the door. Once inside you can simply use a tension wrench to turn the inner cylinder, now disconnected from the spacer (please correct my terminology), and Bob's your uncle.

As it happens, the locksmith came and tried to do the old creditcard trick on the deadbolt -- not surprisingly, to no avail. Then he drilled a small hole in the doorpost so he could use a thin metal stick to push the deadbolt back into the door. My friend (well, me, in fact) paid 60 euros (approximately 65 to 70 USD) and will have to fill the hole the guy drilled so other people won't be able to get in the same way.

How's that for a first-time experience with deadbolts in the field?

Eagerpicker