Edit ArticleHow to Drill a Lock Two Parts:Getting StartedDrilling the LockCommunity Q&A Lock-drilling is a last-resort approach to gaining entry to locks that cannot be opened by other means. Drilling a lock will destroy the locking plug, but should leave the mechanism in working order. If you must do it, you can learn to examine the lock and approach the task properly, with the right equipment for the job.Some tubular locks have a center pin made of hardened steel, while others have a ball bearing in the middle pin to prevent drilling. In either case, drilling will prove ineffective and alternate lock-picking methods must be used. If you are unsure if the lock is made with a hardened center pin, consult a local hardware store or locksmith and give them as much information as you have on the lock. It's also important to double-check and make sure that you're working with a basic tumbler lock that you'll be able to knock out, and that there aren't other locking mechanisms on the door that'll keep you out.
Disable any alarms before attempting to drill a lock. Get the proper equipment. Since you're using a pretty primitive method to get the lock open, you won't need many sensitive tools to get the job done properly. If you need to drill through a lock, you'll need: A variable-speed power drill. You want a well-maintained and powerful power drill that you'll be able to use to break the lock mechanism. It would be very difficult to do this by hand. Several sizes of drill bits. There's no one drill-bit that'll be better than others, because you want to match it to the size of the lock. Have a few on hand to experiment with. Attach a 1/8-inch (3mm) drill bit to your drill. For the most part, if it's going to work, you'll be able to get it started with a bit that's about an eighth of an inch wide. If you don't have a bit that size, go with something in the neighborhood. You want it relatively small, going through the mechanism, rather than drilling it out completely. Hammer a center punch at a point directly above the keyhole.
This will create a guidance point for drilling. The point should be just below the shear line, the dividing line between the inner and outer cylinder of the lock, which will keep the drill bit on the center plug. This should be high enough to effectively drill through the pin tumblers. If you have difficulty finding the right place to sink your guidance hole, you can purchase a lock-drilling template. Templates for a variety of locks are available at locksmith shops and hardware stores. Drill a hole through the lock cylinder through the guidance point. This destroys the pins inside the lock cylinder, allowing you to force the lock open. Most locks have about five tumbler pins to drill through, although some have six or more. You should feel more resistance as the drill bit encounters each pin, then a decrease in resistance as the bit cuts through the pin. If the drill binds while drilling, you may need to put the drill in reverse and pull it out of the lock to draw out excess metal filings created by drilling through metal.
Lock-drilling templates for a variety of locks are offered for sale by locksmith businesses and hardware stores.Feel the drill work and try not to work too quickly or press too hard, as this may jam or break the drill bit. If you're having difficulty getting the bit to drill through the pins, you can stop at any time and lubricate the drill head with a little water or a synthetic oil lubricant to make the drilling easier. Keep the drill level while drilling. If you drill at an angle, you can accidentally drill through unnecessary metal and damage more of the lock. Switch to a slightly larger bit. After going through with your smaller bit, take it up a notch. Attach a 1/4-inch (6.5mm) or larger drill bit to your drill, and go through the lock again with the larger bit to break up the pins more and open the lock. Insert the blade of a flat-headed screwdriver into the lock head. Turn the locking mechanism in the same direction as you would with a key. If you drilled correctly, the locking mechanism will turn, and you will gain entry to the previously locked door.
If the lock still will not turn, you may need to destroy the entire lock cylinder, as described below.Some locks may be more complicated, meaning that you’ll have to drill through the entire lock assembly to open the locked area. Switch to either a larger 3/4 inch (19 mm) drill bit or a specially made cylindrical tubular lock bit. Tubular lock bits are generally 3.75 inches (9.53 cm) and similar to hole saws used to drill larger holes for installing locks in doors. Drill through the entire mechanism. This will destroy the entire lock. You will then be able to access the previously locked area. Show more unanswered questions Do not touch the drill bit or the lock with bare fingers while drilling, as they will become quite hot, and you may burn your fingers. In some instances, metal filings may be thrown airborne from the area of contact, so wearing safety goggles is recommended. The techniques described herein are intended to be used only for gaining entry into your own personal property.
