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Anybody out there ever had to open doors by unconventional ways......

  mine was a BOLTED door in a terraced house but the side door was locked and bolted, with no way into the rear of the property  Thinking fast and hopefully not looking daft Letter box tool came out and with a little bit of luck tapping the bolt, the door opened.

 Any funny ones out there or just pass on any tips.

A neighbour was locked out once so I used a window to get in and then opened the door from the inside...didn't need to spend time on the lock as the back of the blade of a kitchen knife was more than able to slip the sashlock on the window. However this episode led me towards wanting to train as a locksmith! I've got a second (now paying) job lined up after I've taken the training this weekend..so wish me luck!

LOL! I had to use exactly the same method to gain entry last night, on a Lockout (although I did use the (unfortunately-named) 'Shove-it' tool). Worked a treat. Used it almost 'end-on' and got greater force on it that way, as the window latch was very stiff.

all the best with the training Suz.

Perhaps not an odd way to open a door but a true and I think funny story?

Got called to a lock out where the customer told me they had lost their keys to a Chubb dead lock and had no spares inside. No problem I thought, though could take a while to pick, or I could just use a decoder?

Got to the job, a big old posh house at the top of Richmond Hill, with the customer no where in sight. Gave him a call to find that he was already in the house? After going to the front door I found a 'pepper' drilled (s**t drilling) Chubb 3G110 but still locked off!

Still having the customer on the phone I asked what had happened to the lock....and how he had got into the house, back or side door? He went on to explain that he had called a locksmith out who said he would arrive within 1/2 hour. 1/2 hour had been and gone so the customer decided that just to get himself and his wife in he would break a piece of glass to the front sash window. This he did and got in but still the door was locked as he had no spare keys.

The locksmith then arrived and immediatley opted to attempt to drill the lock, attempted being the optimal word here! Obviousley not having a clue where to drill he proceeded to pepper drill the entire lock case ripping the guts of the lock out bit by bit....also creating a very large hole in the door.

Whilst all this was happening the customer had called a glazier, who had turned up, to replace the glass to his window. This he did in a professional manner and left. Remember that the customer was still in the house at this point, and one thing I should point out is that all the sash windows were sealed closed!

Well, the so called locksmith, at this stage knowing that he had f****d up the job, got in his van and dissapeared leaving the customer locked and sealed in his house!! The lock was in a bad way but it was still simple enough to get the bolt to throw and the lock was replaced, and a large repair plate to cover the drill holes, after making good the door, was fitted.

A couple of things to learn from this? The first being that the customer will not always give you the full story, so is not always right.  And secondly, that there are some pretty terrible locksmiths out there, this not in the sense that he had messed up the drilling, but he had left the job without seeking help.

Would have been better off resigning straightaway as a cowboy .

Actually saw an advert for a locksmith course on the internet which stated that a professional locksmith will ALWAYS try to drill a mortice lock !!!!

Cant understand this drilling mentality, as mortice locks seem pretty easy to pick , (says me who still cant rake !):lol:

Things will never cease to amaze me!

Blimey - I'm thinking of applying for a course - how confident will I be at picking a mortice type lock after the two day course? Is it best to have a two day course and twenty years of experience before volunteering to open a lock?

No....2 days and lot's of practise!

Hello Jay, Loved the little story ,its so good clearing up other so called "locksmiths" attempts at opening.... The little job i come across was a failed access to "bump"...with the key snapped in the lock...done by a house owners "friend"....Well after removing the key, and opening the door for the owner (who i got to prove address ownershipe) i looked at the key part and it was a key that fitted the cylinder but had not been "modified".and had been hit with a hammer and snapped off.  

Reading some of these tales of misfortune, it jogged my memory of a time I was called on a rather odd situation back last summer in Esher. A guy rang me up late on a Sunday evening asking me to gain access to a rear french door which he had misplaced the key to. Nothing strange there I hear you cry.. Well, when I got to the propoerty the old fella took an age to get to the front door and when he greeted me I could see that he had what appeared to be handcuffs locked to both ankles!! Trying to look proffesional and not to crack up, he explained that he was a antique dealer and had bought these vintage policemans handcuffs and was curious to see if they would fit around his ankles. Odd I know but true. He's legs were cut up were he'd been strolling around all day and had contemplating calling someone but was too embarrassed...He had a key but wouldnt release so I just simply grabbed a pair of mole grips and twisted the key which seems to unlock what seems to be a very basic 1 lever lock. I was a touch on edge the whole time as I was convinced he had some sort of 'gimp room' in his basement or the likes and that he was then going to tell me that he's lover was tied up downstairs ala Pulp Fiction.  Needless to say, I charged him Sunday rates and left with the thought of never looking at an antique dealer in the same light again.

I don't think I would have liked to get down on my knees in front of him to unlock the cuffs!!

Oh my god, a Gimp Room, so funny, it does make you wonder though, i think i am with you there - never look at an Antique Dealer in the same light again. /

I once attended a to a person who said he had locked himself out, unknown to me he had been trying to get in himself.

It turned out he lived next door to this property and the Police were on there way to the house because a neighbour had phoined them, they arrived and went for me like mad, i said to them who i was and that i had i.d. in my van, they were understanding in the end.

But i learned a lesson that day - always ask for some form of i.d. which shows the address.

Had that as well where the police have turned up! Worst one was a job I done for a solicitors, probate work, to gain entry for a Japanese couple who's mother had passed away, funny enough Kirk, in Denmead.

Done all the required checks before I arrived but was still with the police for about three hours sorting it all out as the Japanese couple couldn't speak a word of English. Charged the solicitors firm for the time though £££ 

Should have charged the solicitors £200 an hour Jay.....that's the average rate that they bill their clients these days!!  lol

I like the antinque dealer story....always thought there was something strange about David "the duke" Dickinson! 

Jay, i know Denmead, i have friends in nearby Uxbridge, well near RAF Uxbridge, wow - really is a small world.

Talking of checks, i always ask for drivers documents or any other photo id, its very dificult to say id some one actually lives at the address wear you go to the job.

Ha ha, the Duke.