OT-Any Lock Pickers out there?

Well, in my secret life . . .

Joanne Adler in Pt. Pleasant, PA

>I'm not a lock-picker, sorry. But my filing cabinet has a lock and on it are numbers and a company name. I'll bet a locksmith can make a key for it with such information. Might not cost too much. At least it would be cheaper than the fine you'd pay for strangling your nephew. :-)

Re: OT-Any Lock Pickers out there?

Robert Hutchins

>Jen, there really aren't too many different key/lock variations on most filing cabinets. In the days when we had rooms of them at the office, there were only about 5 or 6 that were different.

I bet you can record the ID from the lock and go to a local office supply house and get a key to unlock it.

Re: OT-Any Lock Pickers out there? *LINK*

Wade

>Picking the lock can be fun, if you have the right tools (see link) (when was the last time you heard that?) If you do not want to go down that route, a good locksmith wll probably charge $60 - $80...call around. If you do end up going down the drill out route, simply use a 1/8 drill bit in what is the top of your key slot. Drill all the way through the back of the lock assembly, and then use a pick to get all of the pins to drop out. Then you will still need to turn the lock cylinder with a small screwdriver to unlock the cabinet.

Good luck, and let us know what direction works for you.

Wade


http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTESearch?storeId=6970&N=0&Ntk=All&Ntt=lock%20pick&Nty=1&D=lock%20pick&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial

Re: OT-Any Lock Pickers out there?

Sgian Dubh

>You might find that if you stick a large flat bladed screwdriver (12"- 16" long) in the crack between the drawer and the cabinet on the right hand side, probably about halfway down the drawer height, that you can bend the side and locking mechanism out enough that you can release the drawer. The bending shouldn't permanently distort the cabinet side, but it could do.

The lock mechanism will be a vertical bar that runs the height of the cabinet, probably with something like a round metal post sticking out at right angles that engages with a catch in the drawer side.

There's usually enough slop in the mechanism and catch that a bit of bending and buggering about with screwdrivers as suggested will let you get in. Once you've got the drawers open you'll then be able to get at, and disable the locking mechanism completely, i.e., remove it.

The locks on filing cabinets and other office furniture are usually no more than Mickey Mouse affairs, or token, designed only to keep an honest person out. A bit of mild violence, minor determination, and some suitable cursing usually gets you in easily enough, ha, ha. Slainte.

Re: OT-Any Lock Pickers out there?

Jay St. Peter

>Had the same problem at a previous job, only with about 5 cabinets. A drill will do the job. Drill the key slot at the top. Progress through bit sizes until the pins fall out. Once it's done, you can remove it and buy a replacement at an office supply store ... or just remove it ;)

Jay St. Peter

I got it! I got it!

[email protected]

>Okay, I'm feeling really happy and sort of dumb at the same time. Apparently when this place sells these cabinets that have no keys, they already drill a hole in the lock. I didn't realize the hole at the top of the keyhole was not suppose to be there?! When I looked closer at it I could tell it had been drilled and wasn't from the factory like that. So stuck a tiny flat screwdriver in there and wiggled it around and it turned and the lock popped out! The drawers unlocked and now I can get to my stuff!

Sorry for the Drama, but thanks for all the great advice. I sure do appreciate it. I'll know what to look for next time.

Jen

Tipping them usually works...

John in New Mexico

>The vertical bar that Richard talked about usually comes out the bottom, so if its not too heavy to move out a foot or so, you can tip it back far enough to lift the bar. Its really easy, aside from moving it.

The one we opened at work (key long gone), we removed the locking bar so that we could still use the cabinet. As I remember that took about 2 hours compared to the 10 minutes to actually open the thing.

John

Re: Well, in my secret life . . .

[email protected]

>Joanne, thanks for the numbers advice. Thankfully I didn't have to go that far. My nephew is SO lucky. I was thinking about my brother's response when I broke the news to him that he needed to stop over here on his way home from work tomorrow to get the cabinet open. He would have loved that! My nephew is the type of kid that has his hands in everything he shouldn't. Pushes buttons just because they are there. I'm certain his ears were on fire this evening :)

Auntie Jen

Re: OT-Any Lock Pickers out there?

Guy Kroll

>Jennifer, isn't it just a little scary that so many of our friends on here, know how to break into a file cabinet??

Yes, Just a tad :)

[email protected]

>

That's where the Boss hides the liquer

Steve in Fresno

>

To avoid this in the future.....

Tim Greif - West of Chicago

>Our office used to have alot of those old file cabinets with locks, and very few keys for them. The very low tech way to prevent accidental locking is to wrap a few layers of electrical tape around the lock cylinder while it's popped out, so that it's not possible to push it into the cabinet. Worked for us for years.

OR,.....

Dominic Greco

>You could do like we did and REMOVE the whole dang lock! :>)

Dominic

What a coincidence...

[email protected]

>Tim,

Funny you suggested the electrical tape, because lo and behold, there were several layers wrapped around this one. My nephew just couldn't resist I guess peeled it off prior to pushing it in. All the more reason to strangle him!

Kids!

Jen :)