My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and
can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.

I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been
Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some
unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U

I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of
the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She
can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual
with one flat and one jagged edge.

I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.
https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock
--
Bill

On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:
My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and
can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.

I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been
Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some
unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U

I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of
the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She
can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual
with one flat and one jagged edge.

I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.
https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock

Large flat-bladed screwdriver in hole, then turn. A mole grip on the
screwdriver shank will help with the turning.

Only if that fails, drill where the serrated bit is.

On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:
My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and
can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.

I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been
Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some
unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U

I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of
the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She
can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual
with one flat and one jagged edge.

I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.
https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock

You don't need to drill it out, you can prise it out with a pry bar or
similar.

They are generally held in with just a clip.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:
My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and
can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.

I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been
Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some
unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U

I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of
the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She
can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual
with one flat and one jagged edge.

I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.
https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock

Personally I would *start* by trying picking; they are very crude locks.
No doubt there is something on YouTube, but basically you need a
paperclip, straightened out, and then with 1-2 mm bent at 90 degrees at
the end. And a screwdriver small enough to go into the slot, but strong
enough to exert a bit more torque than you usually do with the key. You
want the bent bit of wire to represent the "jags" of the key. Put in the
screwdriver and apply a steady torque. Put in the wire and slide it up
and down while maintaining torque on the screwdrive in such a way that
the bent bit goes where the key jags would. One by one the internal pins
should locate in the "free" positions. You will feel, through the
screwdrive, the cylinder turn slightly each time a pin locates.

The success of brute force depends a bit on how substantial the door is.
Prising is likely to deform the door.

The lock body will be stopped from rotating by the fact that it has a
flat on it, and it fits in a round hole with a matching flat. If the
door is thin, the big screwdriver technique mentioned by another poster
will make the hole completely round. You can get "repair plates" for car
doors which you weld inside.

Needless to say, you can just take the whole head of the lock off with
an angle grinder. The trouble with drilling is that the drill is likely
to bounce around, and you may distort the door if it "catches".

When you do get it out, there are dozens of these types of lock but all
readily available from eBay for a couple of pounds. Also from "lock
shops" (invariably very helpful) but expect to pay a fiver or more.

On 17/01/2013 19:41, newshound wrote:
On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:
My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and
can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.

I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been
Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some
unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U

I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of
the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She
can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual
with one flat and one jagged edge.

I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.
https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock

Personally I would *start* by trying picking; they are very crude locks.
No doubt there is something on YouTube, but basically you need a
paperclip, straightened out, and then with 1-2 mm bent at 90 degrees at
the end. And a screwdriver small enough to go into the slot, but strong
enough to exert a bit more torque than you usually do with the key. You
want the bent bit of wire to represent the "jags" of the key. Put in the
screwdriver and apply a steady torque. Put in the wire and slide it up
and down while maintaining torque on the screwdrive in such a way that
the bent bit goes where the key jags would. One by one the internal pins
should locate in the "free" positions. You will feel, through the
screwdrive, the cylinder turn slightly each time a pin locates.

The success of brute force depends a bit on how substantial the door is.
Prising is likely to deform the door.

I've done this quite a lot on filing cabinets & found that the locks are
pretty easy to prise out


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 17 Jan 2013, "Bill" writ:

My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and
can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.

I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been
Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some
unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U

An excellent example of a dangerous idiot who hasn't got a clue what
he's doing. A real "Locksmith" could open the locks without damaging
them.

Unfortunately, if you call out a Locksmith nowadays you will probably
get a cowboy, just as clueless, as the aim is to destroy and replace the
locks at inflated prices.

My apologies to any "real" Locksmiths reading this.

I know a little bit about locks having been trained to open safes
"without" damaging the locks.

--
P

On Thursday, January 17, 2013 7:04:24 PM UTC, The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:

My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and

can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.



I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been

Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some

unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U



I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of

the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She

can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual

with one flat and one jagged edge.



I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.

https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock



You don't need to drill it out, you can prise it out with a pry bar or

similar.



They are generally held in with just a clip.

--

Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

You'll destroy the door if you try prising it out. Even if it is only held by a spring clip they can be very secure and some have a threaded nut on them

First reply is correct.

We have to do this regularly on metal cabinets.

On Thursday, January 17, 2013 7:57:10 PM UTC, The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 17/01/2013 19:41, newshound wrote:

On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:

My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and

can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.



I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been

Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some

unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U



I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of

the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She

can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual

with one flat and one jagged edge.



I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.

https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock



Personally I would *start* by trying picking; they are very crude locks..

