Lost Key to outhouse – How do I get in with minimum damage

Well I say 'Lost' but actually the wife left the key inside and closed it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53669294@N08/4953921730/%5B/url%5D

The plate on the door actualy goes around the door edge and onto the inside of the door – at first I though I could unscrew the 2 visible screw heads and prise the remaining one but it will still be attached on the inside. Screwheads on the door edge lock are covered by the locking mechanism.

Options I see are:-
– hammer time on the locking mechanism but as it's a little rounded I'm not that I'd be able to hit it with sufficient force. (would it matter if it was hit top i.e. clockwise or bottom so spinning ant-clock ?)

– prise mechanism from door frame – likely to cause some damage but as the wood is old and possibly a little damp it might come out without too much of a fight.

– Drill mechanism – I guess I'd just have to drill and destroy the barrel ?

– Locksmith (phoned and looking at £70 to £80 to enter and replace)

help / suggestions appreciated

p.s. and yes I was on here asking about removing security tags a few weeks ago – just a coincidence / run of bad luck !

You can bump that lock

EDIT: I'm sure you could find plenty of information on the internetz if you wanted to know how to do it.

If you have an angle grinder you could cut through the hasp where it bends to meet the door.

You could drill out the lock

If the face place on the door is only screwed in and not coach bolted it would pull out supprisingly easily with a crow bar or a big screwdriver.

You could also try hammering a screwdriver into the lock and forcing it round.

I might ring the locksmith again (he sounded hassled when I rang) – if they don't need to replace the lock I guess the locksmith should charge less

If the face place on the door is only screwed in and not coach bolted it would pull out supprisingly easily with a crow bar or a big screwdriver

…but that's tempting

I'm not sure a 'how to' on lock breaking is somethign that we need on stw?

I know that 'probably' most people who want to do that sort of thing already know but there may be some who don't…

Fixed it for you 🙄

I'm pretty sure your average scrote would just rip it off with a a small crow bar / leaver causing maximum damage – nothing fancy needed. I'm interested in minimising the damage / cost.

Thanks Woody I'd already seen you're link whilst it was there and it reminded me that a locksmith shouldn't need to replace lock

I'd be looking at raking or bumping the lock personally, but I appreciate that's not for everyone.

My first thought was unscrew and prise, but the damage to the frame might be hard to fix.

I wonder if it's brute-forceable; pair of hefty mole grips on that lock might be enough to shatter the pins internally. It'd ruin the barrel, but it's probably the least work to replace. What's the cost of a new lock against the cost of a 'smith?

Thinking laterally – any other way in? Loosen the roof / jemmy a window / dig under the door?

I'm not sure a 'how to' on lock breaking is somethign that we need on stw?

Fairly sure that if someone was on the Internet looking for lock-picking guides, there's far better places to start looking than a forum for a MTB magazine.

(Plus, as already mentioned, your average bike thief turns up with bolt crops, not lock picks).

…window possible if I can borrow a small child to go in amongst the broken glass

If you have an angle grinder you could cut through the hasp where it bends to meet the door.

You could drill out the lock

If the face place on the door is only screwed in and not coach bolted it would pull out supprisingly easily with a crow bar or a big screwdriver.

You could also try hammering a screwdriver into the lock and forcing it round.
Great idea, now I just need to get my tools that are in the outhouse…

DOH!

😀

window possible if I can borrow a small child to go in amongst the broken glass

…

actually the wife left the key inside and closed it.

Sometimes, the solutions just present themselves.

I think I'll offer her the opportunity to redeem herself

nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure

p1ss on its bombers and own it with shoes?

philconsequence – Member

p1ss on its bombers and own it with shoes?

😆

I'm not sure a 'how to' on lock breaking is somethign that we need on stw?

As it happens – I wanted to start a career as shed breakerinerer & I've been lurking here for for 4 years waiting for someone to post the info

Would you believe it?
The moment I go to make a cuppa, someone posts it & then promptly deletes it

Is there no fairness in the world?

Damn it, now look what we've done.

Blow torch its ass and quench it to make it brittle as funk, then SMACK it with a cheapy chisel.?

Use the Bosch

😉

Looks like a pretty simple wafer lock, I could probably pick it given 10 minutes.

What side of the door are the hinges on? Seems like a daft question but on some old doors the hinges are on the outside and can be removed

Hammer a screwdriver into the lock and twist hard.

Quick update…after the wife expressed her reluctance to squeeze through a window I called the locksmith. It took the guy seconds with his 'pick' to open the lock…and the really good news is he didn't charge me a penny (He did fit a new front door lock from me about 8 months ago).

Now I've got nothing to fix. Sometimes perhaps it's just worth calling a professional.