pneumatic locksmithing?

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jackssmirkingrevenge
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Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:12 pm

My dear old mother has managed to lock a door with the key in the inside. Using a spare key from the outside isn't working, nor is trying to knock the key out with a piece of piano wire. Will a blast of compressed air work d'ya reckon?



:D
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
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ramses
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Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:23 pm

It might. If the door is not deadbolted, you can use a credit card to shim it open (if it opens inward, doing this from the outside is easiest). You can then take apart the lock.

Alternatively, turning the key around and around swill usually resolve it (don't break off the key).

If you can't get the door open to access the lock, you might be able to remove the hinge pins to open it.
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jrrdw
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Sun Jun 23, 2013 5:40 pm

What type of lock is it? Cylinder, warded? How old is it, approx???
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Technician1002
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Sun Jun 23, 2013 5:57 pm

The keyway on any modern lock is not open on the far side. Air will not blow a broken key out.

It might have worked on an old inside door skeleton keyhole, but not on any you can't see into the room beyond by looking through the keyhole.
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Hotwired
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Sun Jun 23, 2013 10:03 pm

Only way a pneumatic cannon is going to unlock a door is if you load it with a beanbag and blow the lock off.
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jackssmirkingrevenge
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 1:07 am

Hotwired wrote:Only way a pneumatic cannon is going to unlock a door is if you load it with a beanbag and blow the lock off.
The idea is not to open it but to knock out the key that is in the keyhole from the inside, so it can be opened from the outside with a spare key.

Thanks for the replies guys, it's a fairly modern and complex "burglar proof" front door lock so it seems air is not going to cut it, professional locksmith it will have to be.
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
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evilvet
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:05 am

Bought one of these years ago.
Never failed me yet
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jackssmirkingrevenge
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:08 am

Sadily it's not going to help me with the other key inserted in the opposite keyhole :-/
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
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dart guy
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:48 am

you could try a disploible wax sabot with a pin in it and fire that pin into the lock to knock it out a bicivle spoke like object may work
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Brian the brain
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:45 pm

Not going to work.
Too much blowby and too much grip on the key.
Plus the bridge and shifter in the middle are in the way.

I do this for a living..

Send me a picture of the lock or one like it.
I'll get you in, but you will need to replace the cilinder afterwards.

They're usually around 40 euro.
You'll at least take out the middleman...who will most likely charge way more for work alone.
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jackssmirkingrevenge
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:53 pm

Thanks for the offer brian but we managed to sort it, a couple of sharp blows to the lock shifted the offending key enough for the spare to work :) who said violence doesn't solve anything :D
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:47 pm

12 gauge shotgun works pretty well might have to replace the hole door even the whole wall but you will be sure to gain entrance!
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mako
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Mon Jun 24, 2013 9:29 pm

If it's on a building, just break a small window. It'll be WAY cheaper and easier to replace a pane of glass than it will be to fix door, lock, and key if you mess up the lock.

If you can't break a window, or if the window is too big to replace cheaply, I'd call a locksmith. He can probably open the lock without charging you too much.

Luck with that.
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jackssmirkingrevenge
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Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:35 am

Dropping down onto the balcony from the roof and breaking/removing a window was plan B but thankfully it's sorted now.
hectmarr wrote:You have to make many weapons, because this field is long and short life
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mako
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Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:53 am

Thats always a good thing. How'd you manage it?
I admit, blowing the lock off with a spudgun DID sound like fun :D
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