Tag Archives: rekeying

Top 5 Reasons You Need a Locksmith

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Whenever it comes to an issue related to the servicing of a lock, key or an alarm in your car, home or office, it is always advisable to seek proper help from professionals. There are a number of reasons why you should always rely on a professional locksmith for all your lock related problems. The following are the primary reasons, but for more info, check out atllocksmithpros.com:

1. 24/7 Availability:

24-hourOne of the top reasons of hiring a professional locksmith is that he is capable of unlocking any door in order to get you inside, without actually making the entire process appear suspicious to people who are unaware of the fact that you are the owner. In several occasions, you may be unfortunate enough to find that you are locked out. Whether you left your keys in the house or locked them inside the car, locking oneself out is a very common incidence. There is actually no limit to how cautious a person can be in order to avoid such a situation. Apart from this, it is very important to solve them in a timely manner. Almost every professional locksmith has a 24 hour service and is available even on the holidays. Thus, irrespective of the day or time, a professional locksmith will assist you, even during the most terrible situations.

2. Better Cost Control:

Many people feel that it would be expensive to hire a professional locksmith for their lock-related issues but they often fail to look at the entire picture. In return of paying a small one-time amount, you are actually improving your security as well as reducing the chances of burglary. By installing a proper security system, you may even be able to decrease the monthly insurance payment in case you are able to successfully convince the provider that there is considerable risk. Always keep in mind that the insurance fee that you pay is also dependent upon the statistics of one’s neighborhood like average income, criminal rates, etc. The insurance company that you take services from will visit you and evaluate the safety of your house by checking how easy it would be for trespassers and robbers to break into the property. Safety depends on the evaluation of all possible risks and taking decisions accordingly. While the installation of a new security system at home may appear to be expensive, the reduced insurance premium which you have to pay each month will surely make it worthwhile for one’s budget.

3. Greater Security:

home-securityIt won’t be a very unusual situation if a burglar breaks into your house and you have to buy new locks. If such a case occurs, then it is best to hire a professional locksmith in order to increase the security of the property and acquiring some peace of mind. One can select from a wide range of solutions such as extra decorative locks, high-security locks and also surveillance cameras. In any case, if you feel that someone had made an attempt to break in, then definitely report the incident to the local police station. By all means, please do not take the task of establishing security locks in your own hands as it may lead to mistakes. In addition to this, it is always better to carry duplicate keys made by locksmiths whom you have known for some time and can trust.

4. Warranty and Reputation:

A professional locksmith will always provide greater security and warranty although there may be several skilled individuals out there. Apart from the functionality of the lock system, the question of who should be considered responsible if someone breaks in may arise. In certain unfortunate cases, even if a product has insurance, it may not be able to cover the loss due to interference with the security system. Always keep in mind that the law of selection is also applicable among businesses and only the best stays in the market.

5. Peace of Mind:

One’s inner thoughts can turn out to be his biggest enemy. It is completely normal to worry about one’s home and car while being away on a vacation. While you are away for several weeks, many unfortunate scenarios may pop up in your mind, leaving you quite stressed. You should always rely on a professional locksmith as he knows exactly what requires to be done to improve your security.


The Process Of Rekeying A Car Door Lock

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If you are a car owner then you know how important it is to ensure the security of your vehicle. If your car is not secure then you might have to lose your valuable properties. Therefore, you would have to ensure that the locks of your car properly protect your car so that the thieves cannot lay their hands on your vehicle. If you are confident that the locks of your car are alright and do not need to be changed then you should consider rekeying the existing ones. You must know the process of rekeying a car door lock.

