As I came home Thursday night I couldn't open the door to my flat anymore: the dead bolt snapped back, but the latch didn't. Luckily I was able to remove the escutcheon plates and turn the axis of the spring bolt with the Leatherman. Now quickly to the hardware store before it closes and buy a new cylinder lock. And new escutcheon plates. I didn't take into account, though, that not only the cylinder lock was non-standard, but also the mortice lock. I had to google how to remove the cylinder, and the mortice lock does not take a standard cylinder lock. Dismantled, the system looks like this:
Old proprietary BKS locking system
Also, the special system made it impossible to measure the required lengths correctly. The plates were the wrong ones, the hardware store closed already, I had to somehow keep the door shut for the night.
There, I fixed it
Later that night it dawned on me that it was the mortice lock and not the cylinder which was broken, and that I might as well could have saved myself the trip to the store.
The next morning I went to the hardware store again, exchanged the plates for the correctly sized ones and bought a new mortice lock. At least the cylinder lock had the right length. After some adjustments to the door for the new system I was able to mount the new lock and finally have a correctly opening and lockable door again.
New lock, inside the flat
The new plates even match the ones on the door across the corridor.
Lessons learned:
¹ Ironically, the bored cylindrical lock was invented by a German locksmith.
Comments
greenreaper.livejournal.com 14 years ago
There, I fixed it
Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best!
Link | Replylynard-.livejournal.com 14 years ago
Though shall not open it ;) Glad to hear you could fix it
Link | Replyzefirodragon.livejournal.com 13 years, 11 months ago
yast -i /hardwarestore/newlocks/fullbundle.rpm
Your solution looks fine :)
And I admit, for those reasons walking around with a leatherman and other tools IS a life-safer. I personally just can't get used to carring that much stuff, dragging my pants down.
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