seized-up D-lock

smorty said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A car jack works on the larger and cheaper ones. Keep well clear in
case it lets go suddenly :-)

smorty said:

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A very similar thing happened to me a few weeks ago. A cycled to work
for the first time in ages. My Squire lock had been locked around the
sheffield stand for a few weeks and had siezed up in the rain.

The key just would not turn. I resorted to squirting GT85 into it,
jiggling the key in and out. But still it wouldn't turn.

Then I spotted *my* lock wrapped around the adjacent stand.

--
Warning: This user suffers from narcolepppppppppp
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

smorty said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A little heat from a hot air gun (paint stripper) as well as the oil?
Just a thought.

John T.
Remove the singers of Spam before replying

John Tomlinson said:

Quoted message said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A little heat from a hot air gun (paint stripper) as well as the oil?
Just a thought.

Also try a different easing oil, WD40 is not really what you want. Try
PlusGas, get loads on and in the lock then seal it in a plastic bag
with rubber bands or something. Leave it for a few days like that then
have another go.
--

"Bob"

'The people have spoken, the [censored]'

Email address is spam trapped.
To reply directly remove the beverage.

smorty said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?

*More* WD40 or oil or Plus Gas or whatever. Try squirting a ridiculous
amount in there. WD40 has unstickified a sticky Kryptonite of mine
(although it never seized solid).

Quoted message said:

If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?

Bic pen? ;-)

~PB

Quoted message said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

Thanks,
John

Thanks I'll give the plusgas and plastic bag a try first.

The other thing I thought of was to get a pair of pliars on the key
handle so there's more leverage to open the lock - got to make sure
I don't break the handle off though as I've only got one key (well,
there must be another one somewhere but don't know where I've put it).

Is there anything that would cut through it? A grinder?
I'm a bit scared of trying a car jack in case it snaps suddenly and
a chunk of metal flies out at me!

Thanks for all the suggestions,
John

"smorty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?

An angle grinder should do it!

Quoted message said:

Or would I have to call a locksmith?

Not if you're willing to destroy the lock.

Rich

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 17:03:57 +0000 (UTC), smorty
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

Thanks,
John

Hire an angle grinder or very large bolt cutters

smorty said:

Thanks I'll give the plusgas and plastic bag a try first.

The other thing I thought of was to get a pair of pliars on the key
handle so there's more leverage to open the lock - got to make sure
I don't break the handle off though as I've only got one key (well,
there must be another one somewhere but don't know where I've put it).

Is there anything that would cut through it? A grinder?
I'm a bit scared of trying a car jack in case it snaps suddenly and
a chunk of metal flies out at me!

Perhaps you could employ one of the local chavs? He'll have it off
(oo-er) in seconds in return for a packet of B&H.

"smorty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A bic pen may come in useful ...

smorty said:

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

Thanks,
John

Undo the four screws ;-)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3574376.stm *

Tony

*Firefighters in guinea pig rescue

A guinea pig had to be rescued by firefighters after getting stuck
inside a toy soldier's car.

West Midlands Fire Service said Heidi became jammed between the engine
and foot well in the Action Man car at her owner's home in Birmingham on
Tuesday.

The rodent was freed at Northfield fire station after her owner and four
sons abandoned attempts to cut her out with a hacksaw and sought
professional help.

A fire spokesman said Heidi seemed "perfectly fine" despite the ordeal.

Station officer John Jordan from West Midlands Fire Service said: "We
looked at the some of the heavy cutting gear and then decided that
undoing the four screws on the bottom would be appropriate and out she
popped."

"smorty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is there anything that would cut through it? A grinder?
I'm a bit scared of trying a car jack in case it snaps suddenly and
a chunk of metal flies out at me!

Presumably you missed the recent thread 'Abus Granite 54 lock problem' (it
was only a couple of days ago - I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned it).
Lost of stuff discussed there.

If you've got access to an angle grinder, it'll have no problem at all with
your lock.