If you are considering changing the keys of your car door lock then you must call a professional. It is always a good idea to let a professional deal with the rekeying process instead of trying your hands using Do It Yourself (DIY) techniques. The professional locksmith has the proper tools and has sufficient knowledge and experience which will make the job easier. However, if you want to try your hands at rekeying the lock of the door of your car then continue reading. The following is the process of rekeying a car door lock, thanks to the guys over at East Valley Lock and Key:

Step 1: Remove the door lock and tumbler of the car

You should start by removing the lock of car’s door and then take out the tumbler mechanism present inside. When you take out the tumbler, you would notice that the tumblers are set in a certain pattern that was fit for the previous key. Since you are considering rekeying the lock, you would have to readjust the tumbler so that a new key can be made for it. The old keys will no longer work once you change the pattern of the tumbler.

Step 2: Mark the blank key for cutting

When you have successfully removed the door lock and readjusted the tumbler then you should take a blank key and insert it in the tumbler mechanism for marking purpose. When the blank key has been inserted, you should mark the positions of each tumbler with a pen or marker on the key blade. The portions that you mark would have to be cut to make the new key.

Step 3: Cut the marked blank key

Cutting a keyWhen the blank key has been marked then you should create grooves of the key using a dremel tool with a cut off wheel. You can also use a jeweler’s file if you do not have the dremel tool. While you are cutting the key, or filing it, then you should check a few times whether the key is fitting or not. You must ensure that you do not cut the key below the marked lines. You must note that it is imperative to be patient while cutting the key because impatience might ruin your efforts.

Step 4: Test the new key

Test New KeyWhen you have completed cutting the new key, it is time to finally test the new key. The tumblers should be in perfectly flushed position with the outside plug of the tumblers. When the work is complete on your part then you should put the lock mechanism back in the door. If you have been successful in rekeying the car door lock then the new key would work perfectly. If you notice that the key is not working due to any reason then you would have to do the hard work again. You would have the repeat the process of rekeying a car door lock – remove the door lock and tumbler of the car, mark the blank key for cutting, cut the marked blank key and test the new key.

Step 5: Complete the job

If the new key is working perfectly without any problems then you have achieved success. However, your job has not been finished yet. You would have to adjust the tumblers of the other door locks also so that the same key works in all the locks of the car. Since you have a single key, you should make duplicates of the key so that you do not land in trouble if the original one is lost. You can effortlessly open the new locks of your car with the new key that you have made with all the hard work.


Rekeying Your Own Locks

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Rekeying the lock system of your home is a crucial security measure that you need to take frequently. The truth is, unless you are the first occupant of the house or office you are in, you can never be sure how many copies of keys for your locks are out there. You therefore need to ensure that you take actions that will limit access of unauthorized individuals to your house. For any service by a locksmith, including rekeying services, you will have to part with quite an amount of your hard earned cash. Rekeying is required frequently hence it can be classified as a recurrent expenditure. So many reasons bring up the need to rekey. Although sometimes it is always wise to leave it to the professionals, sometimes we are constrained by our budget and we have to make a choice on what to pay for and what expenditure o push further forward.

When faced with such a choice, you might be tempted to ignore the need to rekey your lock system. This could be one of the biggest mistake you make since it compromises the security of your home. Instead of postponing rekeying of your locks, you should figure out how to do it at the lowest cost possible. How about you do the rekeying yourself?
Resources:
beverlyhillslocksmith.org
familyhandyman.com
wikihow.com

Can You Rekey Your Own Locks?

The answer is a YES. Rekeying is not a very complicated task. You can just do it like a pro at a very little cost. Rekeying kits are not that expensive. Once you buy one, you can use it to rekey several lock. If all the locks in your home are from the same brand, you only have to buy one rekeying toolkit. Each kit can rekey a specified number of locks. If you need to rekey more than the specified number of locks, you will have to order for more.

After you acquire the tools, you are now ready for the task ahead. If it your fast time, you will need to have some knowledge about the process, there are so many sources of information regarding rekeying. There are video demos and numerous literature written to guide you through the process of rekeying. Knowing how to go about it should not give you a headache. The following is a general procedure for rekeying most of the locks. However, some locks may include more steps. Ensure that you understand your lock brand and the steps involved in rekeying it.

