✅ How to open a garage rack lock without a key

Locks, Accessories

A mechanical lock of the overhead type with several crossbars is called a rack and pinion lock. The more bolts, the more difficult it is to open such a device.

The lock works according to a simple scheme. On the main crossbar, oblique grooves are cut, maintained at a specific angle. They match the angle of the key teeth. When the key is inserted into the lock's hole, the teeth engage with the slots in the rack. When pressed, it begins to move and the door opens.

It must be said that rack locks have a number of advantages. They work at any temperature and are not afraid of high humidity and precipitation. Therefore, this device is successfully used as a garage lock. But opening such a mechanism is not difficult, so they are rarely installed in apartment doors.

The device of the deadbolt locking mechanism

This design is suitable for garage doors, especially if it is installed in conjunction with a safe mortise lock. Installation is carried out in an overhead manner, fixed with several bolts. Rack structures rarely break because they do not have levers.

How to open a rack lock without a key

A mechanical lock of the overhead type with several crossbars is called a rack and pinion lock.
The more bolts, the more difficult it is to open such a device. The lock works according to a simple scheme. On the main crossbar, oblique grooves are cut, maintained at a specific angle. They match the angle of the key teeth. When the key is inserted into the lock's hole, the teeth engage with the slots in the rack. When pressed, it begins to move and the door opens.

The device of the deadbolt locking mechanism

How to remove a broken key

If a key gets stuck in the hole during an attempt to open it, it can be removed in several ways. Holding the visible part of the key with pliers, try to turn it in the opposite direction. To simplify the task, it is worth spraying the well with anti-corrosion liquid or machine oil, which will make sliding easier. You can also gently tap the key to loosen it.

If the key breaks and there is a piece left inside, you need to pry it off using a brass tube. It is enough to heat the base of the tube with a soldering lamp and put it on the piece. After waiting for the tube to cool, all that remains is to turn it to open the door and remove the key.

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How does a rack lock work?

The entire structure consists of several parts:

frame;
key;
rail;
spring.

A rail is made from a rectangular metal blank. On it, oblique teeth and grooves are cut with a milling cutter while maintaining a certain angle. The number of slats may vary. In order for the lock to close, a special spring is installed. The body is made of durable steel of various sizes and shapes.

The most difficult part of a lock is the key. When making it, you need to accurately cut the grooves and adjust them to the angle of the slats. Moreover, cutting can be carried out on both sides of the key.

Rack lock diagram

Making a duplicate is difficult. Therefore, opening it if you suddenly lose the key to the rack and pinion lock becomes a headache.

These keys are considered non-standard. To make a duplicate, it is difficult to find a suitable blank. The technology of work also poses difficulties. It is necessary to manually bring the teeth to complete alignment with the rack. The shape of deadbolt keys varies. They are performed:

round;
flat;
long;
thick;
thin,
heavy.

Magnetic lock

The keys to such locks are a system of small magnets that are arranged in such a way as to repel the magnets in the lock. There is no chance of opening such a lock without the appropriate equipment: a magnetic master key creates a vibrating electromagnetic field, causing the larva, that is, the magnets in the lock, to vibrate at high speed, and, accordingly, get confused and open the lock. Please note that not all small parts in the castle can survive this process. Result: the key has lost its value and no longer guarantees the security of your apartment.

Method of opening rack models

How to open a rack lock without a key? What are the mechanics of this process? Some models are equipped with a device that allows you to set the bolt to the “locked” position.

However, even with a large number of bolts, there are many ways to open a lock if the keys are lost. All of them are used for one purpose - to move the rack and get it out of engagement.

Let's get acquainted with the technology of how to open a rack lock with minimal cost. You need to take a strong thread or string. Use any tool, such as a screwdriver, to bend the door leaf away from the block. Insert the wire loop into the keyhole. It is pushed through the length of the crack made. The loop should grip the rack tooth.

If you pull the attached wire, the rail moves to the side and the lock opens easily.

One way to open a rack and pinion mechanism

You can open a deadbolt or rack lock with a sharp object. In the same way, create a gap and insert some sharp object. After it engages with the teeth, slowly move the rack until the lock opens.

If the lock has several bolts, two or three approaches are performed. Each shifted rail is fixed with any suitable object. It should not move back under spring pressure. Once all the slats are moved, just lightly press the door to open it.

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If you find yourself indoors, you can open the rack lock:

key;
with a special pen.

