Non-motoring > Mortice Lock Jammed Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Robin O'Reliant Replies: 20
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 10:51 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Robin O'Reliant
The back door to my garage has a mortice lock which has jammed. The key won't turn at all.

Any ideas short of outright destruction of the door?
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:00 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Manatee
'Tap' it with a little hammer while trying to turn the key

Spray copious amounts of GT85 or WD40 into it (I do this with everything - it rarely works but I feel as if I have made an effort)

Try a different key if there is a spare

Call a locksmith?

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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:02 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Bromptonaut
As per Manatee lots of lube an give it time to work in.

Grip the key in a Mole wrench or similar and see if extra leverage helps.
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:46 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Robin O'Reliant
>> As per Manatee lots of lube an give it time to work in.
>>
>> Grip the key in a Mole wrench or similar and see if extra leverage helps.
>>
>>
Cheers Brompt.

WD40, Mole grips, plenty of industrial language and one very bent key later the door is unlocked. I've now reached the Mrs O'Reliant's "I've been telling you it's getting hard to open for months now blah blah blah blah" stage of the operation.
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Tue 6 Oct 15 at 11:47
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:57 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Bromptonaut
>> I've now reached the Mrs O'Reliant's "I've been telling you it's getting hard
>> to open for months now blah blah blah blah" stage of the operation.

Funny you should mention that. Mrs B now says similar about my car's heavy steering (see thread in Technical)
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 12:30 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Haywain
"I've been telling you it's getting hard to open for months ........"

Does this mean that you'll have a go at mending the old lock, or will you be buying an early Christmas present for Mrs O'R?
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 15:26 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Robin O'Reliant
>>>> Does this mean that you'll have a go at mending the old lock, or will
>> you be buying an early Christmas present for Mrs O'R?
>>

Good thinking. Her birthday isn't too far away.
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 15:41 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Haywain
"Good thinking. Her birthday isn't too far away."

Actually, that reminded me that I bought and fitted a new Yale lock for my son and his g/f last Christmas.
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 Wed 7 Oct 15 08:18 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Old Navy
>> Good thinking. Her birthday isn't too far away.
>>

I acknowledge your great bravery, it far exceeds mine. :-)
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:01 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - No FM2R
Is it frequently used?

Wondering whether it has broken or seized?
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:17 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Robin O'Reliant
It is used every day. I suspect something has broken inside rather than the thing just seizing up.

I can see the tongue from outside the garage, are they hardened steel or will they succumb to a Dremil type tool?
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:34 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - No FM2R
If the lock has jammed then banging may help.

Failing that go for the hinges.
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:35 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Mapmaker
A hacksaw blade stuck through the gap will - eventually - cut through the tongue. I've done it on a Chubb. Tiresome activity though. An angle grinder would be better - £15 from Screwfix, and it will take only seconds.

Alternatively drill a hole in the lock itself. Google 'drill mortice lock'
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:39 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Manatee
>> I can see the tongue from outside the garage, are they hardened steel or will
>> they succumb to a Dremil type tool?

May not be hardened if it's an everyday one...I cut through the tongue on my outside toilet lock (I was locked out, not in). If it's a Chubb or similar 5 lever job then it will be a bit tougher - the one on my front door is brass from the side, but looking at the end of the tongue has steel pins in it.

EDIT - as MM, I did mine with a metal cutting disc on an angle grinder. I'd forgotten that bit!
Last edited by: Manatee on Tue 6 Oct 15 at 11:40
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 11:27 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Dog
www.diynot.com/diy/threads/jammed-mortice-lock.215294/
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 Tue 6 Oct 15 22:57 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Ted
We've had a couple jammed shut in the past. Swm was out one evening and I was 30 miles away working. In the end, a neighbour broke a window and climbed in. The dogs went berserk and crapped all over the place........wot a night. I got home about 0830 am, turned my key backwards a tad...something clicked and I walked in !

It happened again with the kitchen door...this time I was in. Turned the key as if to lock it and then it worked.

Always worth a punt.
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 Wed 7 Oct 15 08:19 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Dog
>>Swm was out one evening and I was 30 miles away working

Pull the other one Teddy, knowl mean ;-)

>>turned my key backwards a tad...something clicked

>>Turned the key as if to lock it and then it worked

Pre-cisely what I would have done - grate engine ears think a like!
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 Wed 7 Oct 15 09:35 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Mapmaker
The mechanism around the gate that makes it difficult to pick the lock wears out. Which is why turning it to unlock it resets it and gives you another chance. Unless the lock is completely worn out...
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 Wed 7 Oct 15 10:52 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Clk Sec
We've had a couple of our internal door latches seize up, but as we were not inside those rooms at the time I was able to nip into the garage for the appropriate tools.

However, I took the precaution of changing the standard latch in our cloakroom and replacing it with a roller ball type, as there is no window from which to summon assistance.
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Wed 7 Oct 15 at 10:53
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 Wed 7 Oct 15 22:16 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Ted

>> Pre-cisely what I would have done - grate engine ears think a like!
>>

We could go into partnership turning keys back...I'll let you handle the Cornish end of the firm...........70/30 in my favour...of course !
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 Thu 8 Oct 15 08:10 
 Mortice Lock Jammed - Dog
>>We could go into partnership turning keys back...I'll let you handle the Cornish end of the firm...........70/30 in my favour...of course !

We don't require door locks in Cornwall but, come in and meet my Beauceron. He is only 3 months old but can still manage to get two of my wellies in his mouth - at the same time!!
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