Stiff Springs

[HHH]

I have an old pin tumbler lock that came off an old, exterior door. It takes a lot of force to move the pins, and I'm having trouble feeling them. I managed to open it a couple times last night, but can't manage it consistently. Anybody have any tips specifically for locks with stiff springs? Thanks.

[unlisted]

Sure it just don't need a little lube?

[HHH]

Sure it just don't need a little lube?

I sprayed some lube in there. It helped a bit. Still stiff.

[unlisted]

Photos of said lock? it would help.

[HHH]

I'll take some pictures tonight.

[ToolyMcgee]

Probably years of graphite buildup. Remove from door, flush with solvent, allow to dry, re-lube with graphite, replace spring that need it, and it should work another 20 years.

If no picture do you know the manufacturer? Mortice lock, rim lock, deadbolt, knob cylinder... These are important for advice removing it from the door without busting it. The door I mean.

-Tooly

[raimundo]

plus one on every thing tooly said, most likely you have a gummed up lock.

Most old lock pin springs are coppe and actually quite soft. to hear that an olde lock is using stiff springs makes me think that a locksmith must have put them there.

As tooly said, you can remove the lock without damage to the door if you know how, if you don't know how, tell us what you can about it, and we will tell you where to look for the setscrews etc. No need for any destructive work.

[raimundo]

Not the first time I found typos that shouldn't have happened, its not me, its the keyboard thats doing it.

springs are copper. there, the r worked this time.

[Baloopaloop]

I have a best cylinder that is new, and it has very strong springs, even to the point where I have to use quite alot of tension and can't reverse pick because the spring tension will counteract my tension, thus reseting all the pins, a bit of a nightmare to tension, but I think if it had different springs I might be able to pick it, 7 pin cylinder, my newest adventure other than the evva 3ks, I've got it picked with 8 of the 12 sliders

[thelockpickkid]

I have also ran into a few tight spring locks, I will tell you what I think they are, somebody rekeyed a lock, they changed out the springs for some reason and they replaced them with longer springs from a different lock company either on purpose or just not knowing.

[shaothegreat]

The two locks that I own that give me the most trouble both have extremely tight springs. One is (I believe, at least by the keyway - it's unmarked on the face) a Schlage mortise that I picked up from a junk store (stainless, feels very heavy duty, must be commercial grade). I'm a fairly strong guy, but this one just wears me out after a few minutes! The other is a Stanley 24/7 50mm shrouded steel padlock with Schlage SC4 keyway. It's so wound up I can barely feel what's going on inside the lock. The mortise could just be aged but the Stanley is brand new. I wonder - could stiff springs be considered a security feature?