In this blog entry, the Las Vegas lock installation team here at Top Master Locksmith Las Vegas will detail the main issues that can cause keys to keep turning and revolving inside locks.
Tailpiece Damage
Locks of inner mechanisms that operate by actuating the lock to the key that’s been placed inside the lock. Also called tailbars or turnpieces, tailpieces are absolutely necessary to lock operation, and often found in Yale manufactured locks. A tailpiece is a long slender piece of metal that extends from the outside part of the lock cylinder through the door. The tailpiece is connected between the lock’s deadbolt and the thumb latch. If the tailpiece is damaged or weakened, the key can keep turning in the lock without engaging it. Broken tailpieces will need to be professionally replaced, which can be tricky. A professional lock repair team can measure the tailpiece size and length based on your unique lock and seamlessly install it.
Broken Cams
Cams operate like tailpieces, but are more usually found in euro cylinder locks. While they are sometimes interchangeably implemented, both are actually different forms of mechanisms. Cams are pieces of metal or hard plastic located in the center of a lock cylinder that rotate when a key is used to rotate the lock, making the lock bolt either engage or release. When cams are damaged, locks cannot operate, often causing your key to spin around without engaging or deactivating the lock. Broken cams need to be promptly replaced, and like tailpieces, need to be fit to match the particular lock. Cam designs vary based on lock type. The improper cam will not be able to engage the lock.
Loose Door Handles
If your door handle seems loose, is spinning, or is wobbling, it can cause your door lock to spina around without opening the door. Loose handles do this due to loose connections blocking the key’s ability to engage the ock. This can cause your door handle to become fully useless and make your key unable to operate the lock. If your handle is loose, have it professionally repaired as soon as possible. A professional lock repair team will unscrew the door handle, remove the base, and access the set screw to perform modifications to make the door handle firmly set once again.
Loose Set Screws
If not only is your key spinning aimlessly in your lock, but the lock cylinder is, it’s likely due to a loose set screw. A professional lock repair technician will disassemble the lock and tighten the screw set -a process that has different details based on the particular lock model. It usually involves the removal of a lock faceplate that can expose the set screw of the lock cylinder. Flathead screwdrivers are sometimes used to tighten set screws and to remove and replace worn and rusted screws. Cylinders might have been worn out to the point that they require full replacement. This should ONLY be professionally done, as amateur attempts to replace worn out cylinder often causes even further lock damage.