I have 3 door locks that I purchased as a set, all use the same key. I had a copy made of the original key and hid that copy outside in case I ever locked myself out.
The other day I tried to unlock my front door with an original key that has been on my keychain for years and I’ve used many times, but the key wouldn’t turn. Tried the other front door, same thing. Here’s the funny part, I found the copy would turn fine and unlock the locks.
So the copy works, original doesn’t. I’m pretty sure the key I’m calling original is original because it says “Tru-Guard” on it, which is the brand of the locks I bought from True-Value.
Never had it happen, but it’s not that surprising that the key you use most often would get worn or damaged to the point of not working anymore.
Specifically, see all those ridges on your key? They have to move pins into just the right position to allow the doorknob to turn. Wear down those ridges and the key won’t work anymore. Keys are made of rather soft materials, so I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often. Probably the tolerances aren’t particularly tight.
Yes, I believe the original is worn. I can compare my original key (which I actually don’t use that much, I usually go in and out of the garage with the garage door opener) to the copy, and the ridges are definitely different.
As far as the graphite, even though that’s common advice from what I’ve read online that actually isn’t a great idea for locks. Even WD-40 seems better.
You might want to reconsider that. According to the manufacturer (as filtered thru Snopes.com), that is not one of WD-40’s recommended uses.
Consider that “WD” means “Water Displacement,” not “Lubrication.” While WD-40 rivals Duck (Duct) Tape as the Handyman’s Secret Weapon, a locksmith might be more inclined to suggest graphite.
Yeah, it’s possible but I’d still go for the lock first suspecting crud in the lock mechanism. Keys can wear sure, but really it should take lots and lots of use.
The key may be slightly bent or twisted, just enough to cause it to stop working but not enough for it to be totally obvious by looking at it. This can happen if keys get banged around.
I once parked my motorcycle on the road outside a bank at night. I wanted to go into the foyer of the bank and use the cash point (ATM) machine, so I turned the ignition to the “park” position and removed the key. This left the side lights on which I thought was a bit safer considering where it was parked.
Of course when I got back the key went in but wouldn’t turn, which I put down to the “park” position hardly ever being used. The lock went park -> off -> ignition and normally only went between off and ignition. I was really stuck until a passing motorcyclist stopped and helped out with a spray of WD-40 and some careful to-ing and fro-ing with the key until it turned.
That’s when I switched to the spare key and had a copy made, the worn one chucked in the back of a drawer somewhere!
I never had it happen with a house key, but once, at the airport, I inserted the key to a locker where I had my bags stored for a few hours. The flight had just been called. The key broke off with part still in the lock.
Contacting the nearest customer service counter, I explained my plight and they handed me a form to fill out, saying they would get a maintenance crew to look at it in a few days. Since I hadn’t planned to camp out at the airport for a few days, I took a pocket knife and using that plus the stub of the key, managed to get the door open.
I’ve been avoiding airport lockers ever since. Not only do I travel baggage light, I travel ultra-light.
That said, just for giggles, the OP should pull out the regular key and the copy, lay them on top of each other & make sure the teeth match.
It would be embarrassing if the whole time the key the OP was using was to a different door.
Just got back from a swanky party with a coatroom girl and my key doesn’t fit. Also, stuff has started disappearing from around the house:
Cash, stock, bonds, antique coins, first editions, jewelry, expensive watches, grandma’s diamond engagement ring, etc. I Really need to be less absent minded…
A friend of mine returned to her apartment to find stuff missing. She ran outside and dialed 911. Once the police determined It was safe, they brought her back in to do an inventory of what was missing. A few minutes in, she realized the only things missing belonged to her boyfriend. They’d been together for many years; he just decided to move on.
That’s the thing, they don’t exactly match. But I don’t have that many keys on my keyring and the original key on my keyring that doesn’t work looks the same and is marked the same as the one I’ve used for years. So I’ve got to ASSume it’s the same key.
What I need to do now is find the other original(s), they are in a big envelope somewhere but I moved them somewhere more organized than a box in the laundry room and now I can’t remember where.
Now that you’ve lived in a house so long that the key’s worn out, please consider the possibility that you have stray keys floating around with neighbors, friends, etc. Now is a good time to rekey your locks.
I’ve had several friends who found there were keys in hands they didn’t know about. One man moved into a new house and a few months later a woman he didn’t know knocked on the door and said, “This is the key the Smith’s left with me, now that they’ve moved out I thought you should have it.” Another man was missing small things in his house, then one day his house burned down. It turned out his son had given a key to a friend, the friend had entered the house to steal small valuables and cash, then after one of his visits, set the house on fire to cover his tracks. Yes drugs were involved.
(And since I’m ranting on keys, if you have a home built or buy a new home, don’t even bother to have the locks rekeyed, just completely replace the locks. The locks most builders use are absolute crap and the keys are spread around every sub-contactor that worked on the house. My practice is that once I’ve signed the paperwork the first person to meet me at the new house is the locksmith.)
Thank You! I didn’t want to be the one to say this. Also, in the “you get what you pay for” department, PLEASE use a local lock smith; please Don’t use a Lowes/HomeDepot on-sale DIY item.
Its your home and your life; you’re Worth it.
