Does anyone here have a locksmith they can (personally) recommend ?

I have lock situation (NOT a bike lock btw) I would like to consult over the phone with

beforehand.

 

thanks in advance,

 

DB

 

p.s. Aaron, etc. no jokes please !

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on April 9, 2013 at 10:18am

bump

Permalink Reply by Allen Wrench on April 9, 2013 at 3:04pm

Security Shop's owner (can't recall name) was very helpful with complicated keying problems a couple years ago. Haven't been there in a few years though.

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on April 9, 2013 at 3:59pm

Dexter Lock Service at Halsted and School.

Johnson's Lock Service on Maple in Evanston.

Both have been around forever and seen everything. Both are happy to be challenged by oddball locks that consume time but present slight opportunity for more than goodwill.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on April 9, 2013 at 11:30pm
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on April 10, 2013 at 1:44am
It's a long story, but I can recommend a locksmith in Pine Level, Alabama.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 10, 2013 at 1:56am

If all you need is a re-keying the kits they sell at Home Despot are about $10 and fairly easy to use.  They work for most lock brands commonly used on residential and some commercial door sets.  They come with good instructions and all the tools needed to pull the lock cylinders out and swap out the pins inside to match the included keys.   I do this to my own locks every once in a while on my rental property when I change tenants.  It's not nearly as hard as one would think.   A 20-minute job for all your doors.  The kit works with up to 5 doors as long as the locks were all compatible brands with the kit you buy in the first place.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on April 10, 2013 at 2:30am

well....you pretty much hit the nail on the head with what I need to do : except it's different - it is with my mailbox key. the key became bent and then broke off inside the lock. I already bought the replacement lock. only tricky thing is getting the box open. the locksmith said there are two options : be there when

the mail carrier opens it and remove it from the inside (there is a clip that holds it in place) or drill it out.

that option (drilling) seems a little uncertain. I have not told my landlord about this yet and want to

do the right thing. he lives above me and is a really nice guy I like a lot. so I don't want to piss him off.

what would you advise ?

 

p.s. it was great seeing you saturday. passing out the flyers was really fun (and easy too)

 

Dan

Permalink Reply by dan brown on April 10, 2013 at 2:31am

OK - now I MUST hear the story ! please share (either privately or with the class)



Kevin C said:

It's a long story, but I can recommend a locksmith in Pine Level, Alabama.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 10, 2013 at 2:52am

If you can catch the letter carrier that is the easiest way -if they cooperate.  If the key is really jammed the entire lock cylinder can be removed from the door fairly easily from the inside by removing the locking nut on the rear of the cylinder.    It can be replaced or repaired by a locksmith or a new lock can be bought at a home store that fits this.

Another trick is breaking the end off of a coping saw blade and trying to shove it in past the stump to allow the blade teeth to grab and pull it back out, or a dental tool with a hook on the end to grab it.   Sometimes a really tiny drill can be used to put a small hole in the key itself to help but something like a tiny wire through to pull back.  But often the key gets really jammed in there and it damages the pins in the cylinder by twisting them sideways and will just ruin the cylinder.

Drilling it out with a larger drill isn't really all that hard -it just takes time. Be careful not to break the drill bit in the lock as drill bits are REALLY hard to drill out.   Maybe if you have a friend  or neighbor with a similar mailbox door/lock you could look at it from the inside to see what you are up against. 

A locksmith could do this but they aren't cheap for house-calls.  $50+ at a bare minimum just to drill out and extra for the fix for parts/labor.   Plus they might not even want to deal with mailboxes unless you have proof of ownership yadda yadda as tampering with the US mail is a federal offense yadda-yadda. 

Permalink Reply by dan brown on April 10, 2013 at 3:43am

thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on April 10, 2013 at 4:14am

cameron is 100% correct. the mail carrier key is a skeleton key that probably unlocks the majority

of mailboxes in major metropolitan areas. pretty valuable. the landlords do not even get them.

 

good idea about the screweriver - even though only about 1/8th of the key broke off and is

stuck in the lock; it's worth a try. the lock is ruined anyway so what have a got to lose.

 

p.s. this has been one of the friendliest threads I can remember in a long time - no flaming;

no baiting or insults hurled. I think I will add that to my list of accomplishments for the week !

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

In a lot of apartment boxes where the carrier has one key that opens a whole row of boxes, the carrier's lock mechanism is independent of the residents' locks. Typically when unlocked with the carrier key the whole faceplate pivots leaving the individual doors locked to the faceplate, but exposing the backside of the mechanisms.



h' 1.0 said:

(and-- how would the mail carrier get it open then?)

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 10, 2013 at 4:23am

This,

Even with the non-ganged single mailboxes the customer key and the letter-carrier master key are two different lock mechanisms.  Usually the customer-access is a door within the larger door of single or gangable mailbox enclosures.   In some larger buildings the letter-carrier access is on the back side of the boxes accessed from a different room or corridor on the other side of the lobby that the customer access is in.  

Mailbox locks are very simple cylinders with a basic L-latch that is held in place onto the door by a locking nut and/or a clip.  An entire new lock can be purchased for around $10 at a home store like Home Despot. 



Cameron 7.5 mi said:

In a lot of apartment boxes where the carrier has one key that opens a whole row of boxes, the carrier's lock mechanism is independent of the residents' locks. Typically when unlocked with the carrier key the whole faceplate pivots leaving the individual doors locked to the faceplate, but exposing the backside of the mechanisms.



h' 1.0 said:

(and-- how would the mail carrier get it open then?)

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