Removing This Lock

[Ninefifty]

Hi All,
What is the best way to remove this painted lock without damaging the lock holder please?

As you can see I am unable to remove the screws as they are in a very bad way - unable to either drill or screw them out.

Cheers.

 

[Himaginn]

Did you try tightening them a bit first? That can sometimes work to just release the grip a fraction.
Now the heads are buggered there's nowt left but to drill them out. A screw-extractor might also work. (It's like a left hand threaded tap)
If you can't you'll have to get someone in who can.

You could try hammering it out from the side, but I wouldn't bother, I doubt you'd be successful without damaging the door.
If you were successful, there's a chance you'd shear the heads of the screws leaving the shank of the screw still in the door. Then you'd need to be able to grip the shank of the screw with mole grips or similar.

What ever you do, it would be worth going round the edge of the lock with a stanley knife or similar to break the paint seal, so that the lock can come out cleanly without taking any of the paint on the door with it.

 

[foxhole]

Clean screw head out with a bradawl or sharp screw point then you can remove with screwdriver.