What tool to break a D-lock?

tarquin_foxglove

I snapped my key in my lock (frozen, thought I'd force it rather get a 2nd cup of boiling water). The lock is either an OnGuard Pitbull or Brute, so the steel shackle is 14mm or 16mm thick.

Assuming it is 16mm, what tool do I go and buy and take to work tomorrow (I'm guessing a junior hacksaw won't be any good)?

davis

Disc cutter, probably.
Even a pair of 30" bolt cutters (though you can get bigger ones) is apparently only rated up to 10mm high-tensile steel. I thought they would cope with more, but there you go.

I'd defrost it really well and try to unlock it using the broken key before resorting to industrial methods though!

Wrath Rob

Bit of super-glue to try and stick the key back together and extract it? Then de-frost and try again? With the 2nd key, obviously!

chedabob

I've heard you can break them with a bottle jack if there's enough slack.

rubertoe

Call the fire brigade (or pop into your local station if your near one)

daddy0

You could try hitting it with a hammer, the catch might give, or shatter if its cold enough...

CiB

Had the same thing a few weeks ago...

broken key

peat

In future, if possible, defrost the lock by dry means (hairdryers etc). Hot water cools rapidly and can freeze quickly.

I have used windscreen de-icer in the past to un-freeze lock barrels, but i doubt it does the mechanism any favours at all.

The Rookie

Plenty of WD40 to disperse the water, then add some light oil (I use a teflon spray)...

To get rid of the current lock, a bottle jack.

davis

Daddy0 wrote:

You could try hitting it with a hammer, the catch might give, or shatter if its cold enough...

No. Just... no.

OneForTheRoad

Angle grinder will do it in no time.

tarquin_foxglove

Cheers.

Based on the advice I'm going to try defrosting & super-glue first before calling in the heavy machinery.

nicklouse

I use a sharpened spoke to get broken keys out.

ride_whenever

As above, try to get the old key out.

Don't use the jaws of life from the fire dept. If you use the blades they use for cars then the blades will shatter before they cut the lock as they're shears rather than croppers. The fire brigade usually do have some hydraulic bolt cutters which will be much more useful! Alternatively your local demolition firm should have something for chopping up rebar which will do the job brilliantly

mbthegreat

Borrow an angle grinder, depending where the bike is your premises management may well have one. Get them to do it for your if you've not used one before, or just be careful (like all power tools make sure you have the blade spun up before applying it to the metal, be aware it will try to skate around, gets very hot etc etc)

gtvlusso

+1 for the angle grinder.

If it is out on the street, try and find some civil engineering works team and ask for use of their 'Diamond Cutter'.....They will either get their nobs out or they will lend you a petrol powered tarmac cutter.

rjsterry

gtvlusso wrote:

+1 for the angle grinder.

If it is out on the street, try and find some civil engineering works team and ask for use of their 'Diamond Cutter'.....They will either get their nobs out or they will lend you a petrol powered tarmac cutter.

Which will promptly chop straight through the lock, sheffield stand and bike before you realise what's happened

meanredspider

Yes. FFS be careful with any tool you use to attack a lock. There's potential for some serious damage and injury. Angle grinders, in particular, will try to cut through anything in their path (including your fingers) and generate plenty of sparks (care with flammable materials - including any you might happen to be wearing) and flying debris (face shield or at least eye protection).

gtvlusso

No one mentioned Thermite.....

Or any kind of explosive..... :shock:

mbthegreat

meanredspider wrote:

Yes. FFS be careful with any tool you use to attack a lock. There's potential for some serious damage and injury. Angle grinders, in particular, will try to cut through anything in their path (including your fingers) and generate plenty of sparks (care with flammable materials - including any you might happen to be wearing) and flying debris (face shield or at least eye protection).

Yes, wear eye protection, and try to hold the thing at arms length. Don't get down close to it, though it is temping to do so.

Drfabulous0

gtvlusso wrote:

+1 for the angle grinder.

If it is out on the street, try and find some civil engineering works team and ask for use of their 'Diamond Cutter'.....They will either get their nobs out or they will lend you a petrol powered tarmac cutter.

That is the wrong type of disc, it could shatter and cause serious injury, you can cut stone with a metal cutting disc but not vice versa.

mudcow007

if d-locks are so 'ard to cut requiring angle grinders an stuff

how come bike get nicked so easy when they are locked to stuff on the street?

you average tea leaf wont be carrying around a petrol grinder in his back pocket....

rubertoe

mbthegreat wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Yes. FFS be careful with any tool you use to attack a lock. There's potential for some serious damage and injury. Angle grinders, in particular, will try to cut through anything in their path (including your fingers) and generate plenty of sparks (care with flammable materials - including any you might happen to be wearing) and flying debris (face shield or at least eye protection).

Yes, wear eye protection, and try to hold the thing at arms length. Don't get down close to it, though it is temping to do so.

Would anyone want to get too close to something that is spinning at <insert appropriate number here> RPM and could easily lop of a limb? :shock:

rjsterry

Just googled "Angle Grinder Accident". Not for the faint-hearted :shock:

mbthegreat

rubertoe wrote:

mbthegreat wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Yes. FFS be careful with any tool you use to attack a lock. There's potential for some serious damage and injury. Angle grinders, in particular, will try to cut through anything in their path (including your fingers) and generate plenty of sparks (care with flammable materials - including any you might happen to be wearing) and flying debris (face shield or at least eye protection).

Yes, wear eye protection, and try to hold the thing at arms length. Don't get down close to it, though it is temping to do so.

Would anyone want to get too close to something that is spinning at <insert appropriate number here> RPM and could easily lop of a limb? :shock:

With any tool its tempting to lean in so you can better see what you are doing, an angle grinder even more so because you generally can't see very well past the guard and front handle.

edhornby

mudcow007 wrote:

if d-locks are so 'ard to cut requiring angle grinders an stuff

how come bike get nicked so easy when they are locked to stuff on the street?

you average tea leaf wont be carrying around a petrol grinder in his back pocket....

your average tea leaf has a hacksaw and goes for cable locks - it's gangs with vans and a bottle jack that nick your Dlocked bike

meanredspider

rjsterry wrote:

Just googled "Angle Grinder Accident".

The only question I have is "Why?"

I did actually cut a neat slot in the top of my knuckle many years ago. I was wearing all of the appropriate safety equipment (heavy gloves, face shield, ear defenders) had finished the task and put down the grinder, took off a glove to rub my face and, as I went to pick the glove up again, my knuckle caught the still-spinning disc. Neat slot needing surgery to sew up the partially severed tendon. Please take care.

Kieran_Burns

By the way, am I the only one that read the thread title as "What tool broke a D-Lock?"

No?

Just me then....

Wallace1492

I did one lock 3 bikes to a cycle carrier on the back of my car in Normandy. left the keys on the roof above the drivers door for the nominated day's driver to get, went to bog then got in car, we then drove to Southern Brittany, where said driver asked for key to open bike lock....... :shock:

Anyway, my fault, so we got carrier and bikes off, I cracked open a beer and sat for half an hour clipping all the individual wires on the bike lock with a mini gerber tool. Was quite theraputic, apart from the said individual bits of wire systematically puncturing the skin of my hands on a rather regular basis. My hands looked like Pete Docherty's forearm when I was done.

Live and learn......

rjsterry

meanredspider wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Just googled "Angle Grinder Accident".

The only question I have is "Why?"

I'm very inquisitive and not at all squeamish.

Roastie

Daddy0 wrote:

You could try hitting it with a hammer, the catch might give, or shatter if its cold enough...

It has been cold, but now THAT cold.