Plugged-up outside door lock

[T42]

A solitary wasp laid its egg(s) in the cylindrical keyhole one of our front door locks earlier this year and sealed it off. Nothing ever emerged, presumably because brass & lubricants aren't that great for wasp larvae.

I'd now like to clear out the mess and put the lock back into commission. It still works from the inside, but I'd be much happier - and so would the insurance man - if I could get the whole thing working properly.  It was a pricey lock, and in any case it'd be hard to find another that would match up to the hole in the door.

Any ideas on de-gunging?

[Mrs Pingu]

Some sort of enzymatic stuff (like bio laundry liquid or powder)?

Not suggesting they won't bring their own problems....

[chrisbainbridge]

What about removing it from the door and putting it over a steaming kettle?

Alternatively what about using an airline?

[PaulF]

What about removing it from the door and putting it over a steaming kettle?

Alternatively what about using an airline?

You mean like Buzz Air?

[chrisbainbridge]

Well it would help the wasps fly away

[T42]

Hadn't thought about using steam - need to think about that. I was considering trichlorethylene, although that would take all the lube out as well.  And since the H&S crazies did a wee war-dance some years ago the stuff can be hard to find.

I do have an air compressor, but I'd need to get at the back of the cylinder to apply it - pingfuckit territory.

[hellymedic]

Errrr... Are there any locksmiths in your area?

They might know a trick or two!

[hulver]

Brake clean and a bent paper clip. Scrape out the stuff with the paper clip, flush it out with brake clean (it sprays out very powerfully, and evaporates quickly). Then re-lube with a pencil rubbed on the key.

[T42]

Locksmiths, maybe...

Meanwhile, brake cleaner sounds good. I'll have a look at the nearest petrolhead shop. Ta!

[PhilO]

I suspect that you'll need to do more than rub a pencil on a key to relubricate it if you flush it out with brake cleaner. You can get aerosol cans of graphite lubricant suspended on a solvent which get really good penetration into the lock gubbins. Not sure of the best source though- my can came from Lidl four or five years ago.

[Oaky]

Hoover?

[T42]

Job done.

I was expecting to find a larva and maybe a dead bug as food supply for it, but the egg mustn't have been viable because it just contained wax. After broddling out a good bit with a scribing point and vacuuming out the loose bits I put the heat gun on it - it smelt like earwax - and shoved the key in, and it went round quite nicely. There's just a return spring at the end of the barrel that no longer shoots the key out when it's lined up properly, but that's no loss - better without, in fact.  I put a minimal squirt of TF2 - solvent/lubricant mix - in it. It still works cold, so all is hunky dory again.

I now need to make a pivoted cover to stop the beasties getting at it again next year.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.