Key won't turn? Lock stuck?
What each fault usually means, what you can try, and when to stop before you make it worse.
Most lock faults are not the lock failing — they are the door moving. Perth timber swells and shrinks through the seasons, hinges drop, and suddenly the bolt no longer lines up with the hole it goes into. That is why forcing a key that has gone stiff is the worst thing you can do: the lock is usually fine and the key is about to snap in it. We repair far more of these than we replace.
- Most common cause
- The door has moved, not the lock
- Do not
- Force a stiff key, or oil it
- Usually
- Repairable rather than replaceable
- Call
- Amco Locksmiths, 08 9444 2089
What your lock is telling you
The key won’t turn, or turns hard
Almost always the door rather than the lock. If you have to lift, push or pull the door to get the key round, the bolt is binding against the strike plate because the door has dropped or swollen. Keep forcing it and the key will snap — and a broken key in a lock is a much bigger job than the adjustment it needed.
The other causes are a worn key (a copy of a copy drifts further from the original each time) or a cylinder full of grit. Do not put oil in a lock. Oil holds dust and turns into a paste that seizes the pins. A dry graphite or PTFE lubricant is the right thing; three-in-one is not.
The key won’t go all the way in
Something is in the keyway — grit, a fragment of a previous key, or a pin that has come out of place. It can also be the wrong key, which sounds obvious but happens constantly with two similar keys on one ring. If it goes halfway and stops dead, stop pushing.
The lock is stuck in the locked position
The door will not open and the key turns freely, or will not turn at all. Usually the bolt is jammed in the strike, or something inside the lock has failed — a broken spring or a sheared cam. From the inside you can sometimes take pressure off by pulling the door towards you as you turn. From the outside, ring us rather than forcing it.
The lock is stuck open, or won’t lock at all
The deadbolt will not throw, or the latch does not catch when the door closes. Nine times out of ten the strike plate and the bolt have stopped lining up, which is a realignment rather than a new lock. On a deadlatch it can also be the latch itself worn round so it no longer holds.
The handle is loose or spins
The spindle or the fixing screws have worked loose, or the internal mechanism has worn. Often a tightening job. If the handle spins freely and does nothing, something inside has sheared and it will need parts.
The door won’t close properly
Not strictly a lock fault, but it is what causes most of them. A door that has dropped on its hinges or swollen with the weather puts everything out of line. Fixing the door is what makes the lock work again — putting a brand new lock into a misaligned door just breaks the new one.
Security screen and flyscreen faults
The screen door lock won’t work with the key
The most common screen door call we get. The cylinder in a security screen door is small, exposed and takes weather from both sides, so it wears faster than a front door lock. Usually the cylinder has failed rather than the whole lock, and replacing the barrel alone sorts it.
The latch won’t catch, or the door won’t stay shut
Aluminium screen doors sag on their hinges over time and the latch stops meeting the keeper. Adjusting the keeper or the hinges is normally all it takes. On a triple lock, where the door bolts at the top, middle and bottom, a sagging door will usually fail at one point first.
The flyscreen door lock is jammed
A flyscreen lock is lighter than a security screen lock and jams more easily, often from grit or a bent tongue after the door has been pulled hard. These are usually cheap to replace outright rather than worth repairing.
Whitco locks
Whitco is on an enormous number of Perth screen and sliding doors, and the Tasman is the one we see most. The usual failures are the cylinder, the tongue and the internal springs, and in most cases the part is replaceable without changing the whole lock body. Whitco window locks and winders are common here too.
Lockwood 8654 three-point locks
The 8654 is the triple lock on a great many Perth security doors — it throws bolts at the top, middle and bottom from one handle. When one of the three stops engaging it is usually the connecting rods out of adjustment or the door itself sagging, not the lock body. The cylinder can be replaced on its own, and we can key it to your existing house key.
Security door handles
Handles snap, springs fail and the return stops working so the handle droops. Handle sets can usually be replaced without touching the lock. We work on Lockwood including the 8654, Whitco including the Tasman, Austral and Doric.
Repair before replace
- Price agreed first. You know the cost before any work starts.
- Repair before replace. We only swap a lock when it’s genuinely worn out.
- Drilling never costs you extra. If a barrel has to be drilled, we tell you first and replace it at no charge, keyed to your existing key.
What customers say
Tap any review to read it on Google.
“Amco locksmiths are amazing to deal with! Very friendly and helpful on the phone. Responded promptly to my call for help with a key that was not working. Magnus was extremly friendly and helpful when he showed up. For any locksmith issues, go with these guys. You will not be disappointed. Thank you for making my day so much better in a sticky situation <3”
Read on Google →“Absolutely cracking service from Magnus. My wife dropped her keys last night and went to start it today and and it failed. We called 2 other places first and also had road side assistance out to inspect. Not one of them advised us to look where she had dropped it for the micro chip. They simply wanted dollars in their pockets without trying to solve the problem. After a prompt call back from Magnus and an exploded view image of keys components and 5 minutes of rummaging around the garden the chip was found, re-installed and works. 100% recommend these guys and will be getting a spare key from them in the near future. Thanks so much Magnus!!!”
Read on Google →“Very impressed with Amco Locksmiths! The cheapest amongst a few quotes that I got. Very fast and efficient. Professional and friendly technician who gave me advice on a few other things around the house. Customer service was swift and helpful. Cannot fault!”
Read on Google →“Awesome, quick and very good priced service!”
Read on Google →Straight answers
Why won't my key turn in the lock?
Usually because the door has moved rather than the lock failing. If you have to lift or push the door to get the key round, the bolt is binding on the strike plate. Stop forcing it — the key will snap, and that is a far bigger job.
Should I put oil in a sticking lock?
No. Oil holds dust and turns into a paste that seizes the pins, so a lock that was sticking ends up worse. A dry graphite or PTFE lubricant is the right thing.
My door lock is stuck in the locked position. What now?
Do not force it. Either the bolt is jammed in the strike or something inside has broken. From the inside, pulling the door towards you as you turn sometimes releases the pressure. From outside, ring us — we open these without damaging the door wherever the lock allows it.
My security screen door lock won't work with the key.
The most common screen door fault we see. The cylinder is small and exposed and wears faster than a front door lock. Usually only the barrel needs replacing, not the whole lock, and we can key the new one to your existing key.
Can you fix a Whitco or a Lockwood 8654?
Yes, both. They are on a huge number of Perth screen and sliding doors. On an 8654 triple lock, a point that stops engaging is normally the rods out of adjustment or the door sagging rather than the lock body.
Is it cheaper to repair a lock or replace it?
Repair, in most cases, and it is what we recommend. We only replace a lock when it is worn or failing enough that a new one is cheaper than coming back to it.
Do you repair car door locks?
No. We do not repair car door locks, and we do not do ignitions or remove keys stuck in them. We can open a locked car without damage and extract a key snapped in a car door, but repairs to car locks are a different trade.
Can you come out the same day for a lock that won't lock?
A door that will not lock is not something to leave. We run a 24 hour emergency service, and we will tell you honestly when we can get to you rather than promise a time.