Level castle

It consists of a set of plates with various grooves and notches. The key to such a lock was called “butterfly” because of its shape; if it is not there, you need to achieve displacement of the plates, and this is quite difficult.

The number of plates and the complexity of their design depend on the security class of the lock. Locks of class 4 burglary resistance are usually installed on an expensive metal door. Such mechanisms also have additional protection, for example, magnetic shutters. You should not even try to open such a lock yourself if you are not a professional burglar. But if there are no special “bells and whistles”, then you can risk opening the “sulvadnik”, even taking into account that few people succeed in this the first time.

You can try to open the larva using a hook and a roll.

Bend the tip of a thin screwdriver - this will be a roll;
Bend the tip of the knitting needle with a hook - this will be a master key;
Insert the roll and the master key into the lock cylinder;
After pushing the roll all the way, turn it while maintaining tension. Using a hook, we begin to move and shift each plate, turning the roll. If this succeeds, the plate has given way.

The second way is to damage the shank mount. To do this, you just need to find the design of your type of lock indicating the location of the internal elements. Next, install the drill strictly at the location of the tail and begin drilling. The castle will fall apart from the inside as soon as the goal is achieved. The crossbars will then yield to the influence of a simple hook.

Negative qualities

The main disadvantage of rack locks is their low burglary resistance. The above describes methods that are known to many. For burglars, there is no problem with how to open a deadbolt lock. This is done with an ordinary pocket knife.

Modern security structures refuse to protect an object if the canvas protects only one rack lock. They consider this device to be ineffective in adequately protecting property.

Such rack models have non-standard sizes and differ in shape. If a replacement is required, it is difficult to find another lock due to the mismatch of the seat.

How to open an interior door if there is no key

Interior doors are also susceptible to the problem of missing keys. Let's say a child locks himself in the toilet and cannot reach the lock. How can I help him? Fortunately, for the most part, interior door locks are equipped with a safety system: there is a hole on the outer part of the lining; you just need to insert any nail into it and apply pressure - the handle can be easily turned and the door can be opened.

Alas, a safety system is not always provided; nevertheless, you can use different locks for an interior door - overhead, carved or latches. In this case, you can open the room using a regular plastic card. The simplest tongue lock will move if you slide a plastic card between the door and the jamb, along the lock and turn the handle.

If this option does not help to open the interior door, you can use the master key method described above.

There are no locks that cannot be picked, but many of them can cause trouble. But it’s so easy to avoid unnecessary headaches: make several duplicate keys to your apartment, keep them at home and with people you completely trust, and, finally, just be more careful!

Technique for opening a deadbolt lock

The popularity of this device has long passed. Opening the crossbar mechanism today does not cause difficulties. Of course, such a lock is not very reliable, but if you accidentally lose the key, you know that you will be able to open it.

The simplest way is to open it with a screwdriver and fishing line. A loop of fishing line is inserted into the keyhole. It needs to hook the bolt that locks the door.

Use a screwdriver to press out the blade so that the hooked bolt does not interfere with the opening of the door. This way you can open the reverse lock.

Opening the bolt mechanism

For a forward lock, opening requires other actions. To do this, it is recommended to use a thin pencil. It needs to be inserted into the keyhole and pushed as far as possible. This item will play the role of a key and easily move the bolt. If the pencil is made of hard wood, it needs to be soaked in warm water.

If the lock is secured with bolts extending outwards, then opening the door is simple: unscrew the bolts, remove the lock and go into the room. But no one does this, the lock is attached only from the inside, an exception may be an interior door.

When opening the lock in any way, remember that any deadbolt lock is a fragile structure. Using force can break it. If the deadbolt breaks, you will have to knock it out, buy a new lock and install it.

In fact, opening the rack and pinion locking mechanism is not difficult. All you need is the right tool for this. Make sure the process is easy by watching the video.

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Selecting the right tool

To open a garage lock, specialized tools are required, which must be used for any type of internal device. You can hack using the following tools:

A universal master key equipped with a retractable hook. Externally, the tool resembles a key with an oblong shaft and a complex bit on which a hook is attached for prying off the internal plates.
Pick with rounded tension. The device is suitable for breaking locks of the 2nd and 3rd degree of protection. If you need to open a mechanism with a more complex device, this type of master key will not work.
Roll with a hook. The most reliable device to use, but it can only be used with certain skill and experience.

The listed tools are used for manipulative opening. A simpler and faster way is to hack using brute force. In this case, the following tools may be required:

electric drill;
curved scrap;
Sander;
Screwdriver Set;
hydraulic shears;
hammer;
pliers;
acetylene welding.

