Probably the worst day .... ever!

[jason]

I had a warrant to deal with - you know those days where when everything which can go wrong does...

First off, I turn up and wait outside sitting there for about an hour my colleague hasn't shown up with the warrant. The battery is dead on my mobile so I took it out and heated it up under my armpit, got just enough life to get the number from the phone book. I call her on my other mobile - she has been waiting for me (but she got the wrong road) anyway the warrant wasn't granted by the Magistrate so we had to re-submit all our paperwork. Next day we got the warrant to go in - no problem says I as I'd quickly looked at the door previously and noted a Yale cylinder and a Chubb mortice - "soon be in looks straight forward enough" I said.

Then it all went really badly - I took the escutcheon off and saw two raised dimples - it was then I realised that the only lock ID pics I had were for Chubb. Quick phone call to Ken Dale and got the lock ID'd over the phone (I was well impressed he gave me the drill point of the top of his head!).

Not so bad thinks I - got my template kit out - used the 2mm drill bit & whilst drilling I slipped and broke my drill bit - then realised that I'd put it through the slot straight into the lever pack where it had decided to break.

Out came an 8mm drill bit and after plenty of swearing the lock was open. I then said hello to the Yale easy enough thought I although my fingers are now bloody cold (and numb) so electric pick came out - problem was the lock was loose in its mounting and wobbled around like a bugger. Then came Mr Bosch along the shear (I'm now really hacked off and looking like a p***k in front of my colleague). All the pins drilled - screwdriver in and.... snap the bloody driver broke. There was no movement at all in the cylinder - so now its drill the screws out through the face problem was the battery was a little tired - fortunately I had a spare with me and after a lot of swearing it came out - the lock had seized up completely how I don't know but it had.

Now I'm inside and change the cylinder - but the mortice was an ERA and was larger than the replacement securefasts and chubbs that I carried so I had to lock up and pop down to the wholesaler to get a replacement of the same size.

Back at the property now and the mortice is in (thank ). I go to the back door and it's a cheap 3 lever sashlock mounted on the right but there's loads of stored crap in the way - could I get my two in one in - before you answer - no! It is better not to stick your hands anywhere near stored bags of stuff (needlestick injurys cause a great deal of stress waiting for the results) -

Fortunately there was a downstairs bathroom with an opening window which wasn't secured so I thought I'd drop out and open the door from outside (it was outward opening so no problem there). I dropped down and noted the cobwebs on the door - no free play with the bolt using wires so out came the drill ended up drilling too high then too low (I am getting really hacked off now) so cut through the bolt with a hacksaw blade (I decided to join the two holes together!) and drew the bolt back.

Whilst changing the lock I noticed that the frame was buggered to such an extent that I could have just spread the door using a crowbar and not damaged it. As I climbed back into the bathroom window and landed on the tiled floor I slid along like I was on skates - I had walked through a bit where the local herberts had used it has a toilet and managed to get enough of it on my shoes to make it really smelly and slippery.

Then I get back to my office and find out that they have another six properties all owned by the same bloke that they want opened within two days. And to finish all this off - I get summoned to the Directors office - a set of keys to his house have been stolen and could I just pop over and have a look!

Is there a knitting 101? I don't want to be a locksmith anymore

[Quin]

Heh, had to laught at your last sentence.

We all have bad days but that one has to be about as bad as it ever gets.

[Rockford]

I'm sure most can relate to a day like this - thankfully, not everyday though or this forum would soon lose members.

Rockford.....

[Romstar]

jason,

I feel your pain. I ran into something the other week which is still causing me fits. Took me almost a week just to get this lock working. I'm still waiting for a replacement cylinder.

An imported door, made in Britain. An imported lock, made in France. An imported profile cylinder, made in Germany.

Under no circumstances can the door be replaced. The entire door, frame and entrance was built in Britain and imported to here. Why, I have no idea, but it was. Sidelights and all.

The entire house is like this. Bathroom fixtures from France, Kitchen from England and Germany, even the fireplace hardware was imported.

