Locksmith here that works on a lot of door repairs. Those multipoint locking systems, whether it by commercial or residential, are the bain of my existence. They are usually custom fit for that door, thus making them impossible to replace. They always break quickly (relatively speaking. A good residential lock should last 15-25 years, those systems rarely see past 10). And as you said, to retro fit something else onto the door makes it look terrible and would cost far too much, thus making it better to just replace the door. Multipoint systems are made to exist in perfect conditions. If there is any amount of rubbing, they will break quickly. Great video as well!
I'm sure the main reason for those locks failing is partly because of their complexity, partly from not being very robustly built, and partly from people pushing hard down on the handle to unlock the deadbolt in one move and heavily stressing all those parts. Otherwise, I like the security they provide - it's unlikely someone will be kicking that door in.
I just cant wrap my head around the choice to put such a complicated and strong lock on a door with a full size window. As in, if someone who was determined enough to get into that house by trying to overpower a normal deadbolt wouldn't then resort to breaking the glass?
@@Shyid the reason they do it is because they are expensive (at least they are in Canada). Only the rich have them, and thus you can charge them more for their already custom door. "you can have a standard deadbolt, ooooorrr you can have this more unique, fancy and *expensive* lock instead" thats why. I haven't worked on one without a full view glass window. As for security, even if there wasn't a full view glass, the bolts are smaller on that model, they would give a minor amount of additional security. (on a side not, i have worked on one with full view laminated blast glass. It had 8 locking points with a high security core, meaning no one was getting through. And it was residential, they guy was just paranoid i guess.)
Yep. Very expensive and very silly. I have doors with half-windows in them - so I use double-cylinder locks. You have to have a key even inside. Break glass, still can't open door. Slow down the thief at least a little.
@@genebruce6321 In some locales, those are illegal on entry doors. They don't want you searching of fumbling with a key to get out in the event of a fire.
@@genebruce6321 Half your door is glass, why wouldn't they just go through the glass opening in the first place? Better add more locks to the rest of your door that isn't glass !! LMAO
it consists of an old baby monitor hooked up to the glass door - wired to his bedroom, so he can hear the glass break when a burgler comes in at a certain decibel. Mathias has no guns, to he has a cricket bat he glued together out of an old sofa he stole out of somebodies front yard.
I am a European Locksmith and work with these locks all the time. Firstly to open a failed multipoint lock like this on a wooden door is not difficult. Firstly the lock mechanism has to be identified which can be done by measuring the dimensions between bolt and latch and the the details around the spindle hole and euro hole. Once identified the full plate handle will allow you to drill to access the linkage points to withdraw the bolts the full length of the door. The full plate allows the hole to be covered. The gearcases can be bought separately. This one looks very similar to the old style GU gearcase ( German) . Replacing the multipoint lock with a standard American style deadbolt is a retrograde step as the multipoint lock adds to security and keeps the door from bowing. You will see much more of these mechanisms in North American in the years to come. To open this failed lock and replace the gearcase would be somewhere between 190-300 Euro
wanted to document the drill points for future reference every time I opened the door but never did it since I don't run into it that often. I'll start doing it and share it online.
As a handyman/reno guy I'm in exactly the boat you mentioned - no one wants to pay for the fix, especially when it will end up looking unfinished so I always end up replacing the door completely. But in my own home I'm happy to have some unfinished-looking parts for a while until I get around to painting/staining
Given how much time he spent just getting the door open without tearing it up, it certainly would be cheaper for the customer to just destroy and replace the door.
I'm a locksmith and we charge big bucks to repair this style of door. Often the wood on the door is too narrow to facilitate retro-fitting standard lock hardware as you did so, we have to custom order parts. Glad to see your cost-friendly solution worked. Thanks for sharing! :)
nicely done! Nice that you are fixing things. THings get more pretty when you see that someone took the time to repair. (At least for me) Plus you did such a dedicated repair job with all the plugs that it really could not be better. You can still paint all the door white to cover up if someone does not like to see the plugs. THanks for the part with showing the lock. Locks are amazing :)
i have a weiser dead bolt lock. the hole for the deadbolt to go into is to shallow. the frame is only 1 inch though and i dont know why the door frame is so thin at 1 inch. i thought instead of chiseling the hole bigger, to possibly cut the deadbolt shorter. is this a acceptabel solution?