Removing the lock face.

lock faceThe lock face is also called the door knob. Most door knobs have a small clip attaching it them to the door. You need to first insert the key and turn it until the door is unlocked. Using the small wire-like tool in the toolkit, push the clip inward until the door knob disintegrates from the rest of the door. For some locks, you do not have to open the lock before you remove the nob.

Removing the lock cylinder and the cylinder ring.

At this step, you use the knob follower. Using it, you push the cylinder through the lock housing or casing. For some lock brands, the key should still be inserted the lock opened. The top of the cylinder has several pins and springs. You need to keep the cylinder well held by the cylinder follower to guard the pins and the springs from popping out of the cylinder until the cylinder is securely removed. The retainer ring is removed by just pushing it with the retainer ring remover. Once pushed, it pops off the cylinder. Set it aside so that you can replace it later.

Removing the lock plug.

lock plugThis is the most involving step. It require maximum concentration. It involves separating the upper and the lower pins by inserting the current key and turning it as if you are about to open the lock. Using constant pressure, guide the pug follower through the cylinder.

Removing the old pins.

lock pinsRemove the old locking pins and replace them with the new ones. While inserting the new pins, the new key should be inserted in the lock. Each pin has a unique color. You should insert them according to the color guide provided in the tool kit. After you have inserted the pins, you should then reassemble the whole lock system.


What Does It Mean To Re-key A Lock?

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Key in LockChances are that you may have heard people talk about changing all the locks in a building many times. In most cases they may not have been aware of the option of re-keying the locks or may have been under the impression that re-keying will not fully protect them from those who may still be able to gain access using the old keys.

Actually re-keying is enough and one does not need to incur the much higher expense of changing the entire hardware and installing new locks. It is an unnecessary expense when re-keying is possible.

Resource: www.chandlerlocksmithpros.net

So what exactly is re-keying? What does it mean to re-key a lock?

Simply put this is the process of altering or making adjustments to a lock so that it stops using the old key and starts using a new designated key. It is a very simple procedure that will take an experienced locksmith only a few minutes to complete but it is as good as changing the lock because old keys will no longer work.

 

rekeyThe way it is done is that the interior chamber of a lock usually has a series of upper and lower pins. All the key does is to push this pins into alignment and the door opens. Now what the locksmith does when re-keying is to replace the lower pins in the chamber so that the ridges fit into the new key when it is inserted into the key hole. Thus only the new key will open and the old key will now be useless.

This process also means that countless number of locks can be adjusted (re-keyed) in exactly the same way so that they all use the same key. In this case one master key will open all the locks.

Re-keying is the best option and beats changing locks because the former costs only a fraction of what it would take to remove and replace entire locks.

Another Great Article On Rekeying:How To Rekey A Door Lock




3 Reasons to Re-key Your Door Locks

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Key Inside LockHomeowners have to take into account many things, and one of them is home security. Here is a list of times when it will be very important to re-key your locks for the safety of your family and home.

Reasons to have your locks re-keyed by a professional locksmith.

Get More Info On Re-Keying Locks From ahwatukeelocksmith.net today!

#1 When You Lose Your Keys

lost house keysLosing your keys is a hassle, and it always sucks to have to think about the sinister side of lost keys, but it is necessary for good home security. You can’t assume that your keys fell into good hands, so its a great idea to either hire a locksmith to perform the service.

#2 After A Burglary

home burglarWhen your security is breached and someone enters your home in an unwanted fashion, it’s a good time to have your security looked over in the first place. To make sure you know your keys and locks are secure, have them re-keyed!

#3 When You Move In To A New Home

movng into a new homeMoving is the time where it is very paramount to make sure your door locks get re-keyed. In almost every situation with rental or new homes, there will be keys available that you don’t own. This is the very reason that a re-key procedure exists in the first place. Sleep sound knowing that you have the only keys that can access your new home!