An unusual service call.....

[dll932]

Here's one: I heard of a 'smith who'd just started at a place I used to work. His first road call was to open a locked house bathroom. He did...and found a dead cop inside who'd suicided by shooting himself in the head. I think I would have quit on the spot.

[rzr800]

Welfare checks are always unpredictable

[chieflittlehorse]

I'm just curious, did you ever figure out why the latch didn't pull back.

I was told by my co-worker when doing a change-combination on a Schlage lever-lock, to make sure that the inner-part of the latch that connects to the lock should be centered, as to not slip it's way out of the lock.

If it does slip out, then there was no other way to get in except for drilling to pull the latch back. Not even an under-the-door tool would work as the latch had slipped away from the lock.

Today I had a customer bring in a cheap lever lock that the cylinder kept spinning. Taking it apart I found that the C-clip wasn't holding in the tail-piece as it should, it had probably popped out somehow. Since it was an off brand I noticed the tailpiece didn't go on in the usually horizontal position as a lever-lock should. It had to be installed vertically, the tail-piece, that is.

Anyways, just sharing some of my experiences as I learn from yours.

[lockpickfan]

Before 2-3 days i had a couple of "funny" works...

my first call was a women, she goes out for " just a minute" and leave the 2 years old child in the flat, who close the night latch on the door.
I went out in ASAP, maybe 10 mins, woman cry outside, child cry inside, just the standard in this situlations.
I pointed the cover of the lock where i will drill ( on this chinese doors there is no opening option for the night latch from the outside), and get my drill.
When i push my drill on the door, the mom sad " sweet, can't you open the door please? " and i heard "click" and the little boy opens the door

After this i had a call for a lost flat key. I picked the lock in no time, and ask the customer, i need to change the lock or they use a sphare key?
As he wants to check his money, picked out the flat key from his pocket....

For closing, i had a call at midnight to CLOSE a car
My customers boss leave the car key somewhere, and asked the guy to watch for the car, he send down a key with another employeer, but he didn't, and the customer won't leave the car opened for the night.
It was a newer volkswagen, no buttons to push down, and when you pll out the key and open the drivers door, the electric system turns off so you can't close it without key or remote, only way to pick the lock.

[UnlockD]

I had a call where 5 people were trapped in the office of an LCBO. The Kaba lock failed. They were in for 3 hours before they decided to call me. I popped the trim off around the door and hammered thru the brass latch with a chisel.

[DIY Dave]

I had a call where 5 people were trapped in the office of an LCBO. The Kaba lock failed. They were in for 3 hours before they decided to call me. I popped the trim off around the door and hammered thru the brass latch with a chisel.

Trapped 3 hours before calling, that's too funny. Did they mention having trouble with it previously? Usually people ignore the warning signs that their key doesn't work smooth, or that their lock barely works. When it breaks, they are surprised and request immediate service

[UnlockD]

Surprisingly they said they had no issues before. It was a Kaba Simplex with a Medeco core. The handle would turn but the bolt wouldn't retract. It was an odd job.

[torontosafecracker]

Surprisingly they said they had no issues before. It was a Kaba Simplex with a Medeco core. The handle would turn but the bolt wouldn't retract. It was an odd job.

I hear a lot of stories about LCBO having locks fail...