By: Andrew Brassard
Today’s security-conscious citizens have propelled the simple slide-bolt or barrel-bolt locking mechanism to one of the most common secondary locking devices found on the fireground. They are most commonly found on residential doors, commercial buildings, and strip malls, roof bulkheads and scuttle hatches. Slide-bolts can be found securing either inward or outward opening doors and may be mounted on either side of those doors.
Firefighters arriving to any door should note the presence of slide-bolts immediately by noticing the carriage bolt heads on the face of the door.
Firefighters must stay one step ahead of security devices. There are several reasons that these locks are so common, slide-bolts are inexpensive, easy to install, and provide excellent security against the criminal element. Most slide-bolts are constructed of stainless steel. The throw of the bolt may extend into the door frame or lock strike anywhere from an inch and a half to several inches.
As with any forcible-entry problem, we need to identify the weakest part of the locking assembly and manipulate it (manually or by force) to gain entry as safely and efficiently as possible. Keep in mind that these secondary locking devices may be attached to one or both sides, the top, and bottom of any door. Some slide-bolt assemblies are constructed so a padlock can be attached, adding an extra security measure to the door.
Interior view of the same door confirms not only the presence of a double slide-bolt, but shows that they are also padlocked.
A systematic approach, beginning with a methodic size-up is crucial in establishing the forcible-entry plan of attack. Your skill with forcible-entry can dictate whether this fire will remain an aggressive interior attack or transitions to a defensive operation. Typically a defensive operation translates to higher contents loss, increased firefighter risk, the potential loss of the building and or loss of life.
Firefighters must be aware of the various styles of these locks both old and new that secure buildings. As firefighters, we must know multiple ways to defeat these very common locks. The methods described provide for rapid and effective entry to the fire area. Having knowledge of locks and assemblies and being able to quickly put your forcible entry plan into action is what generations of urban firefighters and officers pass on to each other.
Driving the Bolts through the Door
Using the pike or point of the Halligan tool to drive the carriage-bolts through the door is a very efficient method of forcing slide-bolt locks. To perform this method, simply place the pike of the Halligan tool directly on the exposed carriage bolts. With several blows from the flat-head axe, strike the Halligan tool driving the carriage bolts through the door.
Repeat the above steps for each exposed bolt head. When each bolt has been defeated, revert to normal conventional forcible-entry techniques to force the door.
NOTES:
Driving these bolts completely through the door may prove to be very difficult, however if you only drive them through the exterior skin of the door, it will loosen the lock considerably, making conventional forcible entry easier.
If the carriage bolts are located on a solid-core or steel-buck door, it may be very difficult to drive these bolts completely through the door.
The Spin-Method
Another very efficient technique that directly attacks the padlock and locking mechanism is the “spin-method”. The spin-method is very quick and is conducted with one firefighter using a Halligan tool. This technique is accomplished by first placing the forks of the Halligan tool on the shackle of the padlock. Stabilize the padlock using one hand, and place the other hand down on the shaft near the adz of the Halligan. Start turning (spinning) the Halligan in a 360 degree circle. The padlock (pinned by the forks of the Halligan) will also spin. The added leverage of the Halligan will tear the padlock from the locking assembly. Once the padlock has been removed from the assembly, the bolt may be driven past where the padlock held it in place.
NOTES:
One problem with this method is that the slide-bolt assembly becomes mangled when forcing the padlock. Use the adz of the Halligan or the flat-head axe to hammer the slide-bolt out of the lock-strike. The adz may also be used to pry the slide-bolt out of the lock strike on an inward swinging door.
Forks of a Halligan tool
Fork on shackle of padlock
Padlock removed
The Pike End
This method is considerably quicker and requires two firefighters a flat-head axe and a Halligan tool. One firefighter places the pike of the Halligan tool behind the body of the locking assembly near the padlock. With blows from the flat-head axe, the pike is driven behind the locking assembly and the shackle of the padlock. Once the pike has been sufficiently driven behind the locking device and the padlock, apply pressure towards the lock side of the door. This will bend the padlock and the locking mechanism away from the door. This creates enough room for the bolt to pass by the padlock, even though the padlock is still present and locked. This method is completed by unlocking the bolt normally and sliding it past the padlock.
NOTES:
Some force may be needed, accomplished by using very short hits (striking the bolt handle) with the adz end to force the bolt open.