No doubt there is something on YouTube, but basically you need a

paperclip, straightened out, and then with 1-2 mm bent at 90 degrees at

the end. And a screwdriver small enough to go into the slot, but strong

enough to exert a bit more torque than you usually do with the key. You

want the bent bit of wire to represent the "jags" of the key. Put in the

screwdriver and apply a steady torque. Put in the wire and slide it up

and down while maintaining torque on the screwdrive in such a way that

the bent bit goes where the key jags would. One by one the internal pins

should locate in the "free" positions. You will feel, through the

screwdrive, the cylinder turn slightly each time a pin locates.



The success of brute force depends a bit on how substantial the door is..

Prising is likely to deform the door.



I've done this quite a lot on filing cabinets & found that the locks are

pretty easy to prise out





--

Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Hate to rain on your picnic but we've been in the office furniture business for over 25 years. Started dealing in used office furniture only so there is very little we haven't come across in the line of office furniture locks..

Not all filing cabinet locks are the same. Its been quite some while since I've come across the type that can be easily popped out, as generally there is ironmongery attached to the rear to work the lock. Even then not all of this type will come out cleanly. Attempting to gain purchase behind the face of the bezel runs the risk of doing damage especially if excess force is applied on the wrong type of lock

The method already outlined is the best one to take to minimise damage to the lock surround. Large flat blade screwdriver driven in and then twisted. If this doesn't work then drill through the centre with a big drill bit. The lock will eventually start to revolve when it can then be extracted.

Last piece of advice is to get a few spare keys cut for the new lock and keep one for yourself, out of reach of your daughter. That way if/when she loses them again, at least one sensible person will have a key stored as a master, as long as you don;t forget where you placed it.

In message , fred
writes
On Thursday, January 17, 2013 7:57:10 PM UTC, The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 17/01/2013 19:41, newshound wrote:

On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:

My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and

can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.



I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been

Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some

unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U



I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the centre of

the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went in? She

can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the usual

with one flat and one jagged edge.



I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.

https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock



Personally I would *start* by trying picking; they are very crude locks.

No doubt there is something on YouTube, but basically you need a

paperclip, straightened out, and then with 1-2 mm bent at 90 degrees at

the end. And a screwdriver small enough to go into the slot, but strong

enough to exert a bit more torque than you usually do with the key. You

want the bent bit of wire to represent the "jags" of the key. Put in the

screwdriver and apply a steady torque. Put in the wire and slide it up

and down while maintaining torque on the screwdrive in such a way that

the bent bit goes where the key jags would. One by one the internal pins

should locate in the "free" positions. You will feel, through the

screwdrive, the cylinder turn slightly each time a pin locates.



The success of brute force depends a bit on how substantial the door is.

Prising is likely to deform the door.



I've done this quite a lot on filing cabinets & found that the locks are

pretty easy to prise out





--

Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Hate to rain on your picnic but we've been in the office furniture
business for over 25 years. Started dealing in used office furniture
only so there is very little we haven't come across in the line of
office furniture locks.

Not all filing cabinet locks are the same. Its been quite some while
since I've come across the type that can be easily popped out, as
generally there is ironmongery attached to the rear to work the lock.
Even then not all of this type will come out cleanly. Attempting to
gain purchase behind the face of the bezel runs the risk of doing
damage especially if excess force is applied on the wrong type of lock

The method already outlined is the best one to take to minimise damage
to the lock surround. Large flat blade screwdriver driven in and then
twisted. If this doesn't work then drill through the centre with a big
drill bit. The lock will eventually start to revolve when it can then
be extracted.

Last piece of advice is to get a few spare keys cut for the new lock
and keep one for yourself, out of reach of your daughter. That way
if/when she loses them again, at least one sensible person will have a
key stored as a master, as long as you don;t forget where you placed it.

Thanks everyone. We are going to attempt this on Sunday when the
homeowners are present to watch.
I will give picking a try, but I don't hold out much hope because of the
situation of this letterbox and the weather.

The results seem to be 2 votes for the shear line/serrated edge, 1 for
drilling the middle, and 2 votes for a big screwdriver and a bit of
grunt.

I'll report back.

We already keep her spare house keys here for emergencies. We did have a
set with the letterbox key on the ring, but she had to have that back to
get in one day. We are now up to the spare, spare, spare door key
--
Bill

On 18/01/2013 12:07, Bill wrote:
In message , fred
writes
On Thursday, January 17, 2013 7:57:10 PM UTC, The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 17/01/2013 19:41, newshound wrote:

On 17/01/2013 16:38, Bill wrote:

My daughter has now lost the last key to her external letterbox and

can't afford a locksmith, so I have agreed to help get it open.



