1. heuristics

    heuristics Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    519
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I have a padlock on a gate some distance from the house (bloody suburbia!!!!) .....anyway, I now want/need to open the gate, but the padlock seems to have seized up.
    Over the last couple of days I have unloaded almost a full can of WD-40 into/over it, with no success.
    Anyone got any suggestions about how I can get the lock to budge?
    And yes - I AM using the right key.

    Thanks......
     
  2. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2005
    Messages:
    1,590
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Heur,

    Get a hammer and belt the back of the padlock, and make sure the hook is onto something hard like a bolt or hinge.

    Repeat with a dash of wd-40, leave 10 mins... if that doesnt work then you have to buy a 'master key'... bolt cutters with about 30'' handles.

    Some times it takes the wd-40 a long time to work. More common is that your lock has been cut off and swapped by someone else, and yes, it may well be a 'lockwood' and 'identical' to what you put on the gate. Look closely at where the key goes in.. there is normally some symbols like ''A-12'' etc.. A locksmith can decode them.

    cheers

    floot.
     
  3. heuristics

    heuristics Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    519
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    thanks Floot
    will give it a bang with an "adjuster"
    I hope I dont have to resort to the """"master key"""option - what a pain in the arse!
     
  4. richard in manoa

    richard in manoa Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2007
    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Penetrating oil? Or one of those graphite lubricants? How annoying for you?!
     
  5. spritegal

    spritegal Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2005
    Messages:
    109
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Heuristics

    Is the lock rusted or does it look *suspiciously* new?
     
  6. BlackPacker

    BlackPacker Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2007
    Messages:
    61
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Shame....

    Instead of WD40, try CLP or breakfree, sometimes they work better than WD40.

    I have cut dozens and dozens of locks in my time, and while bolt cutters are effective they are pretty single use. Instead, try to get a cheap cordless cutoff wheel or a dremel with a cutoff wheel. Once you have them, you will find a thousand uses for them, instead of bolt cutters which tend to only be used for lost keys. I'm not sure how strong the lock or chain is, but I also have a 6 foot hexagonal pry bar which is able to snap chains if you can get the leverage point right.

    Another option is to drill the lock, using a 1/2" unibit or a strong metal bit. Go slow and gentle and keep the bit lubricated or your will burn the tip up and make the bit useless for starting holes.

    Liquid nitrogen would probably be the most fun though if you happen to have a university physics student in your circle of friends....

    ;)
     
  7. heuristics

    heuristics Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    519
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Hey
    THANKS! everyone.
    Prob solved.
    Just needed a bit of "persuasion"with the hammer as Floot suggested.
    Now it is open I can see the lock has started to rust way down in the barrel.
    lucky I needed to open the gate now, as I think a few more months and it would be totally rooted and a much bigger problem.

    I couldn't understand anyone bothering to "replace" my lock for me, as it is only ""protecting"" a vacant block of land (keeping people out so they dont trip over their own stupidity and sue me for the inconvenience),
    but I did suspect someone might have given it a dose of superglue or some such to block the lock - just to amuse themselves.

    but in the end it was just rust!

    thanks for all the help - I thought - will I go on line with this nonsense of a problem - but I am glad I did!!
     

Share This Page

-->