You have had a long, rough day. The last thing you need is a troublesome lock. You get home, slip your key into the lock only to find that the Yale lock key won’t turn. Why does this happen and can it be prevented?
I work for a rental property management company andI have recently got many complaints from tenants about keys that just won’t turn in their locks. I need to find out what could be causing this and if it can be fixed.
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You have probably encountered many different kinds of locks. These likely include combination lockswhich are commonly found on school lockers, deadbolt locks used on front doors of residential houses and pin-and-tumbler locks which are used in just about all other kinds of locks you come across. Your Yale lock operates using the pin-and-tumbler system.
How a Pin-And-Tumbler Lock Works
Mechanical pin-and-tumbler locksare the most popular locks today. A basic pin-and-tumbler lock has a series of pins all with varying lengths. Each pin is attached to an individual spring. When the correct key is slipped into the keyway, the teeth on the key force the spring-loaded pins to move up to fit into teeth on the key, and down to fit into the notches. The pins line up along a track known as theshear line. When all the pins align perfectly along the shear line the cylinder can turn. This is what unlocks the lock.
When a wrong keyis slipped into the keyhole, one or more of the spring-loaded pins will be in the way of the shear line. A perfect alignment cannot be achieved and this prevents the cylinder from turning to unlock the door.
With this in mind, we can better understand what goes wrong when you find that your Yale lock key won’t turn.
Reasons Why Your Key Won’t Turn
A key that won’t turn when slipped into its lock could be as a result of several problems. The most common cause is dirt and dust.
Accumulated Dirt and Dust: This is common with outdoor locks which are exposed to a lot of dust and dirt, though it is not unheard of in interior locks. Dirt and dust particles can collect in the lock cylinder causing some of the pins to get stuck in a partially raised position. When this happens, the pins cannot line up in the required perfect alignment along the shear line, even when the right key is used.
The best solution to this problem is to spray a dry lubricant into the keyway. This enables the pins to get into their positions so the door can be opened. You may have to spray the lubricant and wiggle the key in the keyway a few times before the ‘magic’ happens. If dry lubricant doesn’t work, use WD-40 in the same way.
A Frozen Lock: If temperatures have been below freezing point and your key won’t turn, you might be dealing with a frozen lock. If this is the case, heat the key with a match or a light, slip it into the key way then try to turn it as far as it can go. Repeat this several times to ensure all the ice melts completely. Be sure to hold the key with a thick glove or thick piece of cloth to protect your fingers from the hot key.
Alternatively, use a lock de-icer. It contains alcohol which helps to melt ice as well as lubricants which dissolve grime and dirt.
A Brand New Key: A brand new key which won’t turn in the lock may have some rough spots preventing a perfect alignment along the shear line. These should be removed by filing them off. To identify the unwanted rough spots, hold the key over a candle until it is covered with a thick layer of soot. Slowly slip it into the keyway, turn it slightly then remove it. Look for any shiny areas on the key. If there are a few, you can conclude that these are the areas which need to be filled down. File them down and repeat the process until all there are no more rough spots.
Conclusion
When you find that your Yale lock key won’t turn as it should, you can wiggle it about and turn it in either direction just to see exactly how far it goes. It is important to make sure that you don’t force it. This may end up breaking the key leaving part of it stuck in the lock. Getting a piece of a broken key out of a lock is definitely more complicated than spraying a few squirts of lubricant into the keyway, which will most likely get the key to turn anyway.
FAQ
I can’t get the key into my Yale lock. The keyway seems blocked. Why does this happen?
If the keyway really is blocked, it could be as a result of a buildup of dirt. The solution is to clear the keyway by cleaning it out. You can do this using a lubricant like WD-40 ora Teflon-based lubricant like Tri-Flow.
What can I do about a Yale lock key that won’t turn and is stuck in the keyhole?
Jiggle the key about while pulling it outward. If this doesn’t work after a couple of tries, place an ice cube in a plastic bag and then hold it against the key. The idea is to make the key contract enough for the lock pins to clear the teeth.
I accidentally slipped my work key into my Yale lock at home. Now it’s stuck. How can I get it out?
Try spraying some lubricant into the hole and see if you can pull the key out. If this fails, you may have to call in a locksmith.
The key to my store room Yale lock suddenly doesn’t work. Yes, I am sure I have the right key. What should I do?
Lubricate and clean the lock with graphite spray. Spray the key with graphite and then try working it back and forth in the lock.