Best Lock/Schlage door question
Last week, I closed my door and when I returned, it appeard to be locked because the handle wouldn't turn, just wiggle like when it IS locked. Nope, didn't lock it when I left and putting the key in verify;s that but it still won't budge. Because it is University owned I'm not going to mess with it because if I break it, I buy it and, I don't know about picking yet. (Even if I did, my stuff would be stuck in my room!)
So, I contact the University, they send a maintenence guy/locksmith out and he gets it open after pulling the core and working away at it with a mortise wrench (Term?). He said he'd never seen it before and left perplexed after working with it for another few minutes.
Less than a week later, though, a roommate had the same problem except he HAD locked his door. You could unlock the core part (key turned, and hear it lock and unlock) but, the handle remained stuck as if it were locked. Another locksmith came and said he hadn't seen it before but, if 2 doors less than 6 feet away from each other had problems, they probably all will. "But, a little lube usually frees them up."
Question: Why would this be happening in mechinisms that have been installed less than a year and, mechanically, what would you presume is happening within the lock/latch? The plate on the latch side of the door says it is a Schlage Ff lock.
I'm curious about what I may encounter in the future or, what causes unexpected problems with locks and mechinisms. Hopefully some of you wise folks can give some insight or experience. Obviously the pics won't provide much more than an idea of the type of setup this is but, hopefully it's better than nothing. Again, if I take it apart and break it...
Handle and Cylinder:
Latch: