What do you need to know about cylinder locks?
Often they have paracentric keyways, which means that the wards on face extend past the center of the keyway. On the other hand, some have very wide rectangular keyways. Cylinder locks do not have particular internal mechanisms. The cores often have pin tumbler or dimple configurations, but there are exceptions.
Can you put a thumb turn on a Euro cylinder lock?
Tighten up the screws on the lock’s faceplate. Make sure that you do not put a thumbturn on your Euro cylinder, because it allows the lock to be bypassed. Readers may remember this problem from the piece about locks that provide the illusion of security. A thumb turn was able to undermine a Mul-T-Lock MT5 core.
What is the actuator on a Euro cylinder lock?
An actuator or cam is a rotating piece on the lock that the key manipulates. The cam, in turn, moves the lock bolt. Some euro profiles are even designed to only work on one side at a time, so two people cannot open the lock simultaneously.
What to do if you suspect someone has tampered with your locks?
If you have evidence like this, call the police to report it. If not, you might look a little closer for indications of tampering. Before you go looking for signs of entry, however, it might help to have a basic understanding of the three main ways burglars go about getting through locks. Stay Safe! Subscribe to SafeWise’s weekly newsletter.
Where is the center punch on a keyhole drill?
Hammer a center punch at a point directly above the keyhole. This will create a guidance point for drilling. The point should be just below the shear line, the dividing line between the inner and outer cylinder of the lock, which will keep the drill bit on the center plug.
What happens when you drill a hole in a lock?
This destroys the pins inside the lock cylinder, allowing you to force the lock open. Most locks have about five tumbler pins to drill through, although some have six or more. You should feel more resistance as the drill bit encounters each pin, then a decrease in resistance as the bit cuts through the pin.
Where is the best place to drill a lock?
The point should be just below the shear line, the dividing line between the inner and outer cylinder of the lock, which will keep the drill bit on the center plug. This should be high enough to effectively drill through the pin tumblers.
Is it possible to drill a pin tumbler lock?
File cabinets generally have two types of locks, pin tumber and waffer. It is not possible to drill a waffer lock as they have no shear line. The keyways on file cabinet pin tumbler locks are very small. As such, if you are going to attempt drilling one, you need a much smaller bit. If you choose the wrong bit size, you may split the cylinder plug.