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Opening Locked Drawers on an Old Wooden Desk?

I have an old wooden desk. The drawers are locked and the top drawer somehow controls all. The top one opens fine, but it prevents the 7 others from opening. The other 7 drawers won't budge.

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August 11, 20180 found this helpful
Best Answer

This desk is designed to be able to open the top drawer without a key but you will need a key for the top drawer before you will be able to open the other drawers.

  • You will need to find a mobile locksmith who can make a mold and then make a key for the desk.
  • Just Google mobile locksmith with your zip code and you will probably see several; if only one or two you may wish to expand your search to include your whole city/county so you can make some calls to get an estimate of their charges for a service like this.
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  • Some may charge more if they have to travel very far but they should be able to make a key on your property or you may have to pick it up later.
  • If you call and explain what you have (and any name attached to the desk?) they will know what type of blank keys to have with them.
  • With a desk like this (probably stored sensitive files) you may not be able to ever find a generic key to fit it.
  • Just be aware: the charges for doing this may be high; that is why I recommend calling several before making a final decision.
  • Also, some locksmiths do not make this type of key.
 

Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks
August 12, 20180 found this helpful
Best Answer

Boy this post makes me miss my dad who even though he was not a locksmith, he could open any locked item in a short time. Most locks, especially the old ones are pretty simple, despite the complex multi locking drawer thing. He used to call the set up you are describing as an illusion of safety as once you pick the lock, you are in the drawers toot sweet!

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This post is very rambling, but somewhere in the middle of it. They talk about safe and simple ways to open then suggest taking the lock mechanism to an antique store to match the key.

www.houzz.com/.../please-tell-me-the-trick-to-unlock...

My dad would just take the lock innards to the flea and look thru junk boxes for rusty keys and almost always found a match for pennies. Apparently with skeleton keys (if that is what you have) there were only a few main cuts. If he found an almost, he would saw off a cut and make his own!

So I guess long story, long, if you are careful and even remotely handy, you can YouTube video to pick it with very basic tools and then find a key at the flea for cheap! It will be an adventure!

Good luck!

 
June 4, 20191 found this helpful
Best Answer

I have an old student desk that has a lock triggered by the center drawer. If you pull the center drawer open slightly it triggers the bar to release the side drawers from the locked position.

 
March 8, 20230 found this helpful

That's how this desk is, but even with the lap drawer removed, the drawers on the left side won't open! They did until recently so I don't understand what happened!

 
April 6, 20230 found this helpful

This happened to me exactly! is there something I should be doing to get the top left drawer to open? It has been working for years without a problem. All the other drawers open fine.

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Thanks.

 
Anonymous
June 7, 20230 found this helpful

Push the top right or left drawer in and you should hear it unlock and you can open the rest. An old desk I bought has a wooden locking mechanism and that's how I figured it out ...

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
August 6, 20180 found this helpful

Call a locksmith. You dont want to devalue this furniture by damaging it.

 

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