“Both commercial and residential Schlage locks disassemble the same way. Generic brand commercial locks also have copied Schlage’s disassembly method, which makes this method one of the most popular. Please note that you must have a working key in order to rekey these locks. If you don’t have a working key, you will need to pick the lock, bump the lock (tap a non-working key inserted in the lock with a screwdriver handle until the lock turns), or use another bypass method to get the cylinder turned.

Once you have a way to turn the cylinder, turn it at least 45 degrees. If you don’t have the cylinder turned at least 45 degrees, the compression pin will not push in, and you won’t get the lock apart. You can keep the lock on the door when you remove the cylinder, but if the lock is already off the door, that’s fine, too. Next, find the base of the knob or lever where the lock connects to the door. On one side there’s a little hole. After you find the little hole, twist the knob or lever slowly in both directions while looking into the hole. When you do so, you’ll see a little compressible pin. Take your Multipick tool, or something sharp, and push in the pin. If it doesn’t go in, then that’s not the pin; keep looking. While you’re pushing the compressible pin in, use your other hand and try to pull the knob or lever off. When the pin is pushed in all the way, the knob or lever will come off the door. Once you have the knob or lever in your hand, you’ll be able to see a lock cylinder inside of it. You may have to remove a metal or plastic beauty ring, also known as a spacer ring, in order to pull out the cylinder. ”