Picklocked file cabinet lock stuck

[yongjianrong]

After picklocking a filing cabinet with the file of a nail clipper yesterday, I got the keyhole stuck in a random position between the locked and unlocked position, and removed the file of the nail clippers by accident. Is it possible to lock the cabinet again and how?

[EmCee]

I'll leave it to others to give you the spiel about this site's philosophy of 'not picking locks in use' (which means locks that are installed in anything other than a practice board).

If you put just the tip of the file (or something else) in the keyway you should be able to turn it back to locked. If it won't turn then you may have damaged one or more wafers inside the lock (a pretty likely scenario, in my view, if you have pushed a nail file in there), in which case you'll need to call a locksmith to remove the old lock and replace it. If it wasn't your cabinet and you didn't have permission to pick it, there will no doubt be consequences.

[MrAnybody]

This is a common question. In order not to repeat threads with exactly the same information your best bet would be to use the Search function here on the forum. There is no shortage of new users who find themselves in the same situation as you are now in, and there are a number of little tricks for the few possibilities to solve it. Type 'lock stuck' in the search field and there's heaps of threads.

Another good starting point is here: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=42970&hilit=stuck. From that there is no shortage of links to relevant posts to help you.

[Solomon]

I can't even begin to describe how much the word "picklocked" annoys me.

[EmCee]

You might be right, but I made two assumptions - firstly that if the lock was opened with a nail file it was likely to be a wafer lock (big, straight keyway) not a pin cylinder (small, warded keyway), and secondly that 'stuck in a random position' did not mean 'upside down' or 180deg. I might be wrong on both counts.

[EmCee]

Opps, the 'you' in my post was Mr Anybody - reads a bit confusingly coming after Solomon's post. And I'm with Solomon - especially given the name of the site.

[femurat]

Since the lock is blocked after been picked, I find the term "picklocked" appropriate

[Squelchtone]

I can't even begin to describe how much the word "picklocked" annoys me.

you have no idea... I also don't like being called a lockpick. I'm a lock picker. but yeah picklocked seems to be partly based on the way different countries put words together in their native languages, such as we say "blue car", but in Spain they say "coche azul"

Squelchtone

[Solomon]

I dunno, I've heard people call it picklocking before and english was definitely their first language.

[MBI]

I like orange Tic-Tacs.

[atticRR]

I like orange Tic-Tacs.

as do i sir, as do i.

[easy-e]

This thread makes me sad. But I have had some cam locks stop half way and you have to pick them again to get them full open.