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How Far To Turn
The
companion question to which way to turn a lock is how far to turn it.
Desk and
filing cabinet locks generally open with less than a
quarter turn (
90 degrees) of the
plug. When opening a
desk lock try to avoid having the plug
lock in the open
position. Locks built into doorknobs also tend to open with less than a
quarter turn. Locks which are separate from the
doorknob tend to require a half turn to open.
Deadbolt lock mechanisms can require almost a full
turn to open.
Turning a lock more than
180 degrees is
difficult because the
drivers enter the
bottom of the
keyway.