Drilling a lock to gain entry into someone else's private property falls under the crime of breaking and entering and is subject to serious legal consequences.Home > Home Security > Know the Threats There are many techniques that can be used to compromise the standard euro cylinder locks that are fitted to most uPVC and composite doors. Lock manufacturers like UAP and Yale are constantly developing features within their locks that will combat such threats, like Lock-Snapping and Lock-Bumping. For your benefit, we describe these and other vulnerabilities below. We hope that it provides you with a better understanding of the seriousness of the threat and how a quiality product can offer your home protection. This method involves simply snapping the cylinder in two and removing the outside part. Doing so would provide access to the mechanism and allow the door to be unlocked. The euro cylinder has an inherent weak point in it's design; the cutout area near the centre of the cylinder that provides space for the revolving cam to engage with the doors locking mechanism.
The area of cylinder under the cutout if further weakened by a threaded hole through which the fixing bolt is screwed. If enough lateral, or vertical, force is applied to the euro cylinder, it will snap at the weak point and make it possible to remove the front part of the lock. Special tools have been engineered to snap cylinders but thieves also use readily available tools like mole grips, a hammer or a screw driver to execute this attack. Worryingly it can take just seconds to gain access using this technique and there is very little experience needed, just a bit of brute force - as the following clip demonstrates. The range of UAP+ Anti-Snap Euro Cylinders protect against this threat by featuring Anti-Snap cuts that sacrifice just a small part of the cylinder and leaves the cam intact and lock mechanism safe. Amazingly the cylinder can still be opened with the correct key. The term Lock-Bumping describes the process in which an adapted key is inserted into the euro cylinder and through application of torque and strikes to the key, the door can be opened in seconds.
Such attacks are increasing across the UK and leave little or no visable signs of damage, which can hamper any subsequent insurance claim. The following video clips describes the threat in more detail. To combat Lock-Bumping attacks, the UAP+ Anti-Snap Euro Cylinder features what UAP term 'Zero Lift' technology. In this system one pin sits far higher than the other pins and one of the pins sits directly on the sheer line. This ensures that even if a key is cut low enough to bump the pin that sits directly on the sheer line it will be too low to make contact with the high pin. Cutting a key high enough to make contact with the high pin will always result in overlift of the pin that sits on the sheer line. The Yale Kitemarked Anti-Bump Euro Cylinder uses a different technique to protect against Lock-Bumping. Sometimes a burglar may use a strong, HSS drill bit to drill out the lock. This is a less subtle and destructive method that involves drilling on the Sheer Line to the depth of the key and then turning the Plug with a screw driver.
High security euro cylinders that have been awarded BS EN 1303:2005 protect against Lock-Drilling and often use hardened steel Anti-Drill Pins in the barrel and the Plug as a defence. The UAP+ Anti-Snap Euro Cylinder and the Yale Kitemarked Anti-Bump Euro Cylinder both demonstrated resistance of at least 5 minutes to be awarded Grade 2 for Attack Resistance. This technique invloves manipulating the pins within the euro cylinder so that they all align on the shear line and allow the Plug to be turned and the lock opened. The essential tools for manually picking a lock are a tension tool and pick, which is available in different forms like Jiggler, Hook, King, Snake Rake and Sawtooth Rake. The choice of pick depends on the technique being used. There are even electric lock picking guns that can be used to speed up the process of picking a lock. Lock-Picking takes practice, so many thieves will prefer the often quicker force techniques like Lock-Snapping and Lock-Bumping. The UAP+ Anti-Snap Euro Cylinder and the Yale Kitemarked Anti-Bump Euro Cylinder both protect against lock picking with the use of special Anti-Pick Spool Pins.