Graphite from a pencil fixed my sticking deadbolt after I painted the door.

I had a stuck deadbolt after painting. Rubbing a pencil lead on the key and working it in freed it right up.

3 comments

3 Comments

You used pencil lead on the key? That ACTUALLY fixed it? I always thought you needed special lock lube for that. But after my own paint job messed up the lock, I tried the pencil thing and it was MAGIC. Graphite is a dry lube, so it makes sense now. It doesn't attract dirt like oil can. My deadbolt was stuck for days, and one quick rub with a pencil and it slides like new.

holly_black601mo ago

Graphite powder has been a locksmith's trick for decades because it doesn't gum up. It works well in cold weather where oil can thicken and make things worse. Patricia167 is right that it's a clean fix for painted locks too.

martinez.miles1mo ago

Seriously though, @patricia167, that pencil trick is LEGENDARY. My buddy had the same issue after painting his front door last fall, the lock was a total brick. He was about to call a locksmith when I told him to just scratch a pencil all over his key. He thought I was messing with him, but it worked INSTANTLY. Now he tells everyone about it like it's some big secret he discovered.