If you don't, but do have access to a mains power drill, you can get flat
grinding discs which mount onto a rubber backing plate. These will cut the
metal, but in a more tedious fashion due to being flat rather than an edge.
Easiest way there is to grind away at a corner (ie the hoop). If you do say
half of it, you may find it gets very hot - at which point the heat
treatment may have gone, so you may be able to hacksaw through the rest.
(you'll have also got past the surface hardening).
(done this with padlocks for which I've lost the key).

Oh - re car jack - I wrapped a blanket round the whole affair (many layers)
while doing one - that would hold any flying bits.

cheers,
clive

Quoted message said:

smorty said:

Thanks I'll give the plusgas and plastic bag a try first.

The other thing I thought of was to get a pair of pliars on the key
handle so there's more leverage to open the lock - got to make sure
I don't break the handle off though as I've only got one key (well,
there must be another one somewhere but don't know where I've put it).

Is there anything that would cut through it? A grinder?
I'm a bit scared of trying a car jack in case it snaps suddenly and
a chunk of metal flies out at me!

Perhaps you could employ one of the local chavs? He'll have it off
(oo-er) in seconds in return for a packet of B&H.

Yeah there's a few scrotes round here that might be able to do it...
still, it hasn't been pinched yet and it's been out there a year
so maybe they're not up to it!

elyob said:

"smorty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A bic pen may come in useful ...

OK m8 maybe I'm not too with it but what's all this about a bic pen?
Is that some way to pick the lock or something? Or am I just showing
how totally uncool I am by not understanding your point?

Latch-key Kid said:

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 17:03:57 +0000 (UTC), smorty
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

Thanks,
John

Hire an angle grinder or very large bolt cutters

I'll give the plusgas a go first, if that doesn't work I guess it'll
have to be an angle grinder. I doubt the bolt-cutters would hack
it unless they were truly massive.

Richard Bates said:

smorty said:

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A very similar thing happened to me a few weeks ago. A cycled to work
for the first time in ages. My Squire lock had been locked around the
sheffield stand for a few weeks and had siezed up in the rain.

The key just would not turn. I resorted to squirting GT85 into it,
jiggling the key in and out. But still it wouldn't turn.

Then I spotted *my* lock wrapped around the adjacent stand.

Now you're not going to believe this but exactly the same's happened to
me at work (except for the GT85 bit) there always seem to be loads
of the things left locked round posts in the bike sheds at work
and they all look the same!

Quoted message said:

elyob said:

"smorty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a seized-up Trek D-lock (hardened steel, unpickable lock, etc)
that I'm trying to get open. It's been on an old bike in the yard
for about a year, I have the key but I'm unable to turn the key
in the lock as it seems to be seized up solid. I've squirted wd40
into the lock a few times and left it for a week to see if it'll
loosen up, but no luck - still won't turn.

Does anyone have any tips on how to un-seize these D-locks?
If I can't get it open, is there a way to get through it?
Or would I have to call a locksmith?

A bic pen may come in useful ...

OK m8 maybe I'm not too with it but what's all this about a bic pen?
Is that some way to pick the lock or something? Or am I just showing
how totally uncool I am by not understanding your point?

I fully admit to being totally uncool about this stuff by the way ;-)

smorty said:

OK m8 maybe I'm not too with it but what's all this about a bic pen?
Is that some way to pick the lock or something? Or am I just showing
how totally uncool I am by not understanding your point?

Big fuss lately when it was (re) discovered that a whole raft of
Kryptonite bike locks could be easily opened using a Bic pen (a type
of cheap ballpoint).

Very embarrassing fro Kryptonite who have started a program of free
replacements for most affected users.
--

"Bob"

'The people have spoken, the [censored]'

Email address is spam trapped.
To reply directly remove the beverage.

Quoted message said:

smorty said:

OK m8 maybe I'm not too with it but what's all this about a bic pen?
Is that some way to pick the lock or something? Or am I just showing
how totally uncool I am by not understanding your point?

Big fuss lately when it was (re) discovered that a whole raft of
Kryptonite bike locks could be easily opened using a Bic pen (a type
of cheap ballpoint).

Very embarrassing fro Kryptonite who have started a program of free
replacements for most affected users.

I don't suppose it might work on my Trek lock? Can you tell me how
it's done? (assuming it's OK to post that sort of thing - maybe
it's not!)