I don't think there is time to try to learn picking, so I've been

Googling instructions and videos about drilling. There are some

unbelievably bad videos. How's this for camera positioning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U



I'm unclear about where to drill. Should I start through the
centre of

the lock, or to the side where the serrated edge of the key went
in? She

can't remember what the key looked like, but I assume it was the
usual

with one flat and one jagged edge.



I've uploaded a picture of the lock here.

https://picasaweb.google.com/billaboard/Lock



Personally I would *start* by trying picking; they are very crude
locks.

No doubt there is something on YouTube, but basically you need a

paperclip, straightened out, and then with 1-2 mm bent at 90
degrees at

the end. And a screwdriver small enough to go into the slot, but
strong

enough to exert a bit more torque than you usually do with the key.
You

want the bent bit of wire to represent the "jags" of the key. Put
in the

screwdriver and apply a steady torque. Put in the wire and slide it up

and down while maintaining torque on the screwdrive in such a way that

the bent bit goes where the key jags would. One by one the internal
pins

should locate in the "free" positions. You will feel, through the

screwdrive, the cylinder turn slightly each time a pin locates.



The success of brute force depends a bit on how substantial the
door is.

Prising is likely to deform the door.



I've done this quite a lot on filing cabinets & found that the locks are

pretty easy to prise out





--

Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Hate to rain on your picnic but we've been in the office furniture
business for over 25 years. Started dealing in used office furniture
only so there is very little we haven't come across in the line of
office furniture locks.

Not all filing cabinet locks are the same. Its been quite some while
since I've come across the type that can be easily popped out, as
generally there is ironmongery attached to the rear to work the lock.
Even then not all of this type will come out cleanly. Attempting to
gain purchase behind the face of the bezel runs the risk of doing
damage especially if excess force is applied on the wrong type of lock

The method already outlined is the best one to take to minimise damage
to the lock surround. Large flat blade screwdriver driven in and then
twisted. If this doesn't work then drill through the centre with a big
drill bit. The lock will eventually start to revolve when it can then
be extracted.

Last piece of advice is to get a few spare keys cut for the new lock
and keep one for yourself, out of reach of your daughter. That way
if/when she loses them again, at least one sensible person will have a
key stored as a master, as long as you don;t forget where you placed it.

Thanks everyone. We are going to attempt this on Sunday when the
homeowners are present to watch.
I will give picking a try, but I don't hold out much hope because of the
situation of this letterbox and the weather.

The results seem to be 2 votes for the shear line/serrated edge, 1 for
drilling the middle, and 2 votes for a big screwdriver and a bit of grunt.

I'll report back.

We already keep her spare house keys here for emergencies. We did have a
set with the letterbox key on the ring, but she had to have that back to
get in one day. We are now up to the spare, spare, spare door key

Drill a pilot hole where the door meets the side, slip in a
hacksaw blade and cut down through the locking arm.


--
"I'm not the messiah!"
I say you are Lord.
And I should know, I've followed a few !
--
Twitter: @N1tromax

In message , Nitro®
writes
On 18/01/2013 12:07, Bill wrote:

I'll report back.

We already keep her spare house keys here for emergencies. We did have a
set with the letterbox key on the ring, but she had to have that back to
get in one day. We are now up to the spare, spare, spare door key

Drill a pilot hole where the door meets the side, slip in a
hacksaw blade and cut down through the locking arm.


Well, here's what happened.

I bent a paperclip and, with a screwdriver, tried to pick the lock, but
it was snowing, so I gave up.

Thought I'd try the small drill where the serrated edge of the key would
sit in the lock. The drill wandered very slightly, but I guided it back
and after about 2 seconds the drill grabbed, rotated the core of the
lock, and the door opened.
Daughter and her husband are delighted. The door can now be opened with
a gentle turn of a screwdriver, which is quite secure enough for a
postbox..
--
Bill

On 20/01/2013 23:06, Bill wrote:

Thought I'd try the small drill where the serrated edge of the key would
sit in the lock. The drill wandered very slightly, but I guided it back
and after about 2 seconds the drill grabbed, rotated the core of the
lock, and the door opened.

So, you snapped the pins in the lock using a drill. I suppose that's one
way to do it.


Daughter and her husband are delighted. The door can now be opened with
a gentle turn of a screwdriver, which is quite secure enough for a
postbox..

On 20/01/2013 23:06, Bill wrote:
In message , Nitro®
writes
On 18/01/2013 12:07, Bill wrote:

I'll report back.

We already keep her spare house keys here for emergencies. We did have a
set with the letterbox key on the ring, but she had to have that back to
get in one day. We are now up to the spare, spare, spare door key

Drill a pilot hole where the door meets the side, slip in a
hacksaw blade and cut down through the locking arm.