Oh as soon as I saw the square hole I knew it was a multipoint lock set. Our company uses a lot of those and I could’ve had this door open within 10 minutes with no cutting. Ours is similar but different because the manufacturer we use has a fail safe built in for cases if this scenario ever happens. Great video again!
The square hole for the door handle is standard across Europe, it's not specific to 4 point locks. In fact it is used on the most basic single point latch only locks. That internal mechanism failure seems highly brand or model specific, as not all similar locks will include that part.
replacement locks are indeed available, (our) average cost to come out to replace these multi point locks usually averages about $600-$700 but requires two trips & a wait of about a week on shipping refitting it with normal locks is a valid option aside from the visual issues but the cost would be about the same 🤷♂️
@@matthiasrandomstuff2221 right, it probably wouldn’t be as most mfg websites just wanna showcase their latest & greatest locks that can spectacularly fail :) allaboutdoors usually has most brands replacements and in the case of true “discontinued” products there are options that require a bit of modding but! You have a way easier to replace option now 😉
I just had to replace a mortise lock on a sliding door at my house. Luckily it failed in the unlocked state, so I didn't have nearly as much trouble as you. Thanks for sharing!
exactly why i dont spend big on locks, just go up from the cheap crap to something that will last and don't worry if its 'pick proof', if someone wants to get in, the window is right beside the door. yes it will be a bit louder, but nobody is going to call the cops in this day and age because the hear some glass break in the middle of the night. there are ways to get around the loud too. that 'contact' that you put on school books work...
3 года назад
@Jp and louder
3 года назад
@@myopinion69420 in the middle of the night? Break in's happen mostly afternoons and evenings
Assuming it's a double glazed strengthened pane, like they have to be here in the UK, then they're a lot harder to break than you'd think. A 2 inch stone would just bounce. Even if it did manage to break the glass, you'd have to then do it all again for the interior pane.
It might be a door intended for deterring bears. Bears exert a broad force in doors which pushes out a single bolt. Glass won’t crack under such an attack and distributing the force across several bolts at multiple angles as a better chance of defeating it.
You are the king of handyman hero's, this is the best laugh I have had in some time. Don't do it like this 101. But hey its done, its clear you have little concept of what a professional can do.
Had a similar failure with a pella casement window. I was able to finally get the parts from pella, they have way more than they list online but they try to force you to go through a authorized repair person. Lots of phone calls, sending pictures, etc... You saved yourself well over $1k though, my latch set was $400 and I had to bust apart the casement to replace it. They would probably want much more for that lock assembly.
Companies doing that are extremely annoying to professionals not closely partnered with the brand. As an Engineer I have a personal shitlist of famous companies that have proven themselves unworthy of participation in honest commerce, thus I search far and wide for alternative suppliers whenever something needs repair or replacement.
@@johndododoe1411 Yes! This! It's one reason my brother won't work with Trane and I discourage my customers from using Pela and Master Craft (talk about the two poles of quality, both with awful service).
When I worked in a residential care home for adults with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour. I somehow ended up doing maintenance around the house. I dreaded jobs like this! A day going and a manager thinks you haven't done anything.
Oh, yes. I've had good workers spend enormous amounts of time undoing willful damage before they can even start installing the new equipment. We warn the homeowners of the time and cost in advance and they almost always understand. The ones who don't want to pay fair rates for 'demo' work, we don't work for. I can do more damage removing old equipment than ever in installing new if I don't know what I'm doing.
I always do my own home repairs unless it's to involved. Watching Matthias deal with that lock makes me glad that I don't have one of those on any doors in my house!
Well done, Mattias! Don't fuss the cosmetics - I prefer to allow my home to look a little shabby to discourage would-be thieves from discovering the real valuables I have squirreled away inside.
locksmith here in CA i've worked on quite a few of these locks and a majority of the other locksmiths just send these jobs my way, there is an easier way to open the door, just requires a hole in a specific area and a rod to pull the bolt inwards from the side of the lock...
Same here. Always thought about drilling a hole but never did. didn't want to drill a new hole but it gets covered by the trim so I guess it doesn't matter. still got it done though.
You did a better job than many locksmiths I've worked with. Had one idiot install the Dorma door closer wrong two times, leaving two sets of visible holes in an oiled oak door and frame that was $$$ (it was 2.5*4 meters).
