Lock stuck between 90 degrees and about 175 degrees

[Bendanger]

I learned how to pick locks a yesterday and was practicing on a door that didn't work anyways. Then I although I know that picking locks on door that you use is a bad idea I did it it's a weird lock that you need to rotate about 90 to 180 degrees then twist the handle while still turning the key to open. Now the barrel is stuck between 90 and 175 degrees. I've tried turning it to 180 so it gets stuck on the springs then fix it but it won't go quite to 180. I haven't found any posts with this situation does anybody have a suggestion short of buying a new lock or calling a locksmith? Ps the key won't fit in and the pins won't move

[Robotnik]

More details would be helpful, such as brand and style. Are we talking a key-in-knob style? If so, since the plug's already rotated, see if you can pop the lever off and remove the cylinder. Should be an easy fix from there.

If we're talking commercial-style mortise, there are a lot more variables. I've seen situations with an entry-style wherein 1) the deadbolt is thrown, 2) the plug is turned but not to the degree where it's interacting with the turn hub, and 3) the interior (single-motion exit) lever is operated that allow the turn hub and cylinder tailpiece to get out of sequence, trapping the plug in a rotated position. At that point, you're looking at removing the mortise cylinder to correct.

All the above presumes you're reasonably familiar with locks and hardware. If there's a question, call a locksmith. Cheaper in the long run, because believe me, you could do more damage from here. I'll leave the admonition a about not picking a lock in use to others; all I'll say is hopefully this is a lock you own .

[Bendanger]

Yes it's a key in knob style. The brand is weiser. Locking the door still works and opening it works, just the key can't unlock it anymore. It's a lock that you lock by pushing in on the inside knob and twisting. If you need more information just ask. And yes, this is my own lock. It seems to me like a pretty cheap lock anyways. Or at least the knob is

[PowerHaus930]

Have you tried putting the pick in the lock all the way on the bottom of the keyway and pressing down and then seeing if the core turns? Sometimes if you rotate a lock 180 degrees the top pins can get stuck in the slot on the bottom of the key way so you have to press them down in order to release the core.

[Bendanger]

Yes I've tried that. I've also used a flashlight and I can't see those top pins just a smooth round surface.

[Daltonj21]

Yes I've tried that. I've also used a flashlight and I can't see those top pins just a smooth round surface.

I've seen it where with out the key the driver pins will actually push down into the flat part of the key way. Try putting the pick all the way into the lock and pushing them back up into the bible.

[Bendanger]

I'll try that but first. Whats the driver pins and what's the bible.
Thanks

[Joshua904]

Drivers are the pins the springs push on, also called top pins. The bible is the part that houses the pin stacks and springs out side of the core. Basically the part you push the driver pins into when you pick a lock. The key pins would remain in the core.

The bottom of the keyway is normally open, when you flip the core 180 degrees, the drivers can be pushed into that open spot. The key pins may have also partially or fully fell out. The bottom of the shell the core rotates in sometimes has holes drilled in it that line up with the pins so people can easily change them out (rekeying the lock) without having to pull the core out and mess with the driver pins.

If you can rotate the handle 180 degrees and use a tension wrench to wiggle the core they may fall back in. Then use a pick or another tension wrench and push they drivers back up past the sheer line and rotate the core back to its normal position.

Check and see if the key slides in and turns it like normal.
if it does, then yay. If it turns but doesn't unlock the door, take the handle apart. The tail piece that acuates the lock/unlock mechanism isn't working right.

[Bendanger]

Ok I understand. However I can't rotate it 180 degrees. It gets stuck a little bit before

[Joshua904]

Can you remove the handle?
Hell, if all else fails, unscrew the hinges and flip the door upside down.

[Bendanger]

I could remove the handle . Which part? The inside part or the outside part with the lock. And what would I do with it.

[Robotnik]

If we're talking an older Weiser knob, the cylinders are pulled from those in a very specific way. Pull on the tailpiece while turning the key (which normally only goes between 12:00 and 3:00) past the 3:00/90 degree position. It's possible that when you picked it, the cylinder/tailpiece interface 'jumped'; when Weisers are re-assembled incorrectly, the range of travel is roughly what you describe.

Take the knobset off the door, and with the plug turned, pull on the longer, thinner portion of the tailpiece while pulling the cylinder out (look up Weiser knob cylinder removal videos for reference). Then re-assemble correctly.

[Bendanger]

Ok I'll have to try that. That sounds like the problem. The range of motion is the same but off by about 90 degrees. Also one more thing, some locks need to be turned more than 180 degrees and how do you prevent it from sticking?

[kwoswalt99-]

Also one more thing, some locks need to be turned more than 180 degrees and how do you prevent it from sticking?

Do you mean while picking?

[Raymond]

Everything Robotnic said is almost certainly correct. While picking this lock you accidently pushed the square shaft backward and out of its normal position. Then when you turned the plug, the square shaft sprung back in at the 90 degree position. Thus preventing the plug from going back to normal. The cylinder should come out to the front with the plug turned to about 100-130 degrees. If it does you can reach in with some needle nose pliars and turn the small square shaft so that it releases the inside knob. Or, just pull the large square shaft outward a bit and turn it to pull back the latch.