I got a really good deal on a heavy-duty filing cabinet, but the keys were lost and I can’t get into it. Based on advice from the internet, we’ve been trying to drill out the lock, but we don’t seem to be making much headway with that. Are we doing something wrong, or does it just take a really, really long time to drill out a file cabinet lock? We started with the regular drill bit, and moved on to a metal oxide bit (about a 3/8th inch bit, I think it is).
I also saw some advice on just popping the lock from the top of the cabinet (if only I’d seen that before we started drilling) - does anyone have any idea if we can still try that method, or has all the drilling we’ve been doing made that method impossible?
Drilling the lock works.
You need to drill far enough to free all the pins, at which point you can use a screwdriver to turn what remains of the cylinder.
Have you considered getting a core key for that brand of filing cabinet? You may be able to just pull it out using the core key and replace it with a new one, if you want.
May I suggest the MIT guide to lock picking? If you haven’t damaged the lock too badly it should be a quick pick. If nothing else it’s a great guide on how locks work.
You’re doing something wrong if you’ve been at it for hours. You should be drilling through the soft brass cylinder. Unfortunately you’ve probably already damaged it too much for picking to be an option so you’re pretty much stuck with drilling unless you’ve got a friend that does auto body work that you can borrow a slap hammer from. Just put a screw in the hole you’ve already made, hook the hammer on, and yank it out.
TWo minutes, eh? Well, something is definitely not going as expected, then. The bit we’re using does say it is for metal as well, but it’s not going quickly at all.
??? There is no soft brass cylinder available at the front of the lock - it’s all stainless steel.
Will look for a cobalt or titanium bit tomorrow. We’re trying not to pay a hundred bucks for a drill bit to drill the lock out of a ten dollar filing cabinet.
Sounds like you’ve dulled the bit. Not much point in trying to sharpen a normal drill bit, they’re cheap and a pain to sharpen anyway.
I’d get a new bit and some light machine oil to keep it lubricated - for a one off job like that just 3-in-1 oil or even WD-40 will be ok.
Don’t push too hard, let the bit pull itself into the cut, and if it’s getting really hot and/or shooting off little smoky bits of metal and lubricant stop for a couple minutes to let everything cool down, and don’t go as fast when you start up again.
It may be easier to drill a smaller hole and then make it larger later than it would be to try to drill out the whole thing in one go.
Sorry, I was busy yesterday and forgot to get a cobalt/titanium bit. I’ll try to remember that today.
buckgully, I don’t think the problem is a dull bit - we’ve used two different bits now, and the second one was brand new. We haven’t been using lubricant, though - I’ll get the WD-40 out.
You can get keys from the manufacturer for about $2. I get free or very cheap filing cabinets for old file storage all the time and most of them don’t have the key or are locked.
You call the manufacturer, give them the number on the lock and pay a small fee and they send you a set of keys that show up in the mail a few days later.
If it really is SS this will be part of the problem. SS is a pain, and if drilled with the wrong technique will quickly blunten any drill bit to the point of uselessness. Worse some SS grades will work harden if drilled incorrectly, making life even more miserable.
Drill bit must be sharp. Must use lubrication. If the SS gets hot it will harden. Use reasonable pressure, medium to slow drill speed (too fast and you will just wreck the bit) and be sure the drill is actually cutting, not just spinning in the hole. Be careful as you reach the back of the SS piece - as the drill bit emerges it will tend to catch and can snap.
High speed and no lubrication and you just end up with a round end on the drill bit, and you can sit there until the sun goes cold spinning in the hole and make no progress.
If you are still only in a SS cover it is probable that the lock proper is still intact and the above suggestions about opening it may be a better option.
This. I’ve picked filing cabinet locks with 2 paper clips in under 30 seconds. If you know what you’re doing, and it’s hardly rocket science, it’s a simple process that requires little skill and only some cursory practice.
The locks on most cabinets are 3-5 pin tumblers which are especially easy to pick even for the novice. In the more unusual cases, a cabinet will have high security locks, however this is something you will be able to feel when you go to pick it for the first time.
Usually they’re wafer locks. They can be picked by just inserting something and jiggling it up and down and applying tension (you can pick them wafer by wafer, or by raking too). I could open every locker at school using a pen knife.