The specific list of tools depends on the type of lock and its serviceability. When resorting to a rough hacking method, it is important to consider that manipulation can cause severe damage, as a result of which the mechanism will need to be replaced.

Rack locks: keyless opening

A rack and pinion lock is a surface-mounted mechanical lock that has one or two bolts for locking. Of course, two bolts are better, but in terms of secrecy and burglary resistance, these mechanisms, invented back in Soviet times, leave much to be desired.

In principle, the operation of the lock is quite simple. On the main crossbar, oblique grooves are cut with a milling cutter at a certain angle, which coincide in location with the teeth on the key.

When we insert the key into the keyhole, its teeth engage with the grooves of the rack and, when pressed, the rack moves away and the door opens.

Rack locks are absolutely unpretentious, work well both at sub-zero and positive temperatures, tolerate humidity and precipitation well, but due to their low burglary resistance they are not recommended for installation in apartment doors.

However, for installation in a gate or garage door, a rack lock is perfect, especially if you combine it with a mortise safe.

The locks are installed in an overhead manner, on the outer surface of the garage door, secured with self-tapping screws or bolts.

There are legends about the service life of these mechanisms; they practically do not break, because the design completely lacks springs and levers.

Rack locks - the most complete information, advice.

In this material we will talk about the so-called rack and pinion locks, their structure and the problems associated with them. We would like to emphasize that our company does not sell or service rack locks (we also do not make keys), but comprehensively resolves issues related to the replacement of these locks.

Origin of rack locks

To be honest, we were never able to find information about the origin of the rack and pinion lock. On some sites they write that its origin goes back to ancient Egypt. We strongly doubt it, but we won’t dispute it.

We assume that rack locks could have appeared during the period of industrialization. When people began to work en masse on machines and process metal in commercial quantities. But, alas, we do not have a clear answer as to when the castles appeared and what caused their appearance. Do you have one - write in the comments.

So what is a rack lock?

This is a lock that does not have a security mechanism, and the locking is ensured by spring-loaded bolts of a certain shape. The bolts of such a lock are controlled from the inside using handles. The handle is a screw screwed into each bolt, behind which the bolt stupidly moves in the direction of opening, overcoming the force of the spring.

The bolt of the rack lock is controlled from the outside using a rack key. We call it the oblique jagged river. The key of a rack lock is either simply inserted and pressed into the hole of such a lock from the outside. Or it is inserted and pulled out towards itself, if it is a rack-and-pinion reverse lock.

Castle design

The structure of a rack lock in the vast majority of cases is very primitive.

The lock consists of a body of some shape that is mounted on the door. There are bolts protruding from the case, there are also holes for attaching the lock, as well as a through key hole.

Inside the body there are crossbars. That is, these are metal sticks that actually lock the door. The locking bars of the rack and pinion lock are spring-loaded and always strive to exit the body to the maximum distance accessible by design.

The locking bars of a rack and pinion lock have grooves, that is, recesses located at a certain angle relative to the vector of movement of the bolt.

Well, the last component of this type of lock is the key. The key is a stick of a certain shape. It can be round, square, rectangular or hook-shaped if it is a rack-and-pinion reverse lock.

The keys also have grooves parallel to each other at a certain angle. Depending on the specific lock, on the preferences of the master or manufacturer who produced it, the grooves can be located at different distances from each other, have different widths and depths, and their number can be different, depending on the design.

Principle of operation.

The movement of the rack key in the lock is strictly limited by the through key hole; it can only move forward and backward. Either to yourself or from yourself.

When the key is positioned, it rests against the locking bars. Now, if we press the key further into the hole, overcoming the force of the bolt springs, the protrusions of the rack key will engage with the grooves of the racks inside the lock. By pressing the key further, you will use it to move the bolts of the rack and pinion lock according to the principle of sliding down an ice slide. At the moment some protrusions disengage, others will engage, as in a kind of rectangular gears.

And this will happen until the bolts completely enter the body, opening the door. At the same time, the key will rest and refuse to go further into the well. Removing the key from the well, as you probably already guessed, will be accompanied by the release of the bolts from the housing.

And lastly, the bolt of the rack lock from the outside into the body can be bluntly pressed with your fingers, and then the door can be closed. As soon as you slam the door so far that the frame holes are underneath them, the bolts, under the action of the springs, will shoot into these holes and close the door. Owners of rack locks often love this feature, calling it automatic closing.

Tips: how to open a door rack lock without a key?

