Master Bump Stop - Not Bump Proof Like Bilock, But A Promising Alternative

As you can see in the above diagram, Bilock's unique design and use of only bottom tumblers combined with dual-action sidebar technology and an extra interactive moving element that blocks the sidebars, is a radically improved design of the common pin tumbler mechanism, making it the first 100% guaranteed bump proof pin tumbler mechanism on the market.

Bilock is only available from authorised dealers and that makes the duplication of keys very difficult significantly enhancing the key control aspect of your system. Combine this with it's bump proof feature and you have a fully controlled and pick resistant/bump proof tumbler mechanism.

Master Lock Co. released their own patent pending bump resistance feature, a few years back, that they have been installing across their range of products. In the video after the jump, you can see an explanation of bumping and how the Master solution improves against the bumping technique.

Lockitron - Turning Any Deadbolt Into Wireless Keyless Access

A new product about to hit the market, will likely change the world of access control. Lockitron is the brainchild of a few young guys who have perfected the ultimate deadbolt lock accessory.

View the video (after the jump) for a great and simple explanation of the product.

The beauty of this type of product is that it is designed to work with your existing deadbolt lock. I foresee many and varied applications for this and expect the locksmith industry to jump on the bandwagon fairly quicksmart.

This product, I suggest will almost completely eliminate the need to hand out a spare key to your home or office in future.

Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock - First Samples Arrived

In April this year we posted about Lockwood Australia's new 7444 Cavity (pocket) sliding door lock and have received numerous inquiries about it.

As the above video explains, this new product is tailored to allow easy onsite installation by a keen DIY'er or handyman (person).

Competitively priced, this product makes securing pocket/cavity sliding doors much easier.

The design of this style of lock is not made for replacement of the common square/rectangular pocket door catch, most common in the USA. The Cowdroy P697 Double Cylinder Pocket Door Lock is designed for that very purpose, to enable easy replacement of your existing pocket/cavity sliding door catch.

We just received our first samples of this new product and are putting it through our testing regimen.

The product comes in it's own blister pack that can be displayed easily on a hook. You will be required to cut the packaging to take the product apart, prior to installation.

It uses a 5 pin tumbler LW4 keyway, which is identical to the popular KW1 (Kwikset) key profile, prolific in the North American market. This means that the lock can be keyed alike with other similar branded keyway profiles. With a little modification, we can provide restricted key cylinders for use in a master keyed system.
The product cannot be keyed to Schlage or Yale keys at this time.

We are working out the final pricing details now and expect to sell this product for about $110.00 plus shipping.

(as you probably understand - many imported solutions incur significant duties and customs/shipping costs that directly impact the list/wholesale costs. Whereas, you may be able to purchase these products elsewhere abroad, whilst they may advertise a significantly cheaper price, it is important to remember that customs duties/shipping has not been included)

Schlage™ Keyed Entry Lock - With Built-In Alarm

Schlage are widely considered one of the leading lock manufacturers in America today. They try to be at the forefront of design and perhaps they have achieved this with the introduction of their newest product The Schlage Keyed Entry Lock With Built-In Alarm.

Expect to see this product soon at major retailers and select locksmith companies across America.

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Poly-Control Z-Wave Access Controller For Euro Cylinder Deadlock

Poly-Control have also released a version for the European market. However this product requires a special Euro cylinder to be provided to enable the correct compatibility.

Like the US deadbolt version, you can enable the wireless, internet controllable Z-Wave system to add the access control capability to many of the existing deadlocks found across the Euro zone.

Again, with the popularity of Android and iPhone products, the added ability to control the lock using your smartphone increases the market effectiveness of these products.

Poly-Control Z-Wave Retro Fit Access Controller For Deadbolt Locks

Poly-Control is a Scandinavian company on the cutting edge of product design, especially aimed at the access control and home automation market.

They recently released this sensational product that enables computerised digital access control capability that can be added to your existing deadbolt lock without any necessary hardware replacement (except the turnbutton).

As the video above shows, you can easily add this product to your existing installation and convert your existing deadbolt into an internet controllable wireless access control solution.

Meroni Combina K13 Keyed To Kwikset Key

In the previous post I included a video of how to dismantle and reassemble a Meroni Combina Entrance set. I pulled the video because I felt it was pretty bad.

On Friday I installed the one in the above video, in place of a Schlage F series entrance set. The customer has a Kwikset Smartkey deadbolt fitted to their front door and wanted a handle on the same key. While i could have sold him another Kwikset lock, he chose the Meroni after a demonstration.

This video is slightly better than the previous one. I hope you enjoy it.

Reassembly And Installing Serrature Meroni Combina Entrance Set

[video removed]

Today I installed 2 new Serrature Meroni Combina Entrance Sets. I tried to record the reassembly and installation using my Android phone.

