Locksmith Kitchener Reveals a Few Trade Secrets
A professional locksmith knows that it takes perseverance and skill to pick a lock. It certainly takes more than forcing a pick inside the hole to spring a lock free. The proper tools and a precise method are the key to solving a lock issue. Below, please find four top methods from Locksmith Kitchener that serve as helpful tips for locks around the home.
Evaluate The Condition Of The Lock
The primary step to accessing a troubled lock is to assess the condition of it. A dirty lock makes it more difficult to pick. Old and unused locks are more difficult for the locksmith to pick thus causing complications. Tumblers (an apparatus commonly found in cylinder locks) use pins of unequal lengths to ensure that the lock will not open without the correct key. Tumblers grow weak over time. This affects the ability to pick the lock successfully. It’s also important to be aware that weather affects the lock springs. The springs have varied reactions on hot versus cold days. Clean tumblers are crucial since a dirty lock is much more difficult to pick.
Raking The Lock To Open It
The term raking refers to a variety of locksmith techniques used to pick the lock. A locksmith may use a lubricant to easily slide a rake pick into the lock. A tension tool is used to tightly fit the keyway and light tension is the first approach prior to using a more excessive method. Light tension is best as extreme tension can weaken the lock springs and rigidly maintain the lock in place.
Scrubbing It
If raking does not succeed, scrubbing the lock is a secondary option for beginners. Scrubbing involves pushing the pick up on the first pin and pushing it back across all of the pins. This method allows the user to sense which pins set first. Again, light tension is best but a tougher tension may work if none of the pins set. A locksmith may attempt a few different levels of tension while holding the pick at variable locations.
Jiggling It
Inexperienced lock-pickers find that jiggling is the simplest method. Jiggling is the act of placing a pin in the lock and jiggling it. If the user feels a pin set, it is time to stop jiggling and start on another portion of the lock. Again, various levels of tension may work with the jiggle method.
