broken door lock

[ukpaul31]

Hi
am just wondring if anyone can help me out here before the girlfriend goes even more mad at me lol
well i live in a old house and the front door i think its fitted with a mortice lock its not been opened for years so when i went to try and unlock it something snaped/broke inside the lock which is just leaveing the key spinning round and round , and now i cant unlock the door, does anyone know how i can get this lock open so i can replace it with a new one, i dont want to do any damage to the door or the door frame as its many years old,
am really stuck here of what to do

 

[Burnerman]

From the inside - can you see the bolt that the lock shoots out into the keep on the frame? It should just be visible. This is the part that won't retract when you turn the key so, if all else fails, use an angle grinder with a 1mm slitting disc, and slice clean through the bolt. This will allow you to open the door, and replace the entire mortice lock.
John

 

[ukpaul31]

Hi john

thank you for your reply i will give it a go


Paul

 

[JohnD]

you can also try levering the bolt back into the lock case, if you can see it from the inside. depending what has broken in the lock, the bolt may no longer be "locked" in position

 

[HandyHands]

If it's not been opened for a while, it's a fair bet the bolt has seized or the door timber has moved causing the bolt to tension against the keep. try pushing or pulling the door whilst turning the key, and also whilst attempting to prise it back - if this is possible. Can you remove the hinge pins to remove the door?

I'd leave the grinder as a last resort, as even with a 1mm disc it's very easy to damage the surrounding door and frame. Use goggles and gloves, as the sparks will be flying, and the bolt will become very hot. practice starting and stopping the grinder away from the door - unless you've experience of using one.

Could well be quicker and cheaper though to call a locksmith out to open the door for you