The Serrature Meroni Combina entrance set is a beautiful and functional product that is precision built to tight tolerances, ensuring top quality and long lasting functionality.

Credit Cards Used To Duplicate Keys

We first posted this article in September 2008, but have received many inquiries about our fabulous Bilock Extreme Security product that virtually eliminates this threat. Bilock  keys are unable to be copied surreptitiously in a similar fashion, due to the product using two blades with different key cuts on each blade. Combined with the patented Bilock interactive element, both in the key and the cylinder, security of both the key and lock are protected in an unequalled manner.

LAS VEGAS -- Life takes Visa, says the credit card company's catchy and ubiquitous TV ads.

And now, according to a group of security researchers speaking at the DefCon hacker conference in Las Vegas, Medeco high-security locks take Visa, too. As well as MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards.

To be more precise, the researchers say that plastic used in all of these credit cards can be easily fashioned into simulated keys that open three kinds of M3 high-security locks made by the Virginia-based Medeco Security Locks company -- locks that are used to secure sensitive facilities in places such as the White House, the Pentagon, embassies and other buildings.

"Virtually all conventional pin-tumbler locks are vulnerable to this method of attack, and frankly nobody has really considered it or looked at it before," says Marc Weber Tobias, one of the researchers.

Hoppe - Locks Of Distinction

Hoppe locks are a very well known high-end door hardware brand originally designed and manufactured in Germany.

Friedrich Hoppe started the company in the mid 1950's and has built manufacturing facilities in many other European countries.

Built to very exacting standards, these high end residential entry systems are often found in patio door applications across the world.

Europeans generally install their keyhole upside down...

Breaking News! Schlage Price Increase.

All Ingersoll Rand security products including Schlage, Von Duprin and Glyns Johnston to rise on the 5th.

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Run-Local-Locksmith Caught In Bait And Switch

News Flash! As Seen on KSDK5 February 22, 2012.

According to the St Louis branch of the Better Business Bureau, Michigan-based company, Run Local Locksmith, is the focus of several complaints from St. Louis area customers who say they were lured by low advertised prices, but then charged much higher fees by workers who responded to service calls.

Beware St Louis, another company has been discovered by the BBB to be fraudulently scamming locals using classic bait and switch tactics online, using sponsored advertising in search engines and other sites across web sites.

Essentially you see these ads at the top of the page when you search. These ads clearly say $15 Service Call. Most genuine locksmiths like us charge the average $65 for an opening, but these guys are taking advantage of people.

Changing Locks - How Much Does It Cost?

Many locksmiths would prefer you not know how lock re-keying is done. This talented young fellow has shown exactly the steps involved.

Almost 4 years ago we posted a very popular article here explaining fees.

Locksmith publications usually publish annual accepted industry averages. These prices vary across the country from $12 to $55 depending on where you live.

We are pleased to say our prices have not increased in this time. We still charge $15.00 per keyhole including parts and labor. Master Keying is $20.00 per keyhole.

We also rekey car locks too. Often $30 in parts are required and labor is negotiable.

Many people are starting to look at wireless and battery powered digital door locks. It is important and vital to always include the mechanical backup option even with battery powered door locks. When your batteries run down, you still need to get in. This also explains why you should not just rely on your Remote Garage Door Control.

I cant tell you the number of times I have been called to open houses for people who cannot get in their garage. Usually, power loss is the cause. But they dont carry a house key and to make worse, often leave the garage-house entry unlocked too. Does this sound familiar?

Many Manufacturers Announce Price Increases Today

A recent memo from some of our suppliers informed us about many of the leading brand manufacturers increasing their prices for their products, effective February 1st, 2012.

Assa-Abloy, HES, Schlage, HID, etc are among the few who have raised their prices.

Lucky for some, we actually lowered many prices on our specialty inventory items.

It is a competitive market out there and by offering the identical products to everyone else online and offline, the only way to remain competitive, many vendors can only compete on labor charges.

Fortunately, by offering products that are less mainstream than brand named lines, we can offer super-competitive prices, as long as you are not fussed about having the brand named products.

We offer Cal-Royal, Carbine, LSDA, Baron, Emtek, Meroni, Cowdroy, Lock Focus, Bilock products that are often similar in application to the more mainstream brands but at more competitive prices.

We will also provide any brand, upon request if we can get it.

Can Schlage Securekey Locks Be Masterkeyed?

Schlage Securekey Locks cannot be masterkeyed.

Likewise, neither can Kwikset Smartkey locks.

In fact, none of the current crop of self-rekeyable products on the market can be masterkeyed.

There is one exception, however.

The fabulous Matrix key system invented by a talented locksmith engineer in Australia, can offer rekeyable attributes (limited) while also being part of a master key system.