The methods for opening deadbolt locks are quite primitive, universal and boil down to one thing: you need to move the slats one by one. Let's consider several ways:

Open the rack lock with a guitar string or fishing line.

First, we press the door using a crowbar or a screwdriver, which we insert into the gap between the door and the jamb. We make a loop from a guitar string or fishing line, which we insert into the keyhole, loop it around the pins (with which the lock opens from the inside) and gently pull it towards ourselves. At the same time, the slats move away and the door opens.

Open the rack lock with a carrot or pencil

First, lubricate or spray the lock with WD-40, then release the bolt by slightly pressing the door against opening and carefully drive a carrot or soft wood pencil into the keyhole. Thanks to the soft material, the teeth from the rack will leave corresponding grooves on the carrot or wood and the lock will open.

Opening a rack lock with a screwdriver, awl or crochet hook

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We press the door with our shoulder in the direction of opening and move one tooth or notch at a time with a screwdriver, an awl or a hook along the crossbar. When the upper bolt is open, we block it from closing with a match or whatever is at hand and move on to the lower bolt. Carefully bring the upper crossbar under the parallel position and push the door.

How to open a rack and pinion lock using a drill and screwdriver

It is possible to open a rack garage lock or a metal door using a drill without damaging the door leaf. First, we push a sheet of paper between the closed door and the frame and determine the location of the closed bolt. Then we drill small holes in the box and use a screwdriver (or two, depending on the lock model) to move the bolt.

Rack wrenches

Nowadays, it is quite problematic to find a workshop that makes duplicate rack and pinion wrenches. This is due to the fact that rack and pinion wrenches are quite difficult to make due to the specific angle of cutting the teeth and manual adjustment to the original. The deadbolt key also falls into the non-standard category; it is quite difficult to find a blank for it.

The rack wrench is divided into two main types: with a round and a flat blank. In turn, the key blank is threaded on one or both sides. A huge disadvantage of these keys is that they are very long and heavy, and the cost of a duplicate is quite high.

Useful video: learning how to open different types of garage locks

It is worth watching the useful materials in the video. The following video shows how to open a deadbolt garage door lock without using a key and avoiding damage.

If your garage has a lever lock, you will need to watch the following video before opening it.

You may also find this video useful, which offers three different ways to open a lock without a key. They will come in handy if the key is lost, broken during unsuccessful attempts to open the lock, or is severely deformed.

How to open a garage rack and pinion lock without a key - recommendations

Locking devices of this type are mainly installed in garages and sheds; they are often equipped with utility room doors and gates. But it is not recommended to use them on entrance doors - with some persistence you can open a rack lock without a key. This article will help those who for some reason lost it (broke it) and cannot gain access to their personal garage.

Secret mechanism device
Opening methods
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Useful tips

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Factory locks - overview

We are unlikely to help you find craftsmen who could make you a custom-made lock. And it is incorrect to describe the process of manufacturing a locking device in the context of this article. It’s better to review factory locking devices with a falling key, especially since these are all very worthy locks and deserve your attention.

Locking device with falling key POLTAVA. A Ukrainian-made lock with a powerful 20x20 mm bolt, controlled by a gear. The gear has special holes for the protrusions of the folding head. The lock body has dimensions of 150x90 mm.
Garage locking device with a falling key "Neptune" of domestic production. The lock has a double deadbolt controlled by a gear located in the middle. The lock body is covered with a metal plate, so an attacker will not be able to see its internal structure. The lock is attached to 4 hardened, drill-resistant fasteners.

To summarize, we note that locking devices with a falling key are an excellent additional protection for your garage gate from attacks by intruders. Experts do not recommend relying only on such a device, but if you install it along with a reliable lever lock, you can thus create a reliable barrier between your property and criminals.

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Secret mechanism device

It is quite simple, the only difference is in the number of crossbars, their shape and location; The more elements, the more reliable the constipation.

In the upper part of the metal plate associated with them (the “slider”) there is a cutting in the form of oblique grooves (in some models they are directly on the slats). The key has teeth with the same pitch and parameters corresponding to the recesses of the “secret”. Having inserted it into the hole, you can open the lock by simply turning it. In this case, it is recommended to press the door slightly to facilitate the movement of the fixing pins.

Easy to install - the rack lock is attached to the canvas in an overhead manner.
Durability. The design is so primitive that there is nothing to break in such a locking device; Traditional pins, levers, and elements of electrical equipment are absent.
Possibility of making it yourself.
Low cost rack-and-pinion garage locks.

