Foreign object stuck in lock

[SuperArt]

Just wondering how to get said thing out of a lock. I think part of a devs keyhole cover is stuck inside one as I noticed a keyhole cover on one side (which I removed) and the other side doesn't have one but the key won't go into the lock.

[Carolyn]

You might try a powerful shop vac with a tube taped to its inlet hose.

[Dev]

To clarify. You think part of the stem of the keyhole cover has broken off in in the lock.
The stems are made of very stiff nylon that is hard to cut and this is the first case of this if it is indeed lodged in the hole.
 If there is something in there I would use a pick and feel around the hole for the piece and try to fish it out. This is how locksmiths are able to remove keys fragments that break off and jam the lock. 




 

[SuperArt]

To clarify. You think part of the stem of the keyhole cover has broken off in in the lock.
The stems are made of very stiff nylon that is hard to cut and this is the first case of this if it is indeed lodged in the hole.
 If there is something in there I would use a pick and feel around the hole for the piece and try to fish it out. This is how locksmiths are able to remove keys fragments that break off and jam the lock. 

I'm only thinking this as there is a very old and weathered devs keyhole cover on the driver side (this car has been on a club meet to Greece in 2008!) and nothing on the passenger side. It's the passenger side that's giving me issues which is why I suspect something is stuck in there.
People don't usually put anything in these locks other than keys so the keyhole cover is all I can think of.
The one I removed btw has teeth missing and looks almost about to fall apart in my hands.

No indication of the quality of your parts Dev, but nothing is made to last forever and the one which survived is proof of the enduring toughness of the material.
All I care about now is how to unstick my lockhole.

[SuperArt]

You might try a powerful shop vac with a tube taped to its inlet hose.

No access to anything of the sort. As a very unhandy man looks like I'll have to pull my pants down and pay for someone to look at it (the car not my arse).

[Topdownman]

I dont like the thought of you having to drop your pants and ask a stranger to remove a foreign object from your hole!

If it were me, I would try heating up a sewing needle with a lighter until red hot (hold it in some pliers....) and then try to push it at an angle into the keyhole quickly to try to melt into anything plastic in there. You could also do the same from the other side too if it works (ie it stays embedded in whatever is in there) to give you some grip from the other side and pull gently outwards on either side.

If it is a broken keyhole cover, here is a picture of what they look like in case you havent seen one;



Good luck.

[Joesson]

@SuperArt
While I understand that you do like things to be particularly correct I make the observation that I very seldom, if ever, use the key to unlock car doors, which was rather the point of the Dev's key hole covers.
And I note it is the passenger side that has the problem!

[Dev]

I'm only thinking this as there is a very old and weathered devs keyhole cover on the driver side (this car has been on a club meet to Greece in 2008!) and nothing on the passenger side. It's the passenger side that's giving me issues which is why I suspect something is stuck in there.
People don't usually put anything in these locks other than keys so the keyhole cover is all I can think of.
The one I removed btw has teeth missing and looks almost about to fall apart in my hands.

No indication of the quality of your parts Dev, but nothing is made to last forever and the one which survived is proof of the enduring toughness of the material.
All I care about now is how to unstick my lockhole.

I appreciate the kind words. As Topdownman has posted those are keyhole stems that I have to scalp to fit the lock. I have a door handle with lock from salvage that I use to test fit until they sit flush.
They will look beat up like that when they are new because I have to use a sharp blade to cut though the nylon. The nylon is very resilient to snapping off as they would flex. 
Regardless if you are able to remove whatever foreign object is in the lock let me know what you find.

[MikeBoo]

@SuperArt Any news on the keyhole?

[SuperArt]

@SuperArt Any news on the keyhole?

I dropped off "Friday" over the weekend for service, 100 health check and MOT.
Some big issues came to light and MOT was cancelled. Letting R2 automotive work their magic, left the car with them.

The keyhole issue is now way down the list of priority fixes...

[MikeBoo]

Thanks for the update, hopefully it'll end well.

Keep us updated on your Readers Ride thread.

[Petrus]

Finger X-ed Art.