# Forum Home Renovation Doors, Windows, Architraves & Skirts  Hinged screen door-removing cylinder? plus more

## woodchip

Hi,
How do you remove the keyed cylinder lock,(whitco MkII, i think), from the lockset, to replace the cylinder, if youve lost the keys?
I have bent up a nail, to use to get the swivel part back into the cylinder body so the cylinder can slide out, but this takes a good hour to perform, is there an easier way? 
Also the snib doesnt work when you want to latch/lock it from the inside without the key....(worked fine with the key) but returns to the unlocked position when you giggle the handle a little, does the whole lock need replacing or is there a repair? 
many thanks for any help
woodchip

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## stevoh741

a big drill?

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## Ozcar

> . . .
> I have bent up a nail, to use to get the swivel part back into the cylinder body so the cylinder can slide out, but this takes a good hour to perform, is there an easier way?

  Interesting - I did not know this was possible. 
Beside the two doors I had with backward operating handles ( http://www.renovateforum.com/f84/hin...-handed-97306/ ) I also have another door without a key. In my junk box I happen to have a spare cylinder that I do have a key for, but I have been putting off trying to get the old cylinder out. 
I just did an experiment now, where I tried to get the cylinder out of one of those Whitco locks. This is one that I do have the key for, but for the exercise, I did it without using the key. 
I managed to get it out in less than 10 minutes. I used a thick paper clip pushed up through the lower bolt hole that is just next to the round part of the cylinder. Whether you have the key or not you have to get the main bolt fully extended first by pressing the smaller bolt in. 
There may have been some beginner's luck working there, but I got the impression that with a bit of practice it could probably be done very quickly. The real test of course is for me to try this on the lock that I don't have the key for, but I won't be able to do that for a few days.

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## Ozcar

I managed to get the cylinder out of the lock that I did not have a key for. 
Time taken, including the time to unscrew the escutcheon plates - three minutes.  
Again I was using a thick paper clip. Maybe the trick is to use somehing like that with a bit more give in it than a nail.

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