You’d be surprised how strange a lock issue can get. At Okey Locksmith, we’ve seen quite a few, from crazy locks OKC homeowners couldn’t open to loose screws that turned into full-on door disasters. Some were just a simple lock jam needing a bit of lubrication and a screwdriver. Others? Well, let’s just say they were the kind of puzzles that even our professional locksmiths found a bit frustrating and difficult to solve.
Here are 15 of the strangest ones we’ve fixed.
1. The Padlock That Only Opened at a Weird Angle
This massive chain-link gate padlock at a company site in OKC had a strange habit of only opening if you turned the key counterclockwise at just the right angle. Too far or too short, and the door locking mechanism wouldn’t budge.
Turns out the internal cam was worn and slightly twisted. Over the years, Oklahoma City’s humidity had caused rust buildup that warped the lock’s internal mechanics just enough to cause this unique problem.
What we did
We disassembled the lock on-site, cleaned out all the gunk, replaced the cam, and installed a new weather-resistant padlock with a tighter cam design and protective casing. We also re-aligned the chain so it wasn’t stressing the lock mechanism.
2. The Antique Front Door Lock With a Missing Pin
One homeowner called us because their old front door lock stopped catching. The key still turned, but the deadbolt wouldn’t shoot out all of the way. After carefully opening up the lock, we found that one of the internal driver pins had snapped clean off and fallen into the bottom of the cylinder. The spring was still intact, but the lock just didn’t have the right components to function.
What we did
Rather than removing and replacing the whole antique set (which they loved), we rebuilt it from the inside. We hand-cut a new pin to match the original size, installed a fresh spring, and reassembled everything like it had never broken in the first place. They got to keep the vintage look, and the door actually locked securely again.
3. The Key That Got Lost Inside the Lock Cylinder
A landlord called us out to a rental home in south OKC because their tenant had lost the key in the lock. We thought they meant they lost the key somewhere, but the key actually fell into the cylinder and got stuck inside. They had pushed too hard, the blade bent, and its length broke off inside the plug. Worse, the lock was half-engaged, so it was stuck in a kind of weird, in-between position.
What we did
We used a small extraction tool to remove the broken piece, but the plug was already damaged. So we drilled it out carefully to avoid damaging the surrounding hardware, then replaced the entire cylinder.
4. The Garage Door Lock With the Bent Rod
We got a weekend call from a homeowner whose garage door wouldn’t open, and the handle was jammed tight. After a quick inspection, we realized the locking rod that slides into the side track had gotten bent, probably from the wind slamming the door shut too hard. This compromised the security of their house and belongings inside the garage (like their car), which is why they called it in ASAP. Even with a security camera in the area, they wanted the lock to be fixed as soon as possible.
What we did
We removed the lock and took apart the locking rod assembly. Using a torch and a vice, we straightened and re-tempered the rod. We also reinforced the track to prevent future warping and reinstalled the whole thing with new spring clips. Now the door glides open and locks like it’s supposed to.
5. The Smart Lock That Wasn’t So Smart
This one came from a client in a newer development in Edmond. They had a high-tech deadbolt with fingerprint access, keypad, and mobile app. One day, the app went down, and suddenly the lock also failed and stopped responding. Even the manual keypad wouldn’t work.
We found out the manufacturer had discontinued support for the app, and the lock couldn’t verify its own firmware without a server ping, so it basically bricked itself.
What we did
We hard-reset the lock, bypassed the app dependency, and installed a firmware patch using a universal programmer tool. Then we reconfigured it to work in standalone keypad mode and added a mechanical key override just in case. It was back in business quickly, minus the flaky app.
6. The Cylinder That Wore Thin From Too Much Use
This one came from an apartment complex in midtown OKC. Tenants noticed that the key got stuck in the door or wouldn’t turn. We checked the lock and found that the cylinder itself had wear and tear from years of constant use, so much so that the pins didn’t line up properly anymore.
What we did
We removed the old cylinder and replaced it with a high-security one that’s made to handle frequent traffic. It came with stronger anti-drill pins and a reinforced plug. We also rekeyed the whole front building to work with a new setup, so management didn’t have to pass out new keys.
7. The Magnetic Lock That Wouldn’t Stay Unlocked
One small business downtown used badge readers on its front door. But as time passed, swiping a badge didn’t always unlock it. It would beep and light up, but the door stayed shut. Or worse, it unlocked for only two seconds and then locked again. The magnetic strike plate had become misaligned over time, and the power connection was flickering due to a loose wire in the power drop.
The owner had watched tutorial videos and read how-tos online in the hopes of fixing it without professional help, but they eventually realized that having a pro look at it would be the better move.
