Lost Door Key

[roupcat]

I bought a 1981 Bally E-1208-3 without a door key thinking I could pick the lock but I can't. I got frustrated and started drilling the lock but can't seem to get anywhere. It's hard. Any suggestions? Help!

[Firebird]

If I were doing it, I would use a cobalt drill bit, they will chew through just about anything, and that is what the casino uses when they get a broken key in the lock.

[junkman]

very hard to pick. go with the drill bit.   

[Mr. Dinoman]

Here is a link to the drill bit I use if it is tubular...

http://www.lockpicks.com/tubularlockdrill.aspx

[stayouttadabunker]

It's hard.

Most "locks" are made out of a tough material... 

I use a metal hand grinder.
Grind off the face and the whole guts fall out of it...
At that point the body of the cylinder lock is so weakened that all you
need is a punch and hammer and one hit - everything goes flying out inside.

How long it takes all depends on what tools you have available really...
For example: It would take a really long time if you decided
to squirt some battery acid into the keyhole...lol
I really don't suggest this though....might get into your eyes.

[Jim]

hopefully your lock is not recessed. even though the bodies of the lock cylinder  are brass  the keyway or face have hardened pins placed in them, so at some point you will hit the hardened pin and your drill bit will dull. especially if the lock is a Medico. they usually have three hardened pins in them.

if your lock is flush mounted:  cover the area with duct tape, use a regular hacksaw to start a 1/16 groove on the top of the lock cylinder, then take a sawsall recip. saw with a hacksaw blade in it and cut the rest of the lock off, then push the remains into the machine . you may have to fiddle with the lock bar to release the latches.  no broken drill bits, no partial drill bits embedded in the lock itself, no bloody fingers or knuckles,  pay attention to the duct tape as you saw, it protects the chrome finish.  start to finish should be around 15 minutes.


Jim

[roupcat]

Thanks guys for the suggestions and support. I drilled out the center ring of the tube lock with an 1/8" bit in a dremel tool which allowed me to remove the 7 outside pins. I then blew out the inside pins and springs with compress air and a carb cleaner nozzle which allowed me to turn the lock with a small needle nose pliers. Put some nickels in and the machine works great. My first old Bally. Now I need a new lock. LOL 

[cowboygames]

I drilled the locks on the topbox of my Monte Carlo the same way. Those round key locks really aren't that tough. Measure the lengh of the cam on the old lock and post an ad in the classified section

[Yoeddy1]

Well heck, now that we know that the locks aren't that tough I'm bringing my drill gun next time I'm in Vegas!  I don't think anybody would suspect anything.  LOL!

Jason