[Shop-talk] Removing security screws

[Scott Hall]

Eventual solution: a combination of several things.

1) use Demel to cut a deeper flat into the screw head, unscrew like a
normal screw.
2) press down REALLY HARD with flat-blade screwdriver into security screw
head, eke out 1/4 turn at a time.
3) needle-nose vice grips.

Two came out using #2. The rest were #1.There were four screws per window
and...a lot of windows. The stupidest thing about this is that the latch
locks closed over one of the screw heads--so you can't access that screw
until it unlocks. You can, however, just break off the latch handle with a
pair of pliers very easily. This also removes the latch tooth, allowing you
to open the window. So as a security feature those latches are pretty
useless.

FWIW, I remembered I had a security screw removal set of bits, including
the "fork" bits that are supposed to work on those security screws. I
couldn't get them to work--they just cammed out like a regular flat-blade.

On Thu, Oct 22, 2020 at 2:52 PM John Innis <jdinnis at gmail.com> wrote:

> Wow $40 for a pair of pliers.  Maybe worth it if they work, but pretty
> steep to take a chance on...
>
> On Thu, Oct 22, 2020 at 2:00 PM Jeff Scarbrough <fishplate at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Oddly enough, I got a link to this today...One application is removing
>> stubborn/anti-tamper screws
>>
>> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMOAYR2/
>>
>> On Wed, Oct 21, 2020 at 9:42 PM Scott Hall <scott.hall.personal at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> New house was a foreclosure.  It was 'secured' at some point.  One of
>>> the security features was locking sash latches in all the windows.  They
>>> did not leave a key to those locks.  The sash latches are secured with
>>> security/one-way screws that cannot just be unscrewed.
>>>
>>> They're also pretty hard and so close to the window pane itself that
>>> drilling them with a reverse drill bit isn't working.  And they're small
>>> enough that just grabbing them with a needle-nose vice grip isn't working
>>> either.
>>>
>>> Any advice before I do something stupid and screw up what we're some
>>> nice windows before the idiots got involved?
>>>
>>
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