Wrong key stuck in vending machine(tubular) lock

[twinvega]

To start out, the soda machine at work ate my dollar. I am a bit of a do it myselfer and thought the soda could have been jammed inside, so I wanted to open it. I go back to my office and we have a ring of tubular keys, I figured "hell, I'll give it a shot." I tried the first key, fit real well but did not turn, I tried removing it and it would not let me take it out. I was curious if this was a security mechanism so that a person couldn't come by and try a whole bunch of keys and get lucky. So there are a couple of questions I had and am hoping someone is able to help out:
1. Is it supposed to do this, or is it just my luck
2. Is there a way of getting the key(which is still stuck there) back out

[thertel]

So to summarize your statement as I understand it:

You illegally attempted to gain access to a soda machine that ate your dollar and now your keys are stuck and you are screwed.

Cardinal rule: If it ain't yours or you don't have permission to mess with it, DON'T

but as for removing it, try jiggling the key left and right while pulling the key straight out.

you might even apply INOX to the lock to help loosten it up a little or some WD-40 since it will break anything loose in a tight situation.

Thomas

[Allmytimerblongtothis]

So to summarize your statement as I understand it:

You illegally attempted to gain access to a soda machine that ate your dollar and now your keys are stuck and you are screwed.

Cardinal rule: If it ain't yours or you don't have permission to mess with it, DON'T

but as for removing it, try jiggling the key left and right while pulling the key straight out.

you might even apply INOX to the lock to help loosten it up a little or some WD-40 since it will break anything loose in a tight situation.

Thomas

The machine stole from him though...I mean that's a perfect reason, right twinvega, lol.

[twinvega]

[quote="Allmytimerblongtothis]
The machine stole from him though...I mean that's a perfect reason, right twinvega, lol.[/quote]
I think you're goin' somewhere with this. Anyhow it was a "why not just try it" situation and I can assure you there was no illegal motive behind such acts because there were two employees in the room witnessing my stupidity.

[twinvega]

OH SO THAT MAKES IT REASONABLE? Because you had your employees watching you be illegal? That's hardly reasonable.

Chill out, I'm just trying to find an answer to my question here. If you'd like to lecture me about trying to rip off the soda machine I don't really want to hear it. What ever is done is already done, it's not gonna change anything, I'm asking for a resolution not legal advice.

[Romstar]

The way I read this is that the key went onto the shaft, but did not turn. If that is the case, it would seem to me that the key was just a slightly smaller diameter and is now wedged onto the inner shaft.

Use a spot of WD-40, or other penetrating oil, and grasp the kep with a pair of vice grips and pull straight out.

This should release the key.

If you ever feel like trying this again, don't push on the key.

If this isn't what happened, then I am a bit stumped.

Romstar

[hoho]

Have you tried turning the key back and forth? You said the key didn't turn, but i suspect it did at least a bit, and caught on the little nub. There's really no other way for the lock to grab onto the key. Use some sort of penetrating oil I guess, and just wiggle it alot.

Hmm, just thought about maybe the key broke. But i don't know how that would happen, or how that would keep the key stuck.

[Allmytimerblongtothis]

It won't let you take it out? First it steals from you and now it won't give you your key back? Stop personificating, I don't see how it could "not give it back" have you analized the key while it is stuck, and tried to get it to move somehow....that could help the pros here understand the problem, if you say it won't give the key back, you have to be more specific, if you say it won't give it back that your only indicating the subject of the problem, that your key is stuck the answer would be= get it out, but that wouldn't be specific and it doesn't give anymore details than you've given us.

[thertel]

Wow he didnt seem to catch the joking in my first post....followed by the advice on how to remove the lock, I suspect he probably read the legal advice joking and skipped the wd-40 and inox comment combined with the jiggling....well go figure........


Thomas

[mcm757207]

And for future reference, the chances of one of your random tubular keys workong that particular lock is so small you might have better luck winning the lottery (well, maybe not that extreme but you get the idea)

[twinvega]

Well, some posts seemed to try to help and others wanted to be my lawyer or attempt to be philosophical on a pretty basic problem. Thanks for the people who actually attempted to give an answer to my problem, and the suggestions did help. I originally did try a pair of plyers but they did not work. However, when I angled and twisted a bit the key finally popped out. I am fairly sure this kind of lock was not "designed" to do this as a security feature it was just some sort of key with lock combo that wasn't working. I don't plan on doing anyhting like that again.

[xorox]

Off topic, but, are you the twinvega from the defcon board?

[twinvega]

the one and only

[Romstar]

My appologies to Vega and everyone else, but now that this problem is solved, I am locking this thread. Too much other stuff going on in here.

I for one don't think that you were doing anything nasty per-se. Despite the fact that you didn't have the original key, all you wanted to do was solve a problem if you could. A reasonable objective, if perhaps a bit misguided as you have discovered.

It's good to see you here Vega, and I hope you will be around into the future. Don't let some of our more high strung members prevent you from participating.

Again, welcome to the forums.
Romstar