Locked out -- my own fault

Before breaking out the drills to drill out the locks, any suggestions on how I might learn the key profile after drilling one? I have six locked thingies all keyed alike and I do not want to have to buy six new locks.

Thought I'd throw the problem to the collective super-powers of this group.

Further admonitions beyond my last three hours of self flagellation will not help, it is time for positive action. Only saving grace is that I have time on my side as I only need access it for maintenance.

Thanks.

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Locksmith

On 2/13/2018 3:46 PM, Dave, I can't do that wrote: > OK, so I hid the keys to the camper and they have dropped down inside the tube I had them attached to with a magnet. Just spent the last three hours with all manner of hooky things including an Endoscope that torments with the a clear view of them firmly attached to the bottom of the tube. {sigh} > > Before breaking out the drills to drill out the locks, any suggestions on how I might learn the key profile after drilling one? I have six locked thingies all keyed alike and I do not want to have to buy six new locks. > > Thought I'd throw the problem to the collective super-powers of this group. > > Further admonitions beyond my last three hours of self flagellation will not help, it is time for positive action. Only saving grace is that I have time on my side as I only need access it for maintenance. > > Thanks. > > D >

How deep down the tube? Claw grabbers work pretty good if you can reach it, but of course if you do have one I am sure its in the tool box inside the lock camper right?

Get some picks and learn to pick one, then take the latch/lock out of the door and to a locksmith. (cheapest + education + new tool) Fun Practical Tools Combination Set - - Amazon.com

Call a locksmith, who will pick it, remove the latch/lock, and make keys for it. (maybe $60)

It is good to keep more than one set of keys for everything in the future. On different key rings. I know one guy who had 2 sets--both on the same =lost= keyring.

Hmmm...without knowing the tube material, diameter, or length, it's guesswork. Also, why are they "attached" to the bottom of the tube? Is that where the magnet is?

Having a great collection of fishhooks, my first thought is to tie a few small treble hooks on to the end of a stick (or a piece of flexible armored cable, or a drain snake, if the tube is curved) and fish around until I hooked a key ring or the ring hole in one of the keys.

Is this feasible for your situation?

Shopvac and tubing that will fit in the tube.

Dan

easier and cheaper to just break one window to get in??

Stupid. No sympathy.

Have a hot glue gun? A small wad of glue on the end of a stick, jam it down onto the keys, wait a few seconds to cool, and extract?

Jon

It sounded as if they were caught on something at the bottom of the tube.

Before you totally give up on the keys, and because you have time, buy yourself a much stronger magnet and try that first. Maybe it will overpower the magnet that's sticking the keys to the bottom of the tube. And, you can get pretty cheaply "Lock Guns" on eBay and the like. You just insert the doodad into the lock and pull the trigger several times and it apparently rakes the lock cylinder allowing it to turn. I can't imagine your camper has very sophisticated locks. Then drive it to a lock smith who can then get the key profile from numbers on the lock. I did this a couple years ago for a car key and the cost was less than 20 bucks. Eric

e tube I had them attached to with a magnet. Just spent the last three hour s with all manner of hooky things including an Endoscope that torments with the a clear view of them firmly attached to the bottom of the tube. {sigh}

n how I might learn the key profile after drilling one? I have six locked t hingies all keyed alike and I do not want to have to buy six new locks.

not help, it is time for positive action. Only saving grace is that I have time on my side as I only need access it for maintenance.

Car door locks are typically way harder to pick than normal pin-tumbler loc ks, and there are different tools. Youtube is rife with videos and Amazon d oubtless has the picks. But first I would try fishing for the keys and gett ing a price from a locksmith.

The technique you want is called "impressioning". It does not destroy the lock, and it leaves you with a working key. (For details, do a search on that word.)

Or if you can get a good enough photo of the key with your endoscope, you can use the services of

Very cool. Plenty of opportunity for abuse, too. I seem to remember either a news report or a TV show plot concerning a key made from a picture of someone holding their keys. Entirely plausible.

He's talking about a camper. Typically those are little better than a desk lock or a cheap cash box.

What's the tube worth? Can you cut it short or rip it out?

Larry Jaques on Tue, 13 Feb 2018

I used to keep a spare car key in my wallet.

No longer - these new "security keys" with the electronics embedded are too fat to fit in a wallet.

No, I'm not paranoid about locking my keys in the car. nope, not at all.

-- pyotr filipivich "With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

pyotr filipivich wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

The doors in my first car could be locked only when shut, thus making it impossible to lock the door from the outside without the key. So I formed good habits early, and reinforced them long: I drove that car daily for over seven years.

It's been 34 years since it went to the junkyard, and I *still* have never once locked keys in a car. And I expect I never will. It's just automatic now.

So far I've been able to get a plain key cut that will open the door but the car (Toyota) will not continue to run after a couple seconds. I cut most of the head off the key and carry it in my coin pouch.

I have a couple times. The last time I was dropping a disabled friend off so opened the trunk to retieve her walker then held it until she got moving, closed her door, the trunk and found that everything was locked; I guess in getting outshe had hit the lock switch on the passenger door and of course the car was still running. Fortunately second son was at home to bring the spare key to open the car. Now I carry a plain key just in case.