What we did
We replaced the warped plate, corrected the strike alignment, and installed a new relay and wiring junction for consistent voltage. After a few tests, the background system worked like new, and the staff stopped getting stuck outside.
8. The Safe Couldn’t Remember Its Combo
A restaurant had a safe in its office with a mechanical dial that ran on power. It had some fancy hybrid setup with a timer-controlled power system, and every time they shut off power at night, the safe’s settings got thrown out of whack. The owner was worried about how secure it was, not wanting to risk losing the money inside the safe.
What we did
We converted the safe to battery backup, reprogrammed the internal timer, and taught the manager how to enter a manual override code if a power failure ever happens again.
9. The Mailbox Lock That Twisted Right Off
A tenant in an apartment complex had a mailbox lock where the whole cylinder spun in place. The cam had stripped, and at that point, the collar had separated from the actual lock.
What we did
We pulled the whole lock and installed a tamper-resistant outdoor-rated mailbox cylinder with a reinforced collar. We also added a weather seal to keep it from rusting again. They haven’t had any issues since.
10. The “Bump-Proof” Lock That Was Anything But
A homeowner in Moore thought their door was secure until there was a break-in. They couldn’t figure out how the thief had gotten inside. Turns out their lock was not only of cheap quality, but it was also an older model that didn’t have true bump-resistance like it claimed. The thief had likely used a bump key to pop it open in seconds.
What we did
We installed a new high-security deadbolt with pick-resistant pins and a hardened steel strike plate. We also reinforced the doorframe nd suggested a simple key tracking app to manage who has copies.
11. The Key Fob That Wouldn’t Talk to the System
At a dental office in OKC, the main door used a key fob system, and one of the fobs suddenly stopped working. The battery was fine, the signal was fine, but the lock wouldn’t respond, no matter what.
What we did
We hooked into the lock’s onboard system and found that the fob had been corrupted during a firmware glitch. We reprogrammed the fob, updated the system, and gave them a backup keycard just in case it happens again.
12. The Lock Corroded by Powder Residue
We got a strange one in Norman. It was a lock that had a mysterious buildup. After opening it up, we realized someone had been using their key for things other than unlocking the door. Graphite-like powder residue had eaten away at the pin springs.
What we did
We cleaned out the chamber, replaced the pins and springs, and told the owner that it would be best not to use house keys for other activities like cutting through packages and other similar things. The lock works fine now, and hopefully the lesson sticks.
13. The Closet Door That Only Pretended to Lock
An old bungalow in OKC had a tiny closet door with a warded lock that needed a skeleton key. But even when “locked,” the latch didn’t actually catch, and instead just made a click sound. No matter how much the owner tried to force the lock to catch, it just wouldn’t work.
What we did
We adjusted the internal latch spring and resized the strike plate so the latch caught properly. Then we cut a new skeleton key to match. After this, the door finally locked.
14. The Patio Handle That Just Spun and Spun
A family in Yukon thought they had a good lock on their sliding patio door, one of those twist-lift-slide handles. However, it randomly stopped locking one day. The handle would just spin endlessly.
What we did
The internal gear assembly had cracked from pressure. We removed the handle, replaced the busted plastic gears with metal ones, cleaned out the track, and reinstalled the whole setup. Now the handle works great.
15. The Master Key Disaster
A landlord tried to set up a master key system across four duplexes, but every fourth lock could be opened by the wrong tenant’s key. A big whoops, to say the least.
What we did
We disassembled all the locks, rebuilt the pin stacks, corrected the master wafers, and rekeyed the system from the ground up. Now every unit has its own unique key, and the master key only works where it should.
Some Lock Lessons From the Field
- A worn-out lock cylinder won’t fix itself. If your key feels off or your lock drags a little, that’s your warning sign. Which is why it’s absolutely essential to get it checked before it gets you locked out of your property.
- Smart locks need updates, too. If the firmware is outdated or the app is no longer supported, it might stop working one day. Have a backup key or ask us to update it for you.
- Rekeying is often better than replacing. This is because rekeying is usually faster and cheaper than replacing the whole lock, unless the hardware’s already damaged.
Got a Lock Problem In Oklahoma City?
If your lock’s acting up, don’t keep putting it off. Whether it needs a quick repair or a full replacement, we’ve got theright tools, plenty of stock, and the best locksmith services in OKC.
For emergencies, we’re available 24 hours a day, and we won’t leave until everything’s working like it should. If you’ve got questions, we’ll answer them, give you a clear bill, and maybe even help your key stop needing that weird little jump to turn.
We love hearing your feedback, too—especially after fixing the locks that leave you scratching your head.
