Looking For How To Remove A Cam Lock? Read To Find Out!

I had been persuaded by my sister to assist her in getting a bar cabinet for her living room. She was really irate since I had put off the visit because I had been so busy at work the previous month. In order to assist her in purchasing the piece of furniture, I finally made time last week to go with her to the IKEA store.

IKEA’s ready-to-assemble furniture, kitchenware, and home decor have won me over quite a bit. I also appreciate how they made the majority of their collection affordable. IKEA’s cafe, which offers the tastiest Swedish meatballs, is what I enjoy about it the most, though. I, therefore, assisted my sister in picking out the necessary furniture as soon as possible.

We were back at our house by the afternoon, and my sister called me that night to inquire how to get rid of the IKEA cam lock. She put together her cabinet improperly, so she needed my assistance once more to get the cam lock off. I had to leave my job once more in order to assist my loving sister in fixing the problem, but I later made up for it by writing an article about it.

Users can assemble their own furniture with the help of cam locks. However, If you assembled the furniture incorrectly or are transferring it from one place to another, you might need to know how to remove the cam locks. 

You must insert the cam lock kit key into the lock and turn it counterclockwise to remove the cam lock. In the event that you don’t have the cam lock key, you can also use a screwdriver of the proper size.

This article will teach us how to remove a cam lock with or without the key. But before that, let us learn what cam locks are and how they work.

What Is A Cam Lock?

A cam lock is a cylindrical L-shaped fastener mostly used in cabinet construction and other types of furniture. These locks may be located at the furniture joints to make them more secure. Cam locks hold the cabinets together without affecting their appearance, as these locks are almost invisible once the furniture is constructed.

Cam locks make it simple and quick for customers to put their cabinets and furniture together. They are made up of a tongue bar, also known as a cam, and a cylindrical keyed nut. After installing a cam lock, the user can lock the enclosure by rotating the key in the nut.

How Does A Cam Lock Work?

Directly on the interior side of the furniture’s front are mounted the cam locks. A cam lock can be locked and unlocked with a key. The tongue bar shifts its direction when a key is inserted into the cam lock cylindrical nut and turned. Your cam lock is locked if the tongue bar is dropped, and it is unlocked if the tongue bar is vertical.

In-fact sometime back I did a definitive guide on everything about Cam locks.

How To Remove A Cam Lock With a Key?

To remove a cam lock, you need the cam lock kit key. Usually, all the cam locks on a single piece of furniture are keyed alike and can be accessed with the same key.

Here is how you can remove a cam lock with the help of a cam lock key.

• Step 1: Take the key of your cam lock and position the tip securely into the cam.
• Step 2: Turn the key counterclockwise to rotate the cam within its hole until the cam stops. 
• Step 3: Once the lock is unlocked, put the piece of furniture away and head on to opening the next lock.

How To Remove A Cam Lock Without a Key?

Usually, the cam lock keys are easily lost as they are used less often. In case you have lost your cam lock keys or cannot access them, there are ways how you unlock your cam lock without a key.

• Step 1: Select a screwdriver that best fits the slots of your cam lock and position the tip securely into the cam.
• Step 2: Rotate the screwdriver’s handle counterclockwise to twist the cam within its hole.
• Step 3: Once the lock is unlocked, put the piece of furniture away and head on to opening the next lock.

Why Won’t Your Cam Lock Unlock?

If you’ve ever tried to unlock a cam lock and found that it won’t budge, you’re not alone. There are a few reasons why your cam lock might be giving you trouble. Here are some of the most common reasons why cam locks won’t unlock:

The first reason is that the lock may be frozen. This can happen if the lock is exposed to cold temperatures for an extended period of time. To thaw a frozen lock, simply apply gentle heat to it with a hair dryer or other heating device.

Another reason your cam lock might be refusing to budge is that the locking mechanism is jammed. This can happen if the lock is old or has been used frequently. To fix a jammed cam lock, simply disassemble the lock and clean out any dirt or debris that might be causing the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I use a drill to remove the cam lock from my furniture?

Answer – While you can drill out some cam locks, most high-security cam locks are designed to resist drilling. Unless you are sure you can drill your can lock out, do not try removing them with the drill to avoid damage. 

Q2. How to remove the cam lock from a deep hole?

Answer – Put some hot on the end of a stick or a dowel and insert it in the hole. Let it dry for a minute, and gently rotate the stick while pulling it out. Hot glue would stick to the cam lock and pull it out along with the stick. Else, try using a drill to remove the stuck cam lock from the deep hole.

Conclusion

In cabinets, tables, and other pieces of furniture, cam locks are frequently employed. The cam lock is a straightforward but efficient locking mechanism that facilitates and speeds up the DIY assembly of furniture. It’s possible that you’ll need to occasionally unlock your can lock when putting your furniture together, or when you or your furniture are moving places.  If so, you can do it with the aid of the cam lock key or a screwdriver.

You must have found the post useful if you were trying to figure out how to unlock a cam lock with or without a key. Please leave me a comment if you have any other questions regarding cam locks.