We had the same problem on a very similar or the same lock, so we took a big angle grinder, cut the screws holding door frame to the wall and took whole thing out. Do not remember exactly how, but were able to unlock the mechanism, took the lock apart the same way you did, made replacement parts out of steel to replace those made out of some brittle metal and it works. We were locked out by the way, so we didn't have any access to the lock (european).
This is a common failure mode for these Pella multipoint locks. I replace many of these with the same issue in my area as well as many other different brands. These are not the worst but not the most robust either in terms of serviceability. Well done.
I was a locksmith years ago. There is a plate that wraps around the door and provides threaded mortise holes for both latch plates. That's probably what I would have ended up using for the door side at least. These patio door locks are potmetal junk though, as you discovered. Vintage mortise locks are mechanically beautiful often times, and I actually convinced customers to allow me to make parts and repair those before rather that using the cover plate.
I used to have a front door with a 100 year old mortise lock. It was a Baldwin. I took it apart at least 10 times to replace a bent part (it was solid brass) beautiful and secure. Other than the bent part worked beautiful. I was amazed at the workmanship. Your lock reminded me of it. Mine has hardened bars in the mortise making cutting it probably impossible. Made me sad you had to replace it with basically a closet lock by comparison. I understand your reasons but it was still sad.
Wow! I've been through a few emergency repairs of doors that refused to open due to winter weather and they were crowbarred open carelessly, was left to fix the damage afterwards. No matter what the design latch and lock repair is A LOT of work!
You're lucky. Some deadbolts contain loose round pins of hardened steel to prevent attempts to saw through them. Once the saw kerf reaches the pins, they just rotate so the saw teeth can't dig in. Which leads to destructive plan B: Cut a chunk out of the jamb, though that would not have helped with those top and bottom bolts. That lock seems like way too much security to use in a full glass door flanked by two large windows.
"That lock seems like way too much security to use in a full glass door flanked by two large windows." Definitely. Even a deadbolt probably isn't needed as long as the angle of the jamb prevents card attacks.
A place i used to work had a huge walk-in vault, it had previously been a wine cellar but was now part storage and part workshop. A co worker with some anger problems couldn't get in one day and took a sledge hammer to the old combination mechanism. Of course it is designed to never open if you do that, with large pins in all 4 sides of the door. Luckily about a week prior out of sheer curiosity I had taken the door apart from the inside to learn how the whole mechanism worked. We needed to have a guy come with a torch to cut a hole in the door so that I could reach in and work blind with my hands backwards to unlock the mechanism which eventually I was able to do. It destroyed the door but we did get the use of our workshop again.😂
That was interesting. Brute force may have worked, but regardless, you put forth the effort you felt was necessary, and you gained an understanding of the mechanism and how it failed. Perhaps some door handle plates could be used to dress the area around the handles? They come in different materials and finishes. Just an idea. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Some of these locks require a lift up to engage the lock. But that possibly won't make a difference. I also wonder if the jamb is creating pressure on locking mechanism. Out of plumb? Building shifted?
Yeah I'm a home repair guy and that's an astute observation you made there. I don't ever choose to replace anything tho, I just don't make good money and spend forever trying to make it look like new xD
I have the same mechanisms on my doors here in the US. Mine were stuck in the unlocked position for a year. And then finally one day I realised I needed to push the handle down first in order to lock it 😁
Wow, I've never seen a wooden door with top and bottom lugs! I've only ever seen them on steel doors back in Asia. I clearly remember our first apartment had a six-lug door, and our most recent high-rise apartment had 12 lugs in addition to the lock itself.
I have run into a few of those locks over the years. Locksmith for 35 years, retired. And yes, you can get them open without going through what you did. And, no we don't repair them. There is aftermarket replacements for that lock, but they are not cheap. We mostly saw them on higher end houses that have views and the owner wants all glass on that wall. And another issue, is they make us replace with the same as they don't want the door modified. I think the last one my partner and I did was charged like $800 USD and they didn't even blink an eye.
I find with wooden doors/casings when mortice locks fail, you can usually use a couple of flat crow bars/ wrecking bars to bend the casing slightly and allow the mortice out, failing that, a thin cut off wheel in a grinder and a couple of wedges to give clearance. Its amazing how much give wooden doors and casings have.
