Drilling a Lock

A lot of people ask me if locksmiths can pick locks, why do we drill them?
It is a fair question, i am sure that people as a whole think locksmiths have this magical ability to open any lock.  In reality, locksmiths like myself, picking locks only makes up a small percentage of our day to day work.  When we are asked to pick a lock, most of the time we are able to do so successfully.

There are occasions when it may be necessary to drill open a lock.  For example, if the lock has a paracentric key way making it hard for a locksmith to insert picks into the lock.  Perhaps the lock has not been used for a long time, and there is evidence of corrosion.  Maybe somebody has tried to unsuccessfully force the lock open.  There are a whole bunch of reasons that it may be necessary.

Good Locksmiths should be able to drill through the pins of the lock and rotate the cylinder.  This should be done carefully and precisely.  A reputable locksmith should be able to drill out a cylinder and gain entry without damaging the cylinder housing.  All too often I hear stories about ‘locksmiths’ attempting to drill a cylinder and destroying numerous drill bits, butchering the cylinder housing and damaging the door.

If you have ever had to have a lock drilled, it can be a costly process if it goes wrong.  I have included some photo’s of the correct drilling process and the end result.