Every day we use various locks that are installed on entrance and interior doors in our homes, offices, and apartments. In addition, there are locks inside cars, strongboxes, and even in some furniture.
There are several situations in which we are not able to open the lock
- Lost key. Even if you have duplicate keys, they may not be accessible (inside a locked apartment, for example). In addition, if you have lost your key or it has been stolen, we highly recommend not only opening the lock but also replacing it.
- The lock is broken. Like any mechanism, a lock can break, especially if you haven’t serviced it for a long time. Rust, moisture, and dirt reduce the life of any lock. The lock may not break immediately. First, you will notice that the key begins to turn worse and jam. If you ignore the problem, the lock may break completely in a while.
- The lock or door is damaged. The causes of damage can be very different, including a break-in attempt, vandalism, or a mistake in installing a door or lock.
In each of these situations, the lock must be opened. How to do it?
First, you can try to pick the lock yourself. However, we do not recommend it as you may injure yourself, critically damage the lock and door, but still not be able to open the lock. You won’t be able to open even a cheap lock unless you have experience, special skills, and tools.
Secondly, you can contact a locksmith in your area. This option also has its drawbacks. A common locksmith is like a general specialist who is unlikely to open a complex lock. In addition, the locksmith most likely will not come to you urgently.
Thirdly, if there is a threat to life and safety, you can contact the rescue service. Be prepared that in this case the door can be opened in the fastest way, but after that, it will not be repairable.
Finally, you can contact specialized services that open locks legally. You may learn more about professional lock-picking services at the following link: https://spb.ok-locks.ru/.
Benefits of working with professionals
Let’s start with the fact that there are lock-picking services in any large city, and in metropolitan areas there are even dozens of them.
We recommend that you save in advance the contacts of the nearest service with a flawless reputation, since in an emergency you will not be able to objectively evaluate offers and waste time searching for a good service.
- A professional lock-picking technician arrives at the client’s address as soon as possible. It usually takes from a few minutes to an hour, depending on your location. If there are traffic jams, the master may be delayed. We recommend choosing a service that employs at least several teams. It increases the chances that they will come to you faster. If the lock does not need to be changed urgently, you can make an appointment with a locksmith at a convenient time.
- A qualified specialist will most likely open the lock quickly. On average, a master opens a regular door lock in 10-15 minutes, however, locks with increased resistance to lock picking take longer, up to several hours.
- An important advantage of professional service is damage-free opening. If possible, the specialist will open the lock without damaging serviceable parts of the mechanism, door, and other decorative parts of the interior. As a result, you will spend less on lock repairs and replacements.
- Good emergency service specialists are equipped with tools and equipment to carry out any work on locks. Masters not only open doors, but also install new locks, strengthen locks against burglary, repair locks, and so on.
- Consult with a specialist whether you need to change the entire lock, or whether it is enough to simply replace its cylinder. If you want to increase resistance to burglary, the locksmith will tell you which lock to choose in this case.
- Learn how to maintain your new lock so it won’t break for the next 5-10 years. If you don’t want to do it yourself, seek the help of professionals who will clean and lubricate the lock 1-2 times a year.
How to choose a lock-picking service
The first thing you need to clarify is whether the service has a license to provide lock-picking services. Cooperate with those specialists who work legally and in compliance with local regulations only.
A licensed specialist doesn’t open a door or car until they are satisfied that you are the owner of the property or have the authority to open a door or a lock.
The second important nuance is the cost of services. As a rule, the cost depends on several factors – the type of lock, its resistance to burglary, and the need for additional work. For example, opening a regular door lock can cost several times less than opening an Italian or German lock with several levels of burglary protection.
Read reviews of the company and find out what rating it has among customers in your city. We recommend reading reviews on the pages of independent resources to avoid advertising and anti-advertising.
We recommend that you cooperate only with those services that operate under a contract. The contract, which is concluded after the master arrives at your address, must indicate the cost of services and equipment, as well as the rights and obligations of the parties.
The schedule of the lock opening service is another important criterion. Please note that problems with locks may occur on weekends, holidays, or at night. It is advisable to have contacts for a service that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If the company has popular lock models that you can immediately install instead of old locks, this is an additional benefit. This way, you won’t waste time searching for the right product and risk your safety while the new lock is delivered to your address.
