Re: Window lock stuck.

True. So why have locks on them?

Re: Window lock stuck.

Honestly ?





Puts a few quid on the bill.

Re: Window lock stuck.

Perhaps you should read your previous response.

I can only assume that you regard window locks as a means to prevent people breaking OUT of a building.

You make little sense but, of course, I already knew that.

Re: Window lock stuck.

For people's info

This technique, of simply sliding a rigid piece of metal or for that matter plastic, into a lock is a long standing and pretty universal solution.

It's important that people know how insecure most locks are.

This technique applies to your door locks, window locks and 99.9999% of ALL PADLOCKS.

The only locks which offer real security are those that involve an actual bolt that the locking mechanism moves in and out.

So for example, take a look at any door lock that is a fairly bog standard Yale type lock. Actually most of the internal doors in your house will be this kind though of course they wont have locks.

What you are looking for is the "bolt" part that goes into the latch hole when the door is closed. You will see that it is tapered or chamfered which is what makes the door easy to close. However that taper/chamfer is what makes the door weak.

You can take any strong and thin piece of metal or plastic (an old credit card usually works well) and slide it into the door groove where the lock is and rock it while pushing to get it in and that will push the tapered bolt back into the door and voila the door is open.

Doesn't matter if the door is Yale locked because that bolt still moves in and out anyway.


Now to padlocks.

As I said 99% of all padlocks use the same system. When the padlock is open, notice that the locking arm has a notch in it like here:



The lock works by having a ball bearing inside the lock that is sprung loaded and when the lock is shut, the ball bearing locates into that groove.

Thus to open ANY padlock of this nature all you need do is slide a thin piece of metal down into the hole where that locking arm is.

You can make the required tool from any aluminium cola/pop can.

This website shows you how, it's really very simple.

https://null-byte.wonderhowto.com/ho...shims-0133147/


The moral of the story is, never use tapered locks to secure your house or valuables because they are useless.

Re: Window lock stuck.

I agree with most of that but, in the case of that padlock, the technique would not work on those ball bearings without the barrel being turned. Look at the diagram; the barrel holds the ball bearings against the notches, not a spring that can be easily overcome as in a Yale lock.

The shape of the bolts in most window locks are, presumably, rounded like the tapered bolt in the Yale lock. They could be made to resist the technique of opening them with a thin piece of metal by simply making the bolt ends flat and not rounded. Perhaps some do; I don't know.

Incidentally, I'd never have a Yale lock, not so much for the reasons you give, but because there is the ever present danger of accidentally pulling the door closed and locking yourself out. They are a work of the Devil.

Re: Window lock stuck.

It was you that said the information may be of some help with your 'burglarisationary activities'.
I can only assume such activities would require access from outside.......into........the dwelling.

The locked handles as described are entirely inside the house, so the information would be of no help to break in, only to break out.

So as I said, the salesman telling you "All our windows have locks" doesn't make the house any more secure, and the tip to release the lock is only any good from inside the house.
The windows would be just as secure with or without a key.
But the mention of locked windows adds to the bill

The addition of a key is a pain only to the householder when they are mislaid or lost............................................. hence this thread ?

Re: Window lock stuck.

Thank you. Would you be prepared to have a quiet word with my insurers. The thing is, you see, that they stipulate that I must have window locks on all windows accessible from the ground.

When I asked them for further details following your post, they assured me that the locks must be on the inside.

If I let you have their head office address, would you please explain to them that window locks are unnecessary? Perhaps they might then permit me to remove the locks without increasing my premiums.

Re: Window lock stuck.

You took the words right out of my mouth JB, I can't see any method of releasing the lock by trying to slide an implement down the shaft of the bolt. An Angle Grinder would make short work of it however....

I'm impressed with the photograph of the exposed workings of the padlock though....

Re: Window lock stuck.

Yes, me too.

Re: Window lock stuck.

Same scam the window people use I expect.
Think about it yourself.....................how can a keyed lock increase the security of a window ?
HERE is the window section, from the inside.
The window handle moves a mechanism inside the sash to engage with the frame like THIS or THIS.

That is the locking mechanism, having a key on the inside doesn't improve the security of the window from the outside.

It might save children opening them from the inside.