So, in a country where plain old mortice and rim cylinders are common, I come across what has to be one of the only euro profile cylinders on the East coast. Hell, the chances are better for me finding a Chubb lever lock than a euro, but there they were in all their glory. AND BROKEN.

The last locksmith who had his hands in this thing made a dogs lunch from the lock mechanism, and lubed up the lock and the cylinder with....


Wait for it....


Vaseline!

I am not kidding, plain old petroleum jelly. It was sticky, gooey, and dirty. The cam drivers in the cylinder weren't engaging, and the key was just spinning around in the cylinder not even moving the cam. When you COULD get the door locked, it was a nightmare to get it unlocked.

Everything about this installation was different. It was a mess.

So, I feel your pain man. Don't worry, it isn't always that bad.
Romstar

[SFGOON]

Well guys, hope this makes you all feel better....

http://knitting.about.com/mpboards.htm

[raimundo]

When you guys in england talk about councils and warrants, it is just a bit obscure to americans, I have the idea that a warrant is about eviction from public housing, or is it about drug raids? I have read some john lecarre novels so I know that your gas heaters are coin operated even in your own homes, and trucks are lorries and cars have boots and everybody drives on the other side of the roads, but if someone would help in demystifying the english culture on some of the points that are mentioned here, I would appreciate it. don't take this wrong, I'm not disparaging englishism, I haven't done that all week and its friday already so I'm reformed.

[Quin]

Councils are local run mini-Governments. You have senators and we have a group of people who are elected by local people to run our local budgets.

Warrents can be Police warrents but also Landlords who have squatters can go to the courts to get an eviction warrent to gain entry to their own property and remove them.

Hope that helps

[quicklocks]

[toomush2drink]

And we dont have gas meters you put coins in anymore, now you get a plastic card which you get "credit" put on to , this prevents people stealing the money from them.

[Rockford]

Warrants are also used by utility companies (Gas/Electric) to gain access to properties in order to fit meters and so reclaim debts.

Rockford.....

[MrB]

It's just like America really.

In the USA, the government hierarchy runs like this:

City (maybe) -> County -> State -> Federal.

In the UK, you have:

City/Borough/District -> County -> Regional (maybe) -> National

In the UK, there is some inconsistency from place to place because the national government keeps fiddling with local government arrangements (hint: if something works stop fiddling with it, 'cos you might break it).

A warrant is a court order authorizing entry to a property.

Putting coins in meters (or prepaid cards) is an unfortunate thing that only the poorest members of society suffer from. It happens when people are insufficiently credit worthy to be metered and pay their bill on account (quarterly in the UK).

[jason]

I work in Environmental Health for my day job - this means that we have more "rights of entry" then the Police - we can gain entry at anytime into a commercial property and if obstructed can have the person obstructing us arrested (don't usually do it though - the Police get really hacked off about us asking to have someone removed - we don't have powers of arrest).

In domestic properties we can gain entry to investigate infectious diseases, noise, pollution, housing etc., but we need to apply to a Magistrate for a warrant and we have to justify our reasoning for this. It isn't as straightforward as I'd like (after a University degree, two years practical experience, 1 year professional diary and the professional exams - you can still end up looking like a plank in front of a magistrate (especially if you've woken him up at 3am to get a warrant to shut down a burglar alarm)

The only people who don't need warrants are Customs and Excise - the Police can only enter your property if they are pursuing someone and see him gain entry.

All in all its a funny old business over here - it looks much easier in the US (according to the TV)

[MrB]

I don't have too much knowledge of American law, but I don't think it is vastly different over here. The police and other agencies have to apply to the court for a warrant to enter and search a property, and they have to show probable cause by presenting appropriate evidence to the judge. If the police or whoever don't have all their ducks in a row, the judge will reject the request.

[ne0nerdz]

you could always be a jewler..thats always an option for an locksmith!

[jason]

The police can get really funny about that (hmmm... 2nd hand jewellery on eBay)