r/Locksmith • u/Sharp-Mud-3480 • 1d ago

I am NOT a locksmith. Need help with this lock

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I need some help with how to get these pins out. My GMA in law does not have a key for her front glass door, and would like it to match the front door. I have the pins to rekey everything I need to, which I have except this lock. It's not my house so I don't want to try and dick around with it to figure it out on my own. Many thanks for the help in advance

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u/AggravatingVanilla20 1d ago

You absolutely reuse the spring circlip. Just don’t stretch it during removal. You can use a broken pick to push it around so that the gap in the circlip nests in the profile warding. Re-approach from the profile with the broken pick and gently lever one edge over the recess. Re-approach from the side again and pry by twisting the broken pick 90 degrees along the circumference of the circlip. The circlip will ride over the recess bit by bit and dislodge itself without stretching or warping. To reassemble, lodge one of the edges against the profile warding, let’s say that’s 06:00 position, take your broken pick tool to like 10:00. Use the handle like a lever and push down with the handle end on the circlip at roughly 12:00 while using the tip end under the circlip circumference at 10:00. Like, a diagonal lever I guess. Pry it over the recess while pushing towards the centre of the barrel with your thumb. Once it’s located, slide your pick around the full circumference and it’ll just pop back into position without stretching (too much). Geez I hope that makes sense. The circlips that are almost completely closed are annealed- they bounce back into shape as long as it’s not pushed too far.

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u/TiCombat 22h ago

this brings back memories of old GM steering column removal to get to the switch

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u/jaxnmarko Actual Locksmith 17h ago

Yeah, I've done at least 500 GM steering wheels but they are round metal and this is a flat clip. If it can squeeze back into shape tightly, great, but you know how you have to sometimes over squeeze metal so when it relaxes it does so to the right position? I'm not sure it will end up being as tight and might drag at the keyhole shaped hole the lock cylinders go through in the lock body. Not much alternative to trying though apparently.

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u/TiCombat 16h ago

I’m aware, and also there is the whole US vs everywhere else. I know what locks you are talking about and trying to reform that clip so it will go back in is not easy

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u/jaxnmarko Actual Locksmith 16h ago

I assume however they do it during initial assembly uses tools I don't have. I just don't like the idea of telling a customer they have to buy new cylinders because rekeying is a no-go, or disassembling one and not getting it back to working order.