Woodhaven Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 We recently moved to a new home. While we were away this past weekend, MIL locked a door inside the house and we don't have a key!!! I had asked her to keep the doors to two rooms closed in order to keep the cats out, but she thought I meant she was to LOCK the doors?! She is old - 86 years old, so she just got mixed up. If I had known we didn't have a key to that door I would have put tape over the lock until we got around to changing it. I have tried everything - even taking the pins out of the hinges, but that doesn't release the door. The key slot is very thin, and I can't pick it, like I have with older locks. The previous owner left his number and said to call if we have any questions, so I left him a message asking if he might have a key to this room lying around somewhere. UGH!!! I think there may be other doors we don't have keys to as well. Anyone know if drilling through the lock will help us open it? If we don't have a key we would need to change it anyway so it won't matter if we ruin it. I don't want to ruin the door itself. UPDATE: I contacted the previous owner who had more keys that he turned over - one of which fit the locked door! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I am no help, but this distinctly reminds me of the book 100 Cupboards. Are you sure it's not a magic room??? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) Nm Edited May 15, 2019 by Innisfree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Call a locksmith? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 A locksmith can likely open it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Are the hinges on the outside of the door? A hammer and chisel to lift out the pins, plus a little jiggling and chances are the door will pop right off. The same if the doorknob screws are on the outside- take off the cover plate and you'll be able to pop open the lock mechanism. Otherwise a locksmith is your best bet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 If you have already lifted out the pins in the hinges, then, possibly, the hinges are on your side of the door and you can try to unscrew the hinges from the door frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aura Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Yeah, if you can take the pins out the hinges, then you should be able to work it open. It might take a bit of jiggling and creativity to get a hold enough to work it open. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Have you googled the type of lock? My toddler locked us out of DS's bedroom with a 1960s lock and I found how to break in via googling. We had to take the cover off the knob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodhaven Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 Thank you all for your ideas and support!! Taking the pins out of the hinges didn't help as it still wouldn't open - something about that type of hinge. I was on the verge of just drilling through the door knob/lock to see if I could open it that way. Although I felt silly, I contacted the previous owner and asked if he might have any extra keys around somewhere that he had forgotten about. What do you know, but he searched and found a WHOLE DRAWER FULL! I now have 6 new key rings with an assortment of keys on them! Fortunately, he had ONE key to that locked door! The previous owners seem to be very nice people (older retired), but I don't know how they could have kept all those keys and not thought about it. I'm glad I asked!!! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Thank you all for your ideas and support!! Taking the pins out of the hinges didn't help as it still wouldn't open - something about that type of hinge. I was on the verge of just drilling through the door knob/lock to see if I could open it that way. Although I felt silly, I contacted the previous owner and asked if he might have any extra keys around somewhere that he had forgotten about. What do you know, but he searched and found a WHOLE DRAWER FULL! I now have 6 new key rings with an assortment of keys on them! Fortunately, he had ONE key to that locked door! The previous owners seem to be very nice people (older retired), but I don't know how they could have kept all those keys and not thought about it. I'm glad I asked!!! They took all those keys with them when they moved? If it were me, I would have found which keys fit locks in the house and left those for the next owner. Isn't it funny how people think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I'm glad that you got the right key from the previous owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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