Need help with a Lockwood doorknob lock

[Ozlocks]

Had a lady who locked herself out of the house today. I defeated the deadbolt no worries, but had dramas with the knob lock. I defeated the pins and the plug turned 90 degrees and stopped. The knob wouldn't turn aany mire and the latch on the inside didn't turn. The occupant confirmed for me that I was turning it the right way, and for good measure I reset the lock and re-picked it again; same result.

Why wouldn't it open? I don't know the model, just the brand.

We ended up having to destructively take out a window to access the latch from the inside. Not good.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[GWiens2001]

I would have used a plug spinner or picked it the other way just for good measure. I see it happen all the time where people do not know which way the key turns when you ask them

[lunchb0x]

I would have used a plug spinner or picked it the other way just for good measure. I see it happen all the time where people do not know which way the key turns when you ask them

This, you will learn to never go by what the customer says, most the time they are wrong.

[Ozlocks]

Thanks guys, I should have thought of that. Lesson for next time I guess.

[Raymond]

Gwiens2001's answer is probably correct. However, I would like to add one more possibility. I do not know the Lockwood product so this is only a guess.

I have seen more than one lock that uses the tip of the key to push a bar of metal out the back of the plug. Without pushing this out, the cylinder will turn but not pull the latch. The older Weisers were like this. Rather than having to hold the bar in while picking, I discovered that I could pick the lock to the right, push in on the bar, and draw the latch while turning the plug back up. FYI

[keysman]

This, you will learn to never go by what the customer says, most the time they are wrong.

My experience: Males NEVER know which way the key turns, females about 50% of the time.. always carry a plug spinner

[MrWizard]

This is so true when you ask the customer which way the lock turns to open it is usually the other way this is really true when it is their car door. I have a question, she was just locked out and you gained entry through a window was the keys in the house? If so you should have got that doorknob key to see why it didn't work and which way it really turns to open. I usually have the customer check their locks after they have been picked to be sure everything works before I leave.

Richard

[EmCee]

I always have the customer check that the key works after picking or if the lock is replaced I get the customer to check all the new keys in the new lock, then they sign to say that the job has been completed and the job description includes the fact that the keys have been tested and are working.

[globallockytoo]

I always have the customer check that the key works after picking or if the lock is replaced I get the customer to check all the new keys in the new lock, then they sign to say that the job has been completed and the job description includes the fact that the keys have been tested and are working.

+1

Often a plug will pick quite easily to one direction and not so easily to the other. Does anyone know of the reason for this?

[femurat]

Global, I guess because the border of the pin chambers are more worn on the side you turn the key, a wider shearline makes picking easier in that direction.

Cheers

[MrWizard]

That is a million dollar question why it will pick easy one way and not the other. Inevitably this seems to often be the case it will pick the wrong way easy and take forever to pick the right way.

This seems to be very true with auto door locks even more so and they are wafer locks. Think in both cases pin or wafer has to do with how the working key sits in the locks. The top blade of the key may sit a little more to the right side or the left side and when turned in one direction it is torqued even more to one side making the shear line wear going one direction more than the other.

Also it will depend where you are placing your tension wrench in the top or the bottom. Lot of times if you placed it in the bottom depending which way you are turning it the wrench is putting pressure on the bottom of the shell and levering the plug to the top and narrowing the gap making it harder to pick and also the tool is binding against the shell and the plug. It will bind going one way and not the other. This is why I always put it in the top it cannot bind in that location and puts a more ever turning pressure on the shear line instead of tweaking up to the top.

Richard