Breaking into a filing cabinet

We have an elderly filing cabinet at the sports club I attend that we need to get into. Sadly, the key has been lost.

The lock looks rather flimsy and my instinct is to force it. Any idea how hard it will be to do so?

Like, do I need to bring tools or will body weight do it?

I’d take tooks. You might not need them but it saves a journey if you find you do.

If you aren’t bothered about damage I am sure it will be a very quick job.

I had this same problem in FiL’s house after he died.

I was about to take the brute-force option but a quick-thinking relative suggested that I write to the manufacturer with the code number printed on the keyhole, and a few days later I had a key (for the princely sum of £2.49 or something like that).

Is there a key number on the lock? They are sometimes stamped on them.

If there is you may be able to get a replacement key for it – I’ve done this couple of times for locks on cabinets and desks at work when staff have left and not returned the keys. My local locksmith has always been very helpful with this sort of thing.

They normally lock down one side of the drawers. You can take knife of something and just slide it up until you feel something in the way then yank it up?

If you have the number from the lock barrel these people can usually sort you out with a replacement key.

https://nukey.co.uk/product-category/keys/

Petrol powered Stihl disc cutter is the obvious answer. Or dynamite.

tip it on its back and you normally have access to the locking mechanism from underneath.  Or drill the lock and hammer in a screwdriver.  Easier than busting up the cabinet.

Try picking it. You can make the tools really easily and it’s a fun thing to try and do in a group while you wait for the actual key to turn up from nukey. At school we got really adept at picking the array of padlocks people would secure their lockers with. It’s a bit worrying how crap most locks are.

Where are you? A typical filing cabinet lock can be picked in seconds. I’ll come and prove myself wrong if you’re local.

Note the key number on the barrel and order a new key from eBay from £1. This method may have been pointed out resulting in all controlled drug lockers needing replaced by an employer.

tip it on its back and you normally have access to the locking mechanism from underneath.

If it’s old definitely try this.

Have you tried calling Orange?

Had similar problem myself.Just found the lock number and name and got a 99p key if ebay.

You could drill into it, screw in a slide hammer and pop out the entire lock, or try your hand at picking it with one of those little lock picking kits you can buy.

It just depends if this will be under the cover of darkness and you dont want the police to hear you.