What is a falling key locking device?

Locking devices with a falling key are locks of unusual design, more reminiscent of complex deadbolts. But the most remarkable thing is the design of their keys, which are an ordinary long rod, at one end of which there is a lamb, and at the other a tricky drop-out metal strip with protrusions.

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The lock itself consists of a powerful bolt, the moving part of which is serrated; these serrations fit tightly to the gear, which is attached to the lock body. The gear can be located either above the moving part of the bolt or below, the main thing is that during rotation it freely moves the bolt. In the very center of the gear there is a through hole that goes out through the garage door leaf. This hole acts as a keyhole.

In order for the lock to open, it is necessary to position the hinged head of the key (the part with the notches that drops out) parallel to the rod. Then you need to insert the rod into the keyhole all the way, so that the wing rests against the door leaf of the gate. Now you need to pull the thumb towards you until it stops, so that the folding head straightens out and fits into the grooves of the gear. Next, you need to turn the key until the gear moves the bolt and the gate opens.

Important! The more turns you need to make to open the lock, the better, so use locks with long bolts.

Opening methods

Option 1

If the mechanism is relatively new and regularly serviced, then you only need a screwdriver with a long blade. It is necessary to insert it into the well and try to feel the groove of the “slider”. After this, you need to slightly tilt the tip to achieve a rigid “hitch”, and you can open the garage lock. By pressing the door and inserting a screwdriver one by one into the next grooves, the bolts are moved to the side. As a rule, a quarter of an hour is enough, and the canvas will unlock.

If you don’t have a screwdriver, any thin object of the appropriate cross-section will do - a pencil, a piece of branch, a long nail. The only thing that is advisable to do is to wet the wood first, otherwise it will split under great force.

Option 2

Opening a rack lock without a key using this method is somewhat more difficult, and it is also not always possible. You need to find a tool (optionally, “hard” wire) with a long and thin tip - a screwdriver, an awl or something similar.

The opening is carried out through the gap between the door leaf and the garage gate leaf. It will have to be bent a little and fixed in this position. You can use an axe, a nail puller, or a small crowbar; If the meaning is clear, it is not difficult to find. The working tool goes deep into the slot with the calculation to get to the edge of the groove. After this, you need to press and try to move the bolt from its place. It will take a lot of time, but the rack lock will definitely give in.

Option 3

If you have time, you don’t have to think about how to open a garage lock with a “slider”. It is advisable to prepare a “lasso”; it will come in handy more than once in a force majeure situation. It is made from a metal tube and cable; it is inserted into it and brought out in the form of a loop. By flattening the end of an improvised handle, you can get a kind of key.

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To open it, it is necessary to remove the bolts one by one. At the end of each there is a protrusion in the form of a pin; These are the ones you should throw a lasso at. As soon as it works, by turning the tube and moving it to the side, they shift to the “open” position.

With this method, it is recommended to try two methods: insert the key into the gap between the sashes (if one of them can be bent) or into the well. But in any case, the lock will open.

Useful tips

Almost all factory-made rack and pinion mechanisms are equipped with a return spring. To open a deadbolt lock with several locks, each one must be locked.
These locks are quite fragile. This must be taken into account during the unlocking process. Excessive efforts lead to deformation of the edges of the grooves, and this will cause difficulties with the subsequent operation of the product, even if it can be opened with the “original” key.
Given the simplicity of rack and pinion locks, it is not worth using them separately. We can talk about reliable door protection only if it is additionally equipped with another locking device, and of a different type.

Knowing the principle of operation of the rack and pinion mechanism, it is not difficult to choose an acceptable method of opening it. And in this regard, it is appropriate to remind you of the need for regular maintenance of the castle. If it is systematically cleaned and lubricated, then there will be no problems with the displacement of the crossbars.

Opening garage systems

It is useless to struggle and try to open a jammed lock using standard methods, for example, selecting keys and master keys. If the key blank for your garage lock is “dead”, and there is not even a play or a hint of movement of the mechanism, it means that the parts are “soldered” by frozen water and jammed.

Advice! You should not try to warm up the lock by dousing it with alcohol, vodka or gasoline. In the most exceptional cases, you can try to warm up the padlock with a homemade torch made of paper or rags.

You can warm the lock with a hairdryer or a bottle torch, periodically tapping it with a hammer on the steel surface of the garage door in the area where the housing is installed. If the internal lock is jammed, you will have to open it and cut out the locking elements.