"This is the Lock Picking Lawyer, and today I'm tackling a somewhat unusual deadbolt by simply looking at its image and providing instructions, proving that even seemingly complex locks can be opened by a novice picker."
Funnily enough, I had a vaguely similar failure in a door last year as well - it had a multipoint lock with a Euro cylinder lock. The little cam thing in the middle of the lock had snapped off and jammed, making it impossible to do anything. It turned out that it's actually surprisingly easy to break Euro locks in half by two people gripping it with pliers on both sides and bending, so fortunately got it out that way, door open, and was able to replace the unit. But again it was just a tiny little part that totally screwed up the whole mechanism. Luckily I've had the mechanism out before so knew roughly what to deal with, but if it was something I'd never seen before, much trickier. Glad you got things working again!
The main Lock - without up and down bolts - looks very familiar to me as the size of locks is standard here in europe. I had to smile when you said - replace it with standard knob and deadbolt :)
Like Matthias, my tendency when something breaks is to fix it myself. I have lots of skills and lots of tools. I bought an old house with a small farm about a year ago and I find myself fixing things that were poorly constructed or maintained almost constantly. I have come to the realization that my time is also worth something and there are some pieces of equipment where the intimate knowledge of a full-time tradesman is preferable. I live in the UK and hiring a tradesman has about a 50% chance of a satisfactory outcome, in my recent experience, but on some occasions, it is still best to call a pro.
I think we have the same patio furniture. Are your swivel chairs extremely unstable, and tipping back is a thrill ride? Do you bash your shins on the stretcher because it's in an awkward place? It's important, please respond.
Had this same lock fail at a cabin we stay at. Could NOT open the door. Not sure how the owner eventually did but they also replaced it with a normal lock like you did. Was a pain having it randomly lock us in the building.
I’m a locksmith and have replaced around 20 of these. Parts aren’t too bad. Usually around $360 to replace the part. Never had this much trouble to open a door like this. Hope I never do
It's called a four point door, very common in europe, but quiet not here. As you said, from the inside, knowing what part to move, you could have saved it.
Hi Matthias, just a few things to watch out for Door will start to twist away from the compression seals on the top and bottom as it’s no longer held against the seals So you might have air gaps over time What removed was a euro profile Espagnolette multi point lock The temperature variation from inside to outside causes the damage over time You could put bolts top and bottom but they end up not getting used by other family members or your going to have them complain about it 🤔 Ps first time comment on your videos but have been a subscriber for years and 💕 your inventions thanks and keep up the good work Regards Karl Many years in the door business
Does predrilling in wood add strength or take it away? I understand sometimes the wood can split but I have learned if you doin the screw in reverse until it smokes then go forward it won't crack the wood.
multi-point locks are nice. They help push the door up against the weather seal at the top and the bottom in addition to the middle, so you get a much better seal against air leakage, wind-driven rain, etc.
My door deadbolt lock also stopped working a few weeks ago. I became concerned about breaking the key.I could get into my shop. And plus borrowed a drill, bits and cut wheel. The wheel worked great in cutting the sticking out part off. And that's all it took. Had to drill out the bolt hole for the new lock. Lesson learned: always carry 5 sticks dynamite in truck.
Removing and reinstalling the entire door and jamb would only take a couple hours. Done carefully, you could reuse all the trim which would only have to be recaulked and painted.While it’s out of the opening it’s not hard to open up the jamb to get access to the lock mechanism to replace it.
Nice fix, Matthias. Those locks are very common here in the Netherlands (but the top and bottom pins usually come out the side just like the main bolt). I've had one of those fail simply because of a loose screw. Luckily it was a double patio door so I could just open the other door and fix the broken one. If it was a single door like yours I would have been screwed (pun intended).
Nice fix! I bet you could make a cosmetic metal plate to go behind the two new lock and handle and hide the wood repairs if you cared, but it works as is!
I am surprised you were able to cut through the bolts. A lot of those have a free-spinning steel rod inside the bolt that just spins when trying to cut.
That was my thought. My deadbolts have a hardened steel rod that spins in the middle, you aren't getting through it with a Sawzall in any reasonable length of time. Maybe with a cut-off disk coming in at an angle. Plus my deadbolts extent almost 3" into the jamb and door-frame. This looks like a couple good kicks and the wood will break away. Not sure how much of an issue it all is in the real world, but...