Using pike end of halligan tool
Pike behind lock assembly
Padlock still present and locked
Removing the Handle
This method only works in certain conditions. “Removing the handle” can only be conducted on outward-opening doors (swinging towards the forcible entry team) that are not recessed into the wall of the building. This technique is completed by simply removing the handle (small nub on the bolt) on the slide-bolt assembly. If you study the slide-bolt, that “handle” is the only feature holding the sliding bolt into the mechanism when the padlock is in place.
Place the pike of the Halligan on the small indent located on the slide bolt opposite the handle. With one or two blows with the flathead axe, the handle will be driven out of the bolt. Once the handle is removed, slide the bolt away from the padlock, completely through the lock strike and out of the locking assembly.
NOTES:
In the case of a door holding the bolt tight in the locking assembly, try to shake the door as you slide the bolt out of the mechanism. Channel-locks or pliers may also assist you in removing a tight bolt.
Bolt Shearing
Shear the bolts of exterior mounted slide-bolts utilizing the adz of the Halligan or the axe blade by attacking the bolts from behind the locking assembly.
This will assure that the tool will not slip off of the screws and provides direct pressure with each blow. Place the adz of the Halligan on the top of the slide-bolt assembly and tap the adz until it reaches the bolt. Once the adz is resting directly on the bolt, strike the Halligan sharply to shear the bolt. One or two strong hits should defeat most bolts. The same technique can be accomplished by using a flat-head axe. Simply substitute the axe blade for the Halligan adz in the above description
NOTES:
Only attempt this method if the bolts are ¼” in diameter or less. Attempts to shear off bolts larger than ¼” in diameter will most likely fail and are a waste of time in a forcible- entry operation. If bolts larger than ¼” in diameter are found, revert to other methods. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS TECHNIQUE WITH A PICK-HEAD AXE!
Foot and Floor-Bolts
Another very common location for slide-bolts is to affix them to the bottom of a door facing down and locking into the floor. This variation is sometimes called a “Foot or Floor-Bolt”. Foot-bolts can cause a setback in a forcible-entry operation if they are not noticed and you do not know how to defeat them. Many times, the throw of the foot-bolt is shallow due to the dirt, grime and other material that builds up in the strike (hole in the floor) this will make entry easier.
Most of the time, these bolts will pull out of their strike during a conventional forcible- entry operation by bending the door. In some cases however, these locks will require some special attention from the forcible-entry team. The following steps should be conducted AFTER all of the locks on the lock-side have been forced, yet the door resists opening.
The first step to forcing a foot-bolt is to realize that it exists. If there are no tell-tale signs from the exterior, (carriage-bolt heads) a shove-knife or similar tool may be used to locate it. Simply slide the shove-knife under the door and move it in a side-to-side motion until the lock is located. If one lock is found, make sure to check the remainder of the door to assure there isn’t a second one.
After locating the lock, place the bevel of the fork towards the door and drive the fork of the Halligan under the door. Assure that the forks are two to three inches to one side of the foot-bolt, as some firefighters have jammed the slide-bolt between the forks causing a significant delay. Drive the fork of the Halligan into the door until the crotch of the fork is even with the outside edge of the door. Once the tool is set, pry upward in an attempt to crush the door and pull the bolt out of the strike.
NOTES:
If unsuccessful, attempt to place the widest part of the axe (striking side) under the Halligan as close to the door as possible. While using the axe as fulcrum, pry downward in an attempt to crush the door upward. If more force is needed, carefully step on the shaft of the Halligan.
Floor boltl
Forcible entry operation
Prying door with Halligan tool and axe
Using the Power Saw
Another option is using a power saw with a metal cutting blade. This method involves removing slide-bolts from the exterior by sawing the bolt-heads off of the face of the door. Hold the saw at a 45 degree angle to the door to remove the bolt heads. Once each bolt-head has been cut off, switch to conventional forcible-entry methods to open the door. This method is a very efficient way of gaining entry.
NOTES:
When using a power saw on metal surfaces, assure that the cut is started at slow revolutions per minute (RPM). This will allow the blade to form a groove, or “bite into” the smooth surface of the steel. Once this groove is formed, and the saw operator is comfortable that the blade will not jump or skip from the cutting surface, slowly run up the throttle of the saw to full RPM. It is important to keep the saw at full-throttle throughout the remainder of the cut. It is equally important to assure that the saw operator DOES NOT force the blade into the material. If the saw operator forces the blade into the work with excess pressure, the blade may wear down quicker or shatter. Apply constant light pressure to the material and allow the saw to do the work!
Power saw