Methods for opening a lock

Most often, you can open a garage lock in one of the following ways:

Mechanical cutting of the lock fastening. In this case, you have to drill out the welding points of the fastening or body, trim the edge of the garage door and locking cylinders, or drill out the secret;
A master key or similar device. Opening the secrets of garage locks with such tools is much easier than opening apartment doors. Therefore, even with minimal practice, knowing the principle and procedure, revealing the secret is not particularly difficult;
Opening with destruction of the lock's secret. This is the least traumatic and fastest way to open a jammed lock. After removing the secret, as a rule, it is possible to unlock the mechanism and open the door. Changing the secret is cheaper and faster than buying a new mechanism.

Very often, the cause of the mechanism jamming is the use of inappropriate types of lubricant or problems with the installation of garage doors. For example, if instead of graphite lubricant or lithol the mechanism is lubricated with solid oil or waste oil, in about a month to a month and a half the process of corrosion and chemical welding of parts will begin. The surest way to damage the garage door lock is to lubricate it with sunflower oil or any kind of edible fat. It is almost impossible to open garage lock mechanisms in such cases.

How to open a jammed garage deadbolt lock

Until recently, this was the main garage lock. Thanks to the simple device, almost every machining enterprise in the USSR was engaged in the manufacture of such structures. The locking system was based on a slide with oblique grooves, the slope and shape of which corresponded to the cutting on the key. It was enough to insert the key into the key hole and press down firmly. The force was transmitted to the slide, and the locking tongue was retracted to the side, compressing the return spring.

It is very easy to open a working lock mechanism with a regular slotted screwdriver. The tip of the screwdriver is inserted into the keyhole and forcefully presses the slide towards the opening, while it is necessary to simultaneously press the garage door leaf to block the action of the return spring. It takes 10-15 minutes to open.

The disadvantages of deadbolt locks include the high probability of the mechanism jamming, as in the video:

Opening garage door locks

It is possible to open more complex level systems even faster than rack or crossbar structures. In 90 cases out of 100, a garage lock of this type is opened with two L-shaped master keys in the following order:

The first master key is inserted into the keyhole, and on the opposite side from the exit point of the locking cylinders, you need to grope and lock the bolt plate in a stationary state;
Using the second master key, feel in the central part of the lock and lower each lever plate down until it clicks, thereby releasing the protrusion of the bolt blocking the movement;
All that remains is to release and move the cylinders to their extreme position to unlock the garage door.

The opening technique is very accurately described in the video:

How to open a lock with a cross-shaped key

If a cross-shaped key is used in the lock design, opening the secret is possible using three methods. The simplest is the usual drilling with a carbide drill or turning the secret body with a thieves' device - a twist wrench. In this case, the pins are destroyed and the sockets in which they are installed break off. Such an opening is equivalent to the destruction of the castle itself.

Lost your front door key? The first thing that comes to mind is to call specialists, the second is to knock down the door. These are quite reasonable ideas, but their implementation is somewhat expensive. There is no reason to break down an iron door or pay someone until you have tried the option of opening the lock without a key.

Opening a garage lock quickly and easily

Sometimes strange things happen. You are standing in front of a closed door, rummaging in your pockets and suddenly realize that the keys are missing and it is unclear when and where they were lost. Probably, at that moment, every person regretted that he did not know how to open door locks.

We recommend reading this article so that in such unforeseen situations you know how to act.

Opening different types of locks
Rack locks
Cylinder lock with cross plates
Cylinder lock with pins
Level locks
Barrier
Working with the lock cylinder
Removing the lock core
Repairing the cylinder
Replacing the larva
Taking out the broken key
Bottom line

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Cross castle

It is quite simple, opens with a screwdriver and a drill. Moreover, many apartments have doors with such locks. If you drill the cylinder with a drill slightly larger in diameter than the key, you can open the lock with a screwdriver.

There is a way to open a cross lock using chewing gum. To do this, you need to insert soft chewing gum into the lock core and push it deep. After it hardens, you can open the lock with the first screwdriver you come across. This is explained by the fact that the rubber band takes the shape of a key, so removing it will be problematic.

Opening different types of locks

Humanity has come up with a huge number of castle designs. Some turned out to be too complex to implement and unreliable, some, on the contrary, were too primitive, and both are used extremely rarely or not used at all. Next, we will consider the most common types of locks and methods for breaking them.

Rack locks

This type of locks is quite simple in structure. There are bolts protruding from the case, there are mounting holes and a through key hole. Inside the housing, built into the door, there are crossbar slats, which are columns that cover the lock. These slats are pushed outward by a spring.

