How to Drill Out a Lock – Best Power Tools Guyd

Have you tried all the unlocking techniques? And then came here for knowing the process of how to drill out a lock?

If you haven’t tried the other techniques of unlocking the lock then go and try out those. Because drilling out a lock is a destructive method. This method should be at the very last position on your unlocking technique’s list.

This method should be chosen if and only if no other ways are left for unlocking the lock.

Before starting the drilling out lock, keep another lock ready for installing right after you unlock the old one.

But please make sure to try out every possible way for unlocking the lock before coming to the drilling process.

Drill bit for Drilling out lock

Before starting the drilling process, don’t you want to know which drill bit is appropriate for drilling the lock out?

Choosing a good drill bit is necessary for completing the work properly.

Drilling out a lock most probably means drilling a metal. Because almost all the locks are made out of metal. So, you definitely need a good drill bit for drilling out the lock.

You need a high-speed drill bit for drilling through the metal lock. The high-speed drill bit has enough strength to drill through the metal inside the lock.

So, buy different sizes of High-speed drill bit for the work.

What size drill bit is needed for drilling the lock?

You need two drill bits of size 1/8^th inch and 1/4^th inch.

During the process, you have to use the 1/8^th inch drill bit at first. And then you need to switch to the 1/4^th inch drill bit.

Which drill is used while drilling out the lock?

A variable speed power drill is used while drilling out the lock. This drill is comfortable to use. The more you squeeze the trigger of the drill, the faster it drills.

Safety measures

Before starting the work, make sure to wear safety goggles and also make sure to keep all the loose clothes or loose materials away from you.

Keeping loose materials close to you might cause any serious accident.

And eyes are sensitive so while drilling the lock, some spark of fire or any metal particles can get into your eyes. So, remember to wear safety glasses.

How to fit a drill bit inside the drill

After selecting the drill bit isn’t it necessary to know how to fit the drill bit into your drill?

Of course, it is!

There are three different methods of putting a drill bit inside the drill. Among these three methods, each method is applicable to a particular type of chuck.

Oh! you might not be familiar with the word chuck.

Or you might be!

Yeah, you might be familiar with what chuck is. Otherwise, you definitely wouldn’t search for knowing the process of how to drill out a lock.

But still, let me tell you what chuck is?

• Chuck is a part of the drill which holds the drill bit tightly.

And nowadays, three types of chucks are available.

One is a keyed chuck. A Keyed chuck is the chuck that contains one or more holes in it and comes with a chuck key.

Another two chucks are one-part keyless chuck and two-part keyless chuck.

So, the methods for fitting the drill bit inside these three types of chuck are different.

And here, I have shared one method of putting a drill bit inside the drill or chuck.

But if need to see the other two methods then check it out: How to put a drill bit in a drill.

So, the method which I have shared is,

How to fit a drill inside the keyed chuck

First of all, you have to unlock the chuck with the help of the chuck key. Just put the chuck key inside all the holes and rotate the key anti-clockwise.

Then fit the drill bit at the center of the drill chuck. And then again put the chuck key inside the holes but now you need to rotate the chuck key clockwise to lock the chuck properly.

Fitting a drill bit inside the drill is really an easy process. But make sure to lock the chuck properly after fitting the drill bit inside the chuck to avoid any type of accident.

And also make sure to turn off the drill before fitting the drill bit with the drill.

By now we know which drill and drill bit we need, and how to fit a drill bit into the drill.

So it’s time to know how to drill out a lock.

Warning: If you are the owner of the lock and willing to drill the lock. Then contact a locksmith to check if you can open the lock without drilling.

And if you are the locksmith then take permission from the lock owner before drilling it out.

And also remember to keep a new lock ready to install it right after you drill out the broken lock.

Oh, one more thing!

Make sure that the lock doesn’t contain a pin which will prevent the lock from getting drilled. If the lock contains a pin on it then you need to try out some other ways for unlocking it.

How to Drill Out a Lock

Hey, wait!

Read the below list and know what you need while drilling out the lock.

Keep all the below things ready.

• Variable speed power drill
• Two HSS drill bits of size- 1/8^th inch and 1/4^th inch
• One hole punch and hammer for striking the hole punch
• Flat headed screwdriver that can fit into the key slot of the lock

Start the process:

1. Take the hole punch and place over the lock. You need to place the punch below the dividing line of the outer lock and inner lock. This is also known as shear line.

Strike the hole punch two or three times with hammer until you can see a visible mark.

2. Now start drilling the lock with the 1/8^th inch drill bit to destroy the pins inside the lock.

Some lock contains 5 and some contain 6 or more pins. It will get easy for you to drill through lock once all the pin starts breaking.

3. Now apply steady and slow pressure to make sure that you don’t damage the lock.
4. And now you need to switch to the 1/4^th inch drill bit and again start drilling.
5. Insert the screwdriver and rotate the lock with the screwdriver same as you would do with a key.
6. At last, you need to destroy the lock mechanism using a 3/4^th inch drill bit.

Whole Guideline at a Glance

Did you read the whole article properly? Hope you did. Because drilling a lock out shouldn’t be your first option rather it should be your very last option.

Make sure to be sure that you want to drill the lock out.

And this article, I have shared about which drill and drill bit you need, how to fit a drill bit inside a drill, and how to drill out a lock.