Well, here's what happened.

I bent a paperclip and, with a screwdriver, tried to pick the lock, but
it was snowing, so I gave up.

Thought I'd try the small drill where the serrated edge of the key would
sit in the lock. The drill wandered very slightly, but I guided it back
and after about 2 seconds the drill grabbed, rotated the core of the
lock, and the door opened.
Daughter and her husband are delighted. The door can now be opened with
a gentle turn of a screwdriver, which is quite secure enough for a
postbox..

Good result. I think I might be inclined to replace the lock anyway in
case, some time in the future, one of the sheared pins finds its way
back into a less favourable position.

On Friday, January 18, 2013 5:37:51 AM UTC, Percy wrote:
A real "Locksmith" could open the locks without damaging them.

Nice party trick. Is it useful or appropriate?

This is a cheap wafer (maybe pin) lock for which the key has been lost. What do you do with it when it is open? There's no key. It's cheaper to replace it than it is to cut a new key to fit it.

I've with the Medway Handyman on this. It's cheaper to damage & replace this type of lock than it is to cut keys for it, and especially not to pay a call-out fee for a specialist. The pragmatic approach is to pull it, either pulling the lock from the case or the core from the lock body, then to fit a new one.

"GB" wrote in message ...

On 20/01/2013 23:06, Bill wrote:

Thought I'd try the small drill where the serrated edge of the key would
sit in the lock. The drill wandered very slightly, but I guided it back
and after about 2 seconds the drill grabbed, rotated the core of the
lock, and the door opened.

So, you snapped the pins in the lock using a drill. I suppose that's one
way to do it.


Daughter and her husband are delighted. The door can now be opened with
a gentle turn of a screwdriver, which is quite secure enough for a
postbox..


We keep our key on a magnet under the box - not easy to reach from outside
of the gate but dead handy when getting the post. Anything valuable should
be sent signed for so not appropriate for the box anyway.

AWEM

On Jan 21, 12:34*pm, "Andrew Mawson"
wrote:
"GB" *wrote in k...

On 20/01/2013 23:06, Bill wrote:

Thought I'd try the small drill where the serrated edge of the key would
sit in the lock. The drill wandered very slightly, but I guided it back
and after about 2 seconds the drill grabbed, rotated the core of the
lock, and the door opened.

So, you snapped the pins in the lock using a drill. I suppose that's one
way to do it.

Daughter and her husband are delighted. The door can now be opened with
a gentle turn of a screwdriver, which is quite secure enough for a
postbox..

We keep our key on a magnet under the box - not easy to reach from outside
of the gate but dead handy when getting the post. Anything valuable should
be sent signed for so not appropriate for the box anyway.

AWEM

So why do you lock the box? We took the lock off ours in a remote
rural situation.

Jonathan

On 1/21/2013 10:01 AM, Jonathan wrote:

So why do you lock the box? We took the lock off ours in a remote
rural situation.

We keep ours locked because in our remote rural location, strong winds
would blow the door open - or off.
The key is left in the lock, though...

"Jonathan" wrote in message
...

On Jan 21, 12:34 pm, "Andrew Mawson"
wrote:
"GB" wrote in k...

On 20/01/2013 23:06, Bill wrote:

Thought I'd try the small drill where the serrated edge of the key
would
sit in the lock. The drill wandered very slightly, but I guided it
back
and after about 2 seconds the drill grabbed, rotated the core of the
lock, and the door opened.

So, you snapped the pins in the lock using a drill. I suppose that's one
way to do it.

Daughter and her husband are delighted. The door can now be opened
with
a gentle turn of a screwdriver, which is quite secure enough for a
postbox..

We keep our key on a magnet under the box - not easy to reach from
outside
of the gate but dead handy when getting the post. Anything valuable
should
be sent signed for so not appropriate for the box anyway.

AWEM

So why do you lock the box? We took the lock off ours in a remote
rural situation.

Jonathan

'cos it's a nasty bent steel arrangement with that stupid euro 'post horn'
pressed into the front, and the 'lock' is the only thing that stops it
swinging in the wind. It'll be in the skip soon when the new front wall and
automatic gate are installed, replaced by a decent cast one built into the
wall with rear entry (if you'll pardon the expression)

AWEM

Percy wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbFIeMxw0U

An excellent example of a dangerous idiot who hasn't got a clue what
he's doing. A real "Locksmith" could open the locks without damaging
them.

Typical american "I've got a drill gun here, yee har! I'm a real man,
I've gotta gun!"

It's a *drill* dickhead, or possibly "handheld drill", or "cordless
drill".

JGH