cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

Since UHH is world wide I’m hoping there’s someone out there with an answer…

I’ve had this Shaw-Walker 8-drawer file cabinet for decades and store tools, hardware, etc. in it. Drawers are 1/2 height, so this thing is exactly the height and width of the standard 4-drawer file cabinet beside it. The Shaw-Walker is much better made tho, and all those half height drawers are perfect for tools and such. All these years I’ve never locked it, and the lock button has remained in its protruding (unlocked) position, and never was a problem. A couple of days ago I noticed it and thought, “what if my wife poked the lock in and locked up my tools (she has late onset Alzheimer’s and is prone to absent mindedly do things like that)”, then I’d be in deep trouble since I didn’t know where the keys were. You know where this is going…

Looking at the standard file cabinet beside it I saw that I had disconnected the horizontal bar that links its lock to the rear mechanism, thereby rendering the lock useless (and harmless). Flash of brilliance- I’ll do the same on the Shaw-Walker and won’t ever be accidentally locked out. So I opened the drawer and pulled the cotter pin connecting the lock to its corresponding horizontal linkage bar, then pulled one end of the return spring loose. Now disconnected I closed the top drawer, confident that my potential problem was gone, kaput, zipola, etc. Hey, why do I need to worry about potential screwups when I’m on the job?

You know what happened next. The top drawer wouldn’t open back up, nor would any of the other seven. I’d quickly put myself into the situation that I’d intended to avoid. As icing on my actions, just minutes later I found the key taped to the side of the cabinet, so I really had no potential problem at all. And I have no clue as to how the locking mechanism functions, and I can see nothing, so coming up with a solution (without jumping for the angle grinder or hole saw) has eluded me. I’ve used the hole saw to access the side of the lock and have reinstalled the cotter pin connecting the lock to the horizontal bar but nothing has changed the locked-up status of the cabinet. Something in the back right hand corner must have gone over-center, flopped the wrong direction, or …. Something.

Has anyone had any experience with this situation? I’ve gotten onto a patents website and looked at several locking mechanism drawings (with no luck), and googled things like “how to open locked file cabinet “ and “locking mechanisms of file cabinets” but all that results in is lots of YouTubers doing their picking a lock thing. Obviously I haven’t asked the right questions. It’s the locking mechanism that I need to understand and I’m hoping this wealth of knowledge has one or more that might be able to do a decent sketch of what I’m dealing with, so I can, uh, actually deal with it.

Thanks,
Ron

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Arg.

Next time wrap tape around the push-fushie 4, 5, 6, 7, ... times which will make it very difficult to push the lock in.

(And, if it's a regular tumbler lock, they can be picked easily.)

martin muller

Do try picking the lock yourself. I am not a lock smith but have picked a couple of locks when disaster struck. I think you will surprise yourself and win. If not, a good locksmith can probably get in fairly easily. Most importantly, best wishes to you and your wife. I can relate to your situation.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

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cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

See, this is what I came up with when doing google searches. How do I say, “it’s NOT a lock picking problem”? Lock works fine with those keys hanging out the cylinder. The problem is that I screwed up by disconnecting the lock from the latching mechanism. That caused something to happen in the back right corner of the cabinet where all the real latching of the drawers takes place. I’ve re-attached the locking bar but now the drawers remain locked regardless of the lock cylinder position. Had I found those keys just five minutes earlier I would have never created this problem for myself because then I wouldn’t have disconnected anything.
The information I now need is strictly related to the mechanics of the locking mechanism. If I can learn HOW the mechanism works then I should be able to undo whatever happened and make everything work again. I’d like to be able to do this without hole sawing or cutting into the back of the cabinet case. I realize that may be my only recourse.

Thanks for the read.
Ron

cucharared Loc: Texas, Colorado

Believe me, there WON’T be a next time. I’ve learned my lesson. Who says 80 is too old to learn anything.

Ron

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Since the cabinet is not used for security and the lock is not the problem,I would go to the back of the cabinet and cut a hole to gain access to the locking mech. the completely remove the offending parts!!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

(It was also directed at other who may have a similar problem, no key.)

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

There is a # on the lock. Contact the mfg. and see if they will send you the key.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

He has the key! they are in the lock!
The problem is with the locking mechanism.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Some people don't read the whole thread.
They read the question and answer it.

Kinda like our shop teacher in high school once gave us a test with 100 questions on it.
Instructions stated "Read all questions before answering."
He gave us 10 minutes.....

The last question stated "Now that you have read all the questions,
go back and answer only questions 4 and 7.".........

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

I was the only one that passed a test like that, It read, read the whole test before writing anything. the last line said:now fill in only your First and last name

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

The hole cutting will be the only option since you can't get it open
Been there done that more than once. but these locked at the back, Check for patents
https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0628685A3
If you can locate the locking bar maybe you can just drill a hole that will allow you to move the bar

Falcon Loc: Abilene, Texas

It looks like the locking bar is at a slight angle from front to rear. There is a slight possibility that you might be able (if the cutout hole is large enough) to raise the rear of the bar. I'm thinking that would disengage the locking pawls from the tabs on the rear of all the drawers. Then, with the drawers all open you can re-engage the cotter pin. If you once get the drawers open, and if they can all be removed from the cabinet--which they probably can be--it would be easier and wiser to investigate the locking mechanism. My guess is that the locking pawls at the rear of each drawer have slipped down and are keeping the drawers locked. Once you get the locking bar properly oriented with the locking pawls back in position you should be good.