They contain grooves located at an angle to the vector of movement of the bolt.

Since the structure includes several crossbars, there are 2 ways to break it:

Between the doors there is a gap through which the bolts should be moved one by one. The crossbars are allowed to be moved with an awl through the key hole.
Make a metal loop from string. A tube is inserted into the keyhole, a loop is inserted into it and placed over the handles of the bolts, moving them.

Rack and bolt locks can be easily opened with a universal master key made from the same key.

Cylinder lock with cross plates

The locks are equipped with special keys, which have a cylindrical working part, cut vertically, and on the transverse side, it looks like a circle cut in half. The design of the locks has low reliability indicators; they can be easily opened with a high-strength steel master key.

It can be hacked in several ways:

The lock opens by turning a rod made of high-strength material.
If you have a drill with drill bits, you can actually drill out the cylinder in a couple of minutes.

Scheme for opening a cylinder lock.
Experts say that if you have a choice, it is better to choose another lock, since experienced burglars can break into a cylinder lock with cross plates in a few seconds.

Cylinder lock with pins

In addition to the bolt drive and cylinder, the composition includes a metal or steel body, pins with return springs, and a cam that moves the bolt. Pins in contact with the key or with blocking the lock mechanism relative to the body.

Keys are cylindrical tubes with teeth, holes or cutouts in the same number as there are pins in the lock body.

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Many offices and schools built in Soviet times still have such locks, which are not distinguished by high levels of protection and reliability. For greater reliability, multi-row keys with perforation at the end are used.

Lock device.

To break into a structure, you will need a special device that resembles a turnkey blank, called a roll:

A blank key is inserted into the keyhole and turned there using a lever.
The roll has greater durability than pins. The pins will begin to wear, causing the lock to open.

The lock is inexpensive and is installed on doors behind which particularly important and valuable things are not stored.

Level locks

The design contains a secret part in the form of figured plates. It will only be possible to open it when all the plates are in a certain position. This is a very common type of locks installed on metal doors of garages, offices or industrial buildings.

The suswald lock has 3 round bolts. It has good reliability indicators if it is made from high-quality and high-strength materials.

The same package known to us can help open the lock. It is inserted almost all the way and turned until it stops. At the same time, use a knitting needle and hook to move the first plate. At the same time, you should try to turn the roll at least a quarter of a turn.

The plate gave way when it was possible to do this. The same actions should be carried out with other plates.

Barrier

This type of lock is distinguished by the design of the security mechanism. In other locks, the pins are arranged in one row, but in a barrier they are arranged in a circle. Due to this, secrecy increases, and it is much more difficult to open it.

The key is a tube with holes of different depths marked on it, representing a coding. It is almost impossible to take an impression of such a key.

The barrier lock structure is opened using:

Spin. The fastening of the inner part of the lock is broken and the steel rods are torn.
Master key. Used when the code pins are worn out.
Selection of keys. It is very rare, but there are cases when the lock can actually be opened with a key similar to the original one.

However, picking these types of locks is a big challenge because they were designed to be as secure as possible.

Types of locks and how to break them yourself

The features and sequence of independent hacking directly depend on the type of lock. It can be mounted, lever-mounted, rack-and-pinion, cylinder-type or have a less common internal structure. You can find out which type is installed in your garage by external signs or in the attached technical documentation.

Rack and pinion

The design of rack locking devices involves the presence of several crossbars inside. If they are rusty or broken, you can hack in several ways:

Insert a thin tube into the well and thread a metal string twisted into a loop through it. To move the crossbars, you need to throw a loop around their handles.
Carefully move the crossbars through the key hole with an awl or other similar object.
Through the gap between the sashes, move each crossbar one by one with a thin metal tool.

If the rack lock is equipped with a bolt locking function, it can be opened with a universal master key. Also, rack varieties are subject to forced opening by cutting off the crossbars.

Cylinder lock with cross plates

The transverse arrangement of the plates in the cylinder lock ensures ease of opening. To maintain the serviceability of the mechanism after hacking, you can place a metal rod inside the well and turn it until it opens. If the plates in the cylinder device cannot be opened, the internal elements will need to be damaged.

The cylinder can be drilled using a high-performance electric drill and a suitable size drill bit made of carbide.

Level

The simplest type in terms of internal structure is the lever type. If the mechanism is jammed or the key is lost, you can open the lock with almost any similar key, wire or standard master key.

