Has anyone used HPC's new Lever Handle Remover? I am trying to find out if it produces results on levers like the Schlage D Series. I often run into cylinders w/ spool drivers and am thwarted in my picking attemps. I prefer not to drill, but at $220.00 I would like to know if its worth the money for the Lever Remover.
I haven't used one of these, but I suspect that it forces something that is not supposed to be forced. This probably means that you should replace the thing that gets broken and that might be more than replacing the cylinder. Also It is perfectly OK to charge a customer for a replacement cylinder and your time to deal with his lost key problem.
Hello,
The LHR-100 works well if you move carefully and mind the adjustments. The press pins used are hardened and brittle, so you should purchase an extra set of those too. Also, it's common for this tool to leave marks on knobs and handles even if you are careful, and a felt liner would make it much more difficult to use.
Roger makes a good point that replacing the cylinder is the standard route. Time saved and parts not sold translates to lost revenue, and you also incur a tool cost in the process...
You have to weigh how often this happens and if its worth the risk, since the tool can cause damage the client may be unwilling to pay to replace.
I had a guy from a competing shop try to sell me one of these last week for $100. He said it worked but admitted that it marred the finish.
I also figured as some others have pointed out that in reality it would cost me money to use it so I didn't buy it. My thinking being that if it marrs finish it's hard to justify a premium charge for using it to offset the lost replacement cylinder sale.
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