Battery Powered Electric Strike - By LockFocus (Test Model Arrived)

Well it certainly has been a busy 2 months for me. No time to sit and write new articles for this site.

We are happy to announce, we just received our display and test model of this newest addition to our inventory.

The Battery Powered Electric Strike - By Lock Focus appears to be of excellent quality and functionality.

It operates on 3 "watch type" lithium long life batteries that are easily available at just about any battery retailer, so purchasing additional or replacement batteries will be a cinch (pronounced sinch).

We are currently putting it through it's paces and plan to start offering them for sale very shortly.

Master Digital Keypad Deadbolt Installation

I was recently employed to install a couple of these Master combination deadbolts for a customer. These deadbolts perform a keyless entry function for mutual access to authorized staff, but they also are available to be keyed to the customers existing master key system. I always recommend customers purchase the key override function, to provide entry in case batteries go flat or emergency mechanical access is required.

The installation was quick, straightforward and painless except that the weather started to get rough.

This is how the installation went...

MinuteKEY - Self-Service Key Machine

minuteKEY Introduction video from minuteKEY on Vimeo.


New machine is being released to the world that might make key duplication a simpler experience for consumers.
The minuteKEY self service machine is specifically designed to be simple and easy to operate, offering a limited array of home and office keys in standard brass or designer keyblanks.
This revolution in the key duplication market will change the face of the hardware/key duplication market, speed up consumer wait times and in all likelihood reduce costs as well.
It is my understanding that Walmart is soon to be trialling these in select stores.
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Cal-Royal - Bilock Hybrid $140

Pictured to the left is the Cal-Royal LSD-01 Grade 3 Residential deadbolt.

Construction Features:

1. Mounting screws 8-32 X1 1/2" (Sgl cyl.)8-32 X 2" (Dbl cyl.)
2. 2 1/2" dia. tapered cylinder guard and solid metal insert, turns free with any removal attempt.
3. 2 1/2" dia. tapered cylinder guard and solid metal insert, turns free with any removal attempt.
4. One-piece solid brass housing for extra strength.
5. Hardened steel tail piece.
6. Pick resistant solid brass 6 pin tumbler plug "C".
7. Brass keys.
8. Sturdy, all steel latch case and mechanism.
9. Full 1" throw deadbolt.
10. Latch and strike screws are 8-32x1" combination wood/machine for applications on wood, metal or fiberglass doors and frames.
11. Strike and box.

As the largest Bilock Extreme Security dealer in the mid-west, we are now producing limited numbers of our Hybrid Cal-Royal/BilockGrade 3 deadbolt. By replacing the standard cylinder that comes with the LSD-01, with a Bilock Extreme Security Cylinder and 2 keys, we can offer a totally bump proof and virtually pick proof lock with keys that cannot be duplicated for about $140.00 (depending on the color).

When you compare the different brands of deadbolts currently on the market, most will vary in price due to the ANSI grade, the brand name and the quality of construction.

Many front or back doors on homes across America, already use Kwikset or Schlage Grade 3 deadbolts as the common product. The average price for these brand name products are between $35 and $70. Considering they do not offer any protection from key duplication, bump or pick attempts, makes this Bilock/Cal-Royal Hybrid combination, a very affordable solution to protecting your family and property.

Yes, it is comparably expensive, but your property is worth it is it not?

Dont be fooled by other advertisers claims that their comparison product is pick proof or bump proof or copy proof. There is tons of media out there that proves they are not, but Bilock is the real deal.

Crime Statistics Creve Coeur, MO February 2011

Pictured here is a map of the Creve Coeur, MO municipality and the statistics of crime reported in the source below. from the Creve Coeur Police Department.

The Creve Coeur Police Department is well known in the west county region for it's effectiveness on reigning in crime. They are a credit to their funding.

In February 2011, according to the picture here, there were 265 incidents reported to police.

These incidents include at least 200 alarm responses that police attended.

Police attended to 5 incidents where they wrote Breaking & Entering as the incident.

Police attended to 16 incidents where they wrote Property Crime as the incident.

Police attended to 39 incidents where they wrote Theft as the incident.

There are many reasons that crimes occur. Many of the incidents can be prevented by increasing your security preparedness.

An alarm system is one method, but prone to many false alarms. Police attend to monitored alarm calls, but there is usually a cost, borne by the homeowner or resident. Often police will allow 1 or 2 a year free, but regular false alarms add up to significant manpower hours, that are billed to residents.

Cost effective security products like door frame strengtheners and quality deadbolt locks are essential to improving the security of your properties. Often these small purchases can protect you and prevent crimes like break and enter.

Equally as important are key control systems. Key control systems, restrict the ability of authorized key holders to duplicate keys. Many incidents are happening because owners or managers are unaware of who may have a copy of their key. Preventing unauthorized access to your property significantly reduces crime of opportunity.

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