Barrier

Despite its complex design, the Barrier-type deadbolt lock is also subject to hacking. Inside the device there are 3 pins and an extended bolt made of durable material. The disadvantage of the locking element is the weak part securing the cylinder assembly. Using a hammer, you can knock out the fixing part, and then remove the cylinder.

Cylinder lock with pins

When hacking, you need to take into account that the presence of internal pins can complicate the process. Some cylinder-type locking devices have multiple rows of pins. Since the elements are made of fragile materials, they can be removed using a sharp roll. The tool looks like a regular key blank. To successfully pick a lock, it is important that the metal tool can fit freely inside the hole.

During the opening process, the roll is inserted into the key hole and rotated in the cylinder using a special lever. The pins with the lowest strength will be gradually cut off with a sharp roll. After cutting off all the elements, the mechanism will open. After using the rollup, you will need to install a new lock, since a hacked device cannot be restored.

Working with the lock cylinder

Often, after breaking a lock, the question of restoring the damaged structure arises. The main element in the lock is the cylinder, which can be replaced or repaired, and then the lock will work perfectly.

Removing the lock core

The algorithm of work is not complicated; it is necessary to carry out the following manipulations. A key corresponding to a given lock is inserted into the keyhole and turned in the direction of opening. Without removing the key, unscrew the fasteners of the front lock plate located at the end of the door.

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Then the screw located in the center of the tongue and lock is removed. Next, you should change the position of the key by 40 degrees and make sure that the cylinder comes out of the locking device easily.

Sometimes a situation occurs when there is no key in the structure, and it is completely broken. In this case, a drill with a drill bit with a diameter of about 10 mm will help. A drill is used to drill a hole in the core and then it is easily removed.

Repairing the cylinder

You should take a good look at the removed cylinder and determine how much it needs repair. On the side of one of the core plates there are tabs that hold the metal plastic; they should be carefully bent.

Disc lock device.

The plate moves and the pins and springs become clearly visible; they should be carefully cleaned. The springs should stretch well and press the pins securely; if this is not the case, then stretch the springs manually.

Under no circumstances, during assembly, do not confuse the location of the pins. When they are out of place, the lock will not work.

Replacing the larva

There is a situation when it is not possible to repair the cylinder and you need to install a new cylinder. You should choose a new one of the same dimensions as the old one, but it is possible to find one that is more reliable, stronger and with armored linings. The lock will be more difficult to knock out or drill out and this will protect your property from attacks by intruders.

To begin, a key is inserted into the cylinder. Then the part must be rotated so that the cylinder easily fits into the lock and is not interfered with by the flag. Then screw in the bolt. This process will be easy, provided that everything has been done correctly before. Afterwards the larva is fixed, and the end plate is installed in place.

How to repair and replace the larva

After opening the locking device, it is necessary to restore its functioning. The main element of any type of lock is the cylinder, which can be repaired or replaced. In case of breakage of the larva, the following steps must be performed sequentially:

Remove the broken part by unscrewing the device or using a drill.
Inspect the cylinder for serviceability and damage. If the cylinder is dismountable, it can be repaired. Otherwise, replacement is required.
After repairing or replacing the cylinder, it is installed in its original place, after which the end plate is fixed.

Core removal

If the larvae core is faulty, it can only be removed by drilling with a drill with a tip with a diameter of 10 mm. After drilling, the element will fall out on its own, without using a key. The jammed part can be removed in another way by following these steps:

insert the key into the hole and turn it all the way in the direction of opening;
Without removing the key, carefully unscrew the screws holding the end plate;
Unscrew the screw located in the center of the tongue and locking device;
turn the key so that the core falls out of the lock.

When it is necessary to pull out the pins when removing the core, you must not mix them up during further assembly. Otherwise, it will be impossible to open the garage doors with the same key.

Cylinder repair

To repair the cylinder, you must carefully bend the clamps holding the metal plate. The part is located on one side of the collapsible core. After sliding the plate, access to the pins and springs becomes available. After inspecting the elements, you need to clean the sockets, stretch the springs and press the pins securely.

Replacing the larva

When purchasing a new replacement cylinder, it is recommended to compare it with a broken one so that it fits in size. It is better to choose parts made of durable materials, since brass cylinders without protective linings are easily knocked out and do not provide a sufficient degree of safety. The replacement process is performed as follows:

the key is inserted into the cylinder;
the key is turned so that the protruding elements of the cylinder do not prevent it from freely fitting into its final location;
the fixing bolts are tightened;
the cylinder is connected to the